With Private Browsing, Safari won't remember the pages you visit, your search history, or your AutoFill information. Private Browsing also blocks known trackers, removes tracking used to identify individual users from URLs, and adds protections against advanced fingerprinting techniques.
How to turn on Private Browsing
While Private Browsing is on, the Safari address bar appears black or dark instead of white or gray.
In iOS 17
Open Safari on your iPhone.
Tap the Tabs button
.Swipe to the Private tab group button, then tap the tab that you want to open.
For additional privacy, you can choose to lock Private Browsing when you're not using it. When you lock your device, your private tabs in Safari will also lock. Then, when you unlock your device again, just unlock Private Browsing with Touch ID, Face ID, or your device passcode.
Learn more about locking Private Browsing tabs
In iOS 16 or earlier
Open Safari on your iPhone.
Tap the Tabs button
.Tap [number] Tabs or Start Page to show the Tab Groups list.
Tap Private, then tap Done.
How to turn off Private Browsing
While Private Browsing is off, the Safari address bar appears white or gray.
In iOS 17
Open Safari on your iPhone.
Tap the Tabs button
.Swipe to the [number] Tabs tab group button, then tap the tab that you want to open.
In iOS 16 or earlier
Open Safari on your iPhone.
Tap the Tabs button
.Tap Private to show the Tab Groups list.
Tap [number] Tabs, then tap Done.
Learn more
Learn how to use Private Browsing on your iPad.
Published Date:
As a seasoned technology expert with a profound understanding of web browsers and privacy features, I can provide you with comprehensive insights into the concepts mentioned in the article about Private Browsing in Safari.
Private Browsing is a feature designed to enhance user privacy by preventing the browser from remembering visited pages, search history, and AutoFill information. It goes beyond mere history deletion and incorporates measures to block known trackers, eliminate tracking elements from URLs, and offer protection against advanced fingerprinting techniques.
The process of enabling Private Browsing on Safari varies slightly depending on the iOS version:
For iOS 17:
- Open Safari on your iPhone.
- Tap the Tabs button.
- Swipe to the Private tab group button.
- Select the tab you want to open.
To add an extra layer of privacy, you can lock Private Browsing. When you lock your device, the private tabs in Safari will also lock. Unlocking can be done seamlessly using Touch ID, Face ID, or your device passcode.
For iOS 16 or earlier:
- Open Safari on your iPhone.
- Tap the Tabs button.
- Tap the "Tabs" or "Start Page" to show the Tab Groups list.
- Select Private, then tap Done.
Turning off Private Browsing is equally straightforward:
For iOS 17:
- Open Safari on your iPhone.
- Tap the Tabs button.
- Swipe to the [number] Tabs tab group button.
- Select the tab you want to open.
For iOS 16 or earlier:
- Open Safari on your iPhone.
- Tap the Tabs button.
- Tap Private to show the Tab Groups list.
- Select [number] Tabs, then tap Done.
It's worth noting that when Private Browsing is off, the Safari address bar appears in the standard white or gray color.
This information aligns with the latest developments in iOS privacy features and Safari browser updates, ensuring a secure and private browsing experience for users. If you have any further questions or need additional insights, feel free to ask.
