Am I Incognito
Private / incognito mode
Checking…
Browsers do not expose a reliable incognito flag — results are heuristic only.
Chromium: uses temporary file-system probe (reliable in Chrome). Other browsers use IndexedDB hints. Not proof — browsers hide a real Incognito flag.
How to use
- Open the page in the window you want to test — normal or private/incognito.
- Read Likely yes, Likely no, or Cannot tell and the signal list.
- Compare by opening the same page in a normal window and Refreshing both.
FAQ
Am I in incognito mode?
Websites cannot read a standard trustworthy incognito flag. On Chrome and Chromium browsers we probe whether temporary file storage is allowed (blocked in Incognito). Safari Private may show IndexedDB failures. Treat the headline as a hint, not proof.
Why can’t websites know for sure?
Browsers intentionally limit fingerprinting of private mode to protect users. Any reliable detection would become a tracking vector, so vendors keep changing behavior.
Why does normal mode say likely incognito?
Older versions used storage quota alone, which often misread normal Chrome. If you still see a wrong result, compare against a known normal window on the same browser and report your browser version.
Does private mode hide my IP?
No. Your public IP, ISP, and most network checks are the same. Use [what is my IP](/tools/what-is-my-ip) — VPN is separate from incognito.
Are cookies saved in incognito?
Session cookies may exist until you close the private window; they are cleared afterward. First-party cookies may still work briefly — see [am I blocking cookies](/tools/am-i-blocking-cookies).
Is data from this test stored?
No. Heuristics run locally; a temporary IndexedDB probe database is deleted if creation succeeds.
Introduction
Am I Incognito collects weak signals that sometimes correlate with private or incognito browsing — a Chromium temporary file-system probe (Chrome Incognito blocks it) and IndexedDB behavior (Safari Private) — and reports Likely yes, Likely no, or Cannot tell. No website can honestly guarantee incognito detection; browsers deliberately avoid exposing a reliable flag.
People open private windows for sensible reasons, and sites sometimes want to adjust paywalls or analytics when they guess private mode. This page is educational: it shows why detection is fuzzy and how browsers differ, not a surveillance tool.
Why detection is intentionally hard
| Browser | Rough behavior |
|---|---|
| Chrome Incognito | Temporary file system (webkitRequestFileSystem) denied |
| Safari Private | Historically restricted IndexedDB in some versions |
| Firefox Private | Fewer reliable signals — may show “Cannot tell” |
| Normal Chromium | File system probe succeeds; headline usually “Likely no” |
Vendors patch leaks when sites abuse them — expect results to change between versions.
What the signals mean
- Temporary file system blocked — strong Incognito signal in Chrome and Chromium.
- Temporary file system allowed — typical of a normal Chromium profile.
- IndexedDB blocked — may indicate Safari private mode or strict privacy settings.
- Storage quota — shown for context only; not used alone to decide Incognito.
Common use cases
- QA — verify how your web app behaves in private windows vs normal.
- Privacy literacy — learn that incognito ≠ anonymous on the network.
- Compare windows — open tool in normal and private side by side.
- After browser update — see if heuristics shifted.
Best practices
- Never rely on this for security decisions — use proper auth and HTTPS instead.
- Assume ISP, employer, and sites still see your IP; incognito mainly limits local history and some persistence.
- For VPN/tunnel questions, use am I using VPN.
- For fingerprint and tracking surface, see what is my fingerprint and device info.