Keep Information Private by Using Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing

Have you ever wanted to make sure you leave no trace behind of your Internet Explorer browsing session? Microsoft has provided an easy to use solution for this exact problem - InPrivate Browsing. In Internet Explorer 8, InPrivate Browsing prevents any of your browsing history, form data, usernames, passwords, temporary Internet files and cookies from being stored by your browser or computer. This allows you to browse without leaving a mark.

Why Use InPrivate Browsing

Many people think the only reason you don't want to display your browsing information is because you're trying to hide something bad. While this may be the case for some, almost everybody can find a valid reason for using InPrivate Browsing. For instance, if multiple people in the same house share a computer. Do you want your friend or relative to see what you've been shopping for as their gift for Christmas or their birthday? Do you really want other users of a public computer to be able to see traces of what you did while online, such as usernames and the sites you visited? These are just a few of the reasons you may want to start an InPrivate Browsing sessions.

Turning On InPrivate Browsing Through Tabs

The easiest way to turn on InPrivate Browsing is by opening a new tab in Internet Explorer. Select Open an InPrivate Browsing window. This opens a completely new window in Internet Explorer and does not affect the windows or tabs you already have open. Be sure to close the other open pages to prevent confusion.

Turning on InPrivate Browsing Using Other Methods

Another method of opening an InPrivate Browsing window is by opening Internet Explorer and selecting the Safety menu. Choose InPrivate Browsing.

If you like to use keyboard shortcuts, a quick way to open a private window is by pressing the following the key combination: Ctrl + Shift + P. Internet Explorer must be open for this combination to work.

Other Considerations

While using an InPrivate Browsing session, you should always see a dark blue bar next to the URL or address box. You should see the words InPrivate displayed in the dark blue bar. As long as you see this, your session is still private. You can use the InPrivate window the same as a normal browser window. Keep in mind that some sites may conflict with this feature. You will be presented with an information or warning bar at the top of the said site explaining the problem. Most sites have no issue with this feature, however. You can close a private session at any time by closing the InPrivate window.

InPrivate Browsing is a great way to keep your browsing session private. No matter what the reason, you can browse safely without storing a single thing in your browser or computer.