Privacy, security, anonymity… all things that have been severely compromised since search engine’s began culling data, to better “enhance” your search experience. When I say compromised, I mean by the 1 on 1 relationship you have with your preferred search engine.
Search engines these days impose results based on what “they” think you’re looking for, rather than allowing you to make that informed decision on your own, based on true, unfiltered results.
The results they provide, are not 100% entirely based against your search query. No, they are search results that are modified against your search query based on your search profile, that has been collected overtime.
In my position, I need to be able to see search results un-filtered, un-personalized. I need to see these results as if my browser and search engine had no idea who I was: Incognito. May be you would like to, too.
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a search browser, much like Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox (Safari for you MAC users). Chrome has an incognito mode that allows you to view the web without your cookies or search history influencing the results. Pages you view in this mode will not appear in your browser history or search history, and they won’t leave other traces, like cookies, on your computer after you close out. Any files you download or bookmarks you create will be preserved, however.
Note: Because Google Chrome does not control how extensions handle your personal data, all extensions have been disabled for incognito windows. You can re-enable them individually in the extensions manager (chrome://extensions/).
Launch Chrome Window in Incognito Mode
Assuming Chrome is open, the easiest way to open a new browsing session in incognito mode is to utilize the keyboard shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT + N.
Alternatively, you can click on the Chrome Tools icon:
and selecting New Incognito Window.
Permanent Incognito Mode for Chrome
To permanently launch Chrome in incognito mode, you need to amend the “target” path for you Chrome shortcuts (those located in your Start -> Programs menu, Quick Launch toolbar, Desktop Icon, etc..).
- Right-Click your Chrome Icon, choose Properties
- Select “Shortcut” tab, from the Properties dialog window
- In the “Target” field, add the following ” –incognito” to the end of the target. It should look something like this:
C:\Documents and Settings\[YOUR USERNAME]\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe” –incognito - Finalize your changes by clicking OK
Every time you click your Chrome shortcut icon, Chrome will launch in incognito mode.
Chrome as Default, Launched from Other Applications
If Chrome is your default browser, then hyperlinks within say an email or a PDF will not invoke “incognito mode”. In order to trigger links in other applications to launch in incognito mode, you have to modify your registry.
- Launch CMD Window: Start -> Run.
- Type: “regedit” and hit OK (less the quotes)
- Located: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ChromeHTML\shell\open\command
- Double-click: (Default)
- In the Value Data text field, add “-incognito — ” at the end, but before the “%1″. Should look something like this:
C:\Documents and Settings\[YOUR USERNAME]\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe” -incognito — “%1 - Click OK
- File -> Exit the Registry
Moving forward, links launched from secondary applications will be launched in incognito mode.
Hope you find this as useful as I did.
