How can I use InPrivate Browsing in Microsoft Internet Explorer,
to prevent other users of the computer from seeing my browsing history
and knowing what websites I’ve visited?
Normally, when you surf the Web using Internet Explorer (or any other
browser), websites that you visited are added to your browser “history”.
in the past — for example, simply by typing “www” in the address bar
of your browser, you’ll see a drop-down list of some sites that you
have visited recently:
![microsoft internet explorer ie history](https://www.askdavetaylor.com/4-blog-pics/microsoft-internet-explorer-ie-history.jpg)
Of course, this means that the next user of the computer could see your
browser history as well (unless they log off and sign in under a different
username). For privacy reasons, you may not want other users to see what
sites you’ve visited recently.
Beginning in Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft added a new feature to Internet
Explorer called “InPrivate Browsing”, which allows the user to surf the
Web without IE adding any of your visited sites to your browser history.
To see what version of Internet Explorer you’re using, hit the F1 button
on your keyboard while IE is running, and the Help window will open up,
displaying the version number at the top:
![microsoft internet explorer ie help](https://www.askdavetaylor.com/4-blog-pics/microsoft-internet-explorer-ie-help.jpg)
To turn on InPrivate Browsing, click the “Safety” button at the top of
the Internet Explorer, and click the “InPrivate Browsing” option:
![msie inprivate browsing menu link](https://www.askdavetaylor.com/4-blog-pics/msie-inprivate-browsing-menu-link.jpg)
and a new window opens saying that you are now in InPrivate Browsing:
![msie inprivate browsing window](https://www.askdavetaylor.com/4-blog-pics/msie-inprivate-browsing-window.jpg)
Note, however, that you now have two Internet Explorer windows open — the
new InPrivate Browsing window, plus the IE window that was previously open
that you used to launch the new InPrivate Browsing window — and InPrivate
Browsing does not apply to the old window. Websites that you enter
into that window will still be added to your browser history. (You can, of
course, close that old browser window, so the only browser window you have
open is the InPrivate Browsing one.)
Somewhat confusingly, you also cannot “turn off” InPrivate Browsing by clicking
a button or selecting a menu option. Once an InPrivate Browsing window is open,
you simply turn off InPrivate Browsing by closing that window.
NOTE: InPrivate Browsing will only provide a casual level of privacy protection,
against the user who might sit down at the computer and glance at your browser
history to see what websites you’ve been visiting. A truly nosy adversary might
install spy software on your PC to track what websites you visit, and even to
record what passwords you type in. (Such programs are commercially available,
and while their manufacturers position them as “parental monitoring” programs
in order to stay politically correct, they can of course be used by any user
of a shared computer, to spy on any other user.) InPrivate Browsing will not
protect against that type of spying software.
Bennett Haselton is a technology and political blogger who really comes out
of his shell if you ask him
how to bypass the Barracuda
Web filter.
you have no idea how many times I have tried to print in landscape, using the landscape option on the print screen ie the one that appears when you do ctlp. thank you (there is a god)!
For firefox users, you can go to tools -> and select “start private browsing” or just press Ctrl+Shift+P all at the same time.
You can also specify Firefox not to remember any of your browsing history. tools -> options -> privacy.
If you forgot to use private browsing feature then you can always clear your browsers web history and cookies.
It’s too bad that the question, and by extension, the answer is directed at MSIE only. There are some fantastic privacy options in other web browsers.