How to Use Private Browsing on Firefox for Mac Users
by Chelsea Bruhl on Jul 16, 2024
Do you want to learn How to Use Private Browsing on Firefox for Mac Users? Read on because we got you covered!
In this article, we'll walk you through the steps necessary to use private browsing in Firefox.
This privacy-focused browser is perfect for users who want to stay anonymous online, and it offers more privacy than most other browsers.
In this article, MacSecurity will show you How to Use Private Browsing on Firefox for Mac users so you don't have to worry about anyone gaining access to your personal data.
How to Use Private Browsing on Firefox for Mac Users
Private browsing in Firefox is a little different than in other browsers. Firefox now offers tracking protection in addition to not recording your online browsing history. This will prevent sections of websites from tracking your browser history across various websites.
Have you ever gone to a travel website to conduct some research for a vacation and then saw advertisements for the same location when browsing other websites? As you browse, you are being monitored. When you’re using Firefox in private mode, this won’t happen.
Here’s how you enable and use private mode in Firefox.
How to Enable and Use Private Mode in Firefox for Mac
To enable private surfing in Firefox, click New Private Window from the hamburger menu at the top right.
You may also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + P or if you’re using a Mac, then enter Shift + ⌘ + P.
Because of the mask in the upper right corner of the window, you’ll know you’re in private mode.
How to Open a Link in Private Browsing Mode on Firefox for Mac
You can also open specific links in private mode by following these steps:
- To open a context menu, right-click the link on the current web page. On Mac, you have to hold the Ctrl key when right-clicking on the link.
- Select Open Link in New Private Window.
The link’s destination page should be displayed in a private tab or window. To be sure you’re in Private mode, look for the purple and white mask in the page’s title bar.
How to Automatically Open a Private Browser Window in Firefox
Although not strictly in Private Browsing mode, you may configure Firefox to make each session private.
- Access your Firefox General Settings by tapping on the hamburger icon in the upper right hand corner.
- Select Privacy & Security from the Firefox General settings.
- Scroll down to the History section, then pick Never remember history from the Firefox will drop-down option.
- To use this feature, you must restart your browser. Select Restart Firefox now from the drop-down menu.
Even if the purple and white Private Browser mask isn’t visible, Firefox won’t save your browsing history or other information as long as this setting is active.
How to Use Private Browser on Firefox for iOS Devices
Firefox for iOS is a sleek and customizable app that offers plenty of privacy and security for a safe browsing experience. In order to open a private browser window on Firefox for iPhone, you’d have to follow these steps.
- Open the Firefox app on your iPhone.
- Tap on the tab icon in the footer of the browser.
- In the new window, you will find a mask icon in the footer, tap on it to open the private window.
- Now, tap on the + icon to open a new private tab in Firefox.
If you’re looking to close the private window in Firefox, you will have to open the tabs icon and then tap on the mask icon and close the tabs that are open.
Bonus Content -- How to Use Private Browser on Firefox for Android Devices
Quite similar to the iOS flow, you can start a private browsing session on your Android device by following a few steps:
- Open the Firefox app by tapping on the icon. Once the app opens, click on the mask button located at the top of the screen to enable Private browsing.
- Search for the web address by entering it in the address bar. What ever you open will be in private and no cookies or site data gets stored.
You can switch between the private browser and the standard Firefox browser window by tapping on the numeric icon near the address bar. Click on the mask icon to view the list of private tabs that are open and tap on the square to pull up the standard browser tabs that are open in the background.
You are able to close private windows by tapping on the X next to each open tab. Similarly, tapping on the vertical three dots at the top of the page will let you close all private browsers in one go.
What Features are Bundled with Firefox Private Browser for Mac Users
Firefox Tracking Protection
With Tracking Protection, Firefox goes beyond private surfing. It prevents businesses from tracking you across the internet. It makes use of a compiled list of tracking sites from disconnect.me.
Tracking Protection prevents cookies from accessing any of the sites in the list.
Firefox Multi-Account Containers
Although the Firefox Multi-Account Containers add-on isn’t exactly a type of private browsing or tracking protection, it can assist in avoiding corporations from tracking your online activities.
It allows you to start new, cookie-free tabs for various accounts—personal, work, shopping, and so on. That means you can utilize Multi-Account Containers to create many Google accounts at the same time without having to worry about them colliding.
Most trackers will not link the different accounts, allowing you to keep your professional and personal lives distinct online. However, some more powerful trackers can and can monitor you across several accounts, so be cautious.
What data Is not stored while using the Firefox private browser?
During a browsing session, Firefox saves a lot of information on your computer. A lot of this data is either never kept locally or immediately deleted when you close a private tab or window when Private Browsing mode is enabled. This is useful when using a shared computer to browse the internet.
At the end of a Firefox Private Browsing session, the following data is not left behind:
- Download history
- Browsing history
- Cache
- Cookies
- Web form information
- Search bar keywords
- Saved passwords
Is Incognito/Private Mode Really Private?
Incognito or private mode will keep your local surfing secret, but your ISP, school, or workplace will still be able to see where you’ve been online. In reality, regardless of what you do, your ISP has access to all of your surfing behavior.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, on the other hand, is an option. VPN services route traffic through remote servers, giving the impression that you’re browsing from another or several locations.
However, because VPN providers can watch your online behavior, it’s important to select a business you can trust to either delete or lock down your browsing history. Advertisers’ third-party cookies will not be blocked by VPNs, but such cookies will be unable to properly identify your location, making ad trackers less effective.
Tor Browser is capable of completely concealing your internet activities. It reroutes traffic via a number of servers throughout the world, making it harder to monitor. The website you’re visiting has no clue where you are; all it knows is the approximate location of the last server via which your request was routed.
However, even using a Tor proxy will not prevent third-party marketers from placing cookies in your browser. When Tor Browser is closed, it deletes all cookies. People may also erase their cookies by starting a new session with Tor Browser.
Common Myths about Private Browsing on Firefox Debunked
| Myths | Reality |
| Private Browsing makes you anonymous on the Internet | Private Browsing has no effect on your online presence or activity. Even if you are not signed in, websites and Internet service providers can collect information about your visit. Your company may be able to track the websites you visit if you use your device at work. Your cable company (or its partners) may have access to your browsing information if you surf the Internet at home |
| Private Browsing removes all traces of your browsing activity from your computer | Private Browsing works by allowing you to surf in a Private Window without saving passwords, cookies, or browsing history. When you download a file from a website, it stays on your computer but does not appear in Firefox’s download manager. When you bookmark a website in a Private Window, it stays in your bookmark list |
| Private Browsing doesn’t display any browsing history | As you write in the address bar, Private Browsing will reveal visited sites and bookmarks by default. During normal browsing, these pages were stored in Firefox. You may turn off these suggestions in the Firefox Settings Privacy & Security section under Address Bar if you don’t want to see them |
| Private Browsing will protect you from keystroke loggers and spyware | Private Browsing does not protect you from malware that has been installed on your machine. Take actions to eliminate malware if you suspect you have it to avoid it from happening again |
Takeaway
Overall, Firefox’s implementation of private browsing is excellent in terms of privacy and security, and it is highly recommended for anyone who needs to keep their browsing history hidden.
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