Private browsing on a shared phone, from the first tab to the last

Handing someone your unlocked phone to find a restaurant is a good test of what “private” means. If the page you were reading is still in an open tab, it takes only a tap to see it. A lock on private tabs can help between visits. Closing the private session is the better finish when you are done.

Try the steps below with a harmless page first. Open a newspaper story in a private tab, close it as described, then look for the title in ordinary history and the tab switcher. This checks how your own browser behaves before you use it for something personal.

On an iPhone using Safari

1. Open Safari and bring up the tab controls. Choose the Private tab group or New Private Tab, depending on the version and toolbar layout. Check the label says Private before entering the address.
2. Open the site from that tab. If following a link takes you into a separate app, check where you are. The app has its own history and account settings.
3. To finish, open the private tab overview and close the tabs you used. Switching back to the ordinary tab group leaves any unclosed private tabs in their group.
4. If you sometimes leave private tabs open, check Safari's settings for requiring Face ID, Touch ID or the device passcode to access locked private tabs. On recent iPhones the Safari settings are under Settings → Apps → Safari. Anyone who knows the device passcode may still be able to unlock them.

Apple says Safari private tabs stay out of the History list and the list of tabs shown on your other Apple devices. Ordinary tabs and history can appear across devices when iCloud for Safari is enabled. That distinction matters on a family iPad using the same Apple Account. Apple's private browsing instructions · Apple's guide to locked private tabs

On an Android phone using Chrome

Open Chrome's three-dot menu, choose the new Incognito tab or window option, and look for the hat-and-glasses symbol. If you sign in to the website during this session, the site can associate what you do with that login.

At the end, open the tab switcher, select the Incognito group, then close every Incognito tab. Chrome also offers Close all Incognito tabs in the Incognito tab switcher's menu. Returning to the home screen or switching to a normal tab does not end the session. Where supported, Settings → Privacy and security includes an option to lock Incognito tabs or windows when you leave Chrome. Google's instructions for Android

Where else might a record remain?

If you accidentally used an ordinary tab, look for the individual entry in that browser's history. Check whether a deletion will sync to other devices before clearing a whole family's history. Deleting one entry on your phone cannot recall a receipt that has already gone to an email account or erase a record the website keeps itself.

When a VPN makes a difference

For someone who occasionally borrows your unlocked phone, tabs and saved files are the places to check first. A VPN affects the connection between the device and its server. It cannot close tabs, disconnect a shared Apple Account or change which people know the passcode. For questions about what someone who runs your Wi-Fi may be able to see, read the home broadband privacy guide.

On an employer-managed phone, an organisation can apply its own monitoring or management tools. For personal browsing, use a device and account you control. If a private session prompts you to repeat an age check on your next visit, follow the site's normal verification process. Closing a private session can remove the local proof that you have already completed it.