Want to browse on your Chromebook without adding that activity to your regular Chrome history? Start with the menu or keyboard shortcut below. If Incognito is missing, check the account restrictions that control access.
Open an Incognito window in Chrome
Open Chrome. No installation or download is needed.
Select More (⋮) at the top right.
Choose New Incognito window. The new window has an Incognito icon beside the address bar.
For the keyboard route, press Ctrl + Shift + N while using Chrome. You don’t need the Search or Launcher key or a special hardware button.
Check why the Incognito option is missing
Account restrictions block Incognito in Family Link sessions and in school or workplace sessions where administrators disable it.
If you’re signed in with a child’s Google Account managed through Family Link, Incognito is turned off. There is no supported switch to enable it within that supervised Chrome session. Family Link’s website-access controls do not turn it on.
On a school or work Chromebook, ask your administrator whether Incognito is permitted for your account. Your organization controls whether it is available and which websites it allows in Incognito. The keyboard shortcut does not override those restrictions.
Send a link or bookmark straight to Incognito
When you already have a webpage link or saved bookmark in front of you, its context menu gives you a direct route into Incognito. These commands require Incognito to be permitted for your account.
Right-click the webpage link in a regular Chrome window. On a Chromebook touchpad, use a two-finger click; on a touchscreen, touch and hold the link.
Select Open link in incognito window. Internal Chrome-page links do not always offer this command.
If a regular website link lacks the command, open an Incognito window through More (⋮) > New Incognito window, provided Incognito is permitted.
Enter the website address in that window’s address bar.
For a saved page, right-click its bookmark on the bookmarks bar or in the bookmarks menu.
Select Open in Incognito window.
To open a bookmark folder’s pages together, right-click the folder.
Select Open all (N) in Incognito window, where N is the number of pages saved directly in that folder that can open in Incognito. If only one such page qualifies, the command reads Open in Incognito window. Some bookmark menus use Open all in Incognito window instead.
Keep browsing and close the session completely
With your Incognito window active, press Ctrl + T to open another tab. Additional Incognito windows share the ongoing session, so opening a second window does not give you a separate private identity.
When you’re finished, select Close (X) at the top right of every Incognito window. The session ends only after all Incognito windows are closed.
If the Close button gives you trouble, press Ctrl + Shift + W with the Incognito window active. Use that shortcut in each remaining Incognito window to finish the session.
Understand what Incognito keeps private
Incognito limits the browsing data Chrome retains locally. It does not make you invisible online or prevent websites, network operators, schools, and employers from observing your activity.
Downloads and bookmarks remain after you finish browsing. Closing every Incognito window ends the session, but it does not remove files you downloaded or bookmarks you saved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Chromebook Plus and touchscreen Chromebooks support Incognito?
Yes. The Chrome menu method works on Chromebook Plus and touchscreen models, provided your account and organizational restrictions permit Incognito.
Is Guest browsing the same as Incognito?
No. Guest browsing starts a separate Chromebook session instead of opening an Incognito window within your usual account. It requires Guest browsing to be enabled, and a school or workplace administrator can remove the option.
Does allowing an extension in Incognito turn on Incognito mode?
No. The Allow in Incognito permission only lets that extension operate inside Incognito. It does not enable Incognito itself or override an administrator’s restrictions.
How do I check the Incognito policy on a managed Chromebook?
Open chrome://policy. Select Reload policies. Check IncognitoModeAvailability: a value of 1 disables Incognito, while 2 forces it. This page displays policy settings; it does not let you change administrator-controlled values.