View Private Browsing History on iPhone? Is It Possible?

iPhone's private browsing doesn't let users leave behind any digital footprints that can later be used to trace their activities. This mode is ideal for sharing your phone or computer with someone else. Once you have shut down the iPhone browser, no one can see what you have done or searched.

Private browsing enhances privacy, but does it make you completely anonymous? Can you view private browsing history on your iPhone?

Can I View Private Browsing History on iPhone?

The answer is no. While some people on the internet claim that you can view all your private browsing history under incognito mode by navigating to the "website data" option in iPhone settings, my testing has found that this is not the case.

"Website data" only records the history of website browsing in regular mode, not the content browsed in incognito mode.

Is Safari Private Mode Really Private?

Private browsing protects users' identities and activities from malicious websites. It does not show the searches or activities you have done in private mode.

Likewise, when you tap on the "Bookmark Icon" at the end of the Safari Screen to see your browsing history, you will only find a list of websites you visited while browsing. In other words, it will not show you the sites you have searched inside private browsing. So, you cannot check Safari's private browsing history (with active Private Browsing Mode).

However, although iPhone devices do not record your private browsing data, it does not mean your private browsing history is totally untraceable. In the next section, we'll discuss how your iPhone's private browsing can be traced.

Note:

Safari will not completely close all of your private tabs. For example, when a user closes the Safari app on their phone by swiping up from the Recent Apps screen, when they reopen Safari, all websites open in Safari appear on the screen.
When the user switches to a private tab from another tab (non-private), all tabs open in the private tab group will appear on the screen again. It could be embarrassing, especially when you have forgotten what you were browsing.
If you want to avoid this embarrassment, enable Face ID in Safari for private searches or browsing. This way, the app will ask you for Face ID whenever you switch from a regular tab to a private tab or lock your phone with a private tab open.

How Private Browsing Can Be Traced on iPhone?

Different entities such as ISPs, websites, apps, and network administrators can be used to trace private browsing history on iPhone. Let's find out what are the most common ways for these parties to track your activities while you are browsing privately:

ISP

When users visit a website, their computer sends a request to the website's server for a connection. The request is always processed through the ISP first (the ISP is the entity that provides you with an internet connection). Therefore, all online traffic flows through the ISP, which can obtain complete activity information.

Wi-Fi Network Administrator

Like the ISP, whenever you try to reach the website, your device will always request access through a network you are using. The administrator controls the network and can easily see what you are searching for. In the case of home networks, the administrator is the ISP itself.

Website

Every internet device has its IP (internet protocol) address, which a website uses as the return address to send back the website's data. Therefore, you can only reach a website with an IP address. As a result, websites can memorize your IP address and quickly identify the device and the browser you use.

Browser Fingerprinting

It is a technique for collecting and analyzing the available attributes and characteristics from the user's devices and web browser. This technique quickly gathers information about browser type, operating system, screen resolution, and much more. By processing these details, a unique digital fingerprint is created for every user. It can later be used to identify a visitor.

Third-Party Website Monitoring Apps

Different third-party apps can be used to view iPhones' private browsing history. These apps can easily monitor different types of information, including call history, internet browsing, and social media usage.

Third-Party Keylogger Apps

Keylogger apps can easily track what you are typing on your device whatever you do. So, if you have such an app installed on your phone, the keylogger will record everything you type while searching on Sarafi, even if you are in incognito mode.

How to Protect Your Privacy When Browsing Privately?

Though private browsing can hide your browsing history, some parties can quickly get an insight into your browsing history and know about your online activities. Therefore, here we have come up with some effective ways which will help you to protect your privacy when you are browsing privately:

Use Private Browser

Privacy-focused search engines offer search results without analyzing users' searches. They do not store users' browser histories and data. These safe browsers also connect you to encrypted versions of web pages and make it challenging for third parties to get any information about your browsing history.

But you should note that it doesn't provide complete security or anonymous browsing, as websites and ISPs can still track your online activities.

Don't Log Into Your Real Account

Choosing not to log into your real accounts during private browsing can maintain your online privacy to a greater extent. It helps you avoid websites from tracking your activities or collecting data about your preferences. This also results in less personalized ad tracking.

However, websites can still collect data about your device or IP address, and it won't eradicate ads or prevent monitoring by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or governments.

Use VPN

A VPN encrypts the user's data, subsequently routing this information through a designated VPN server before its contact with the Internet. Consequently, the VPN conceals the user's IP address, providing an element of anonymity online. In this case, the user's ISP and any websites visited identify the data source as the VPN server the user is connected to, rather than the actual device. Hence, when using private browsing mode, it will hide your browsing history from different entities connected to you through the network.

However, when choosing a VPN, make sure you get it from a reliable provider. Most VPN services available online can sell your data to third-party services.

Conclusion

Private browsing can come to your rescue if you want to browse the internet without leaving any traces on your iPhone. You can use the private mode browsing feature to enhance privacy. But if you think no one would be able to view private browsing history on iPhone, then you are wrong. We have explained 6 types that can trace your private browsing history. As a user, it's crucial to be aware of these points to ensure you're maintaining the level of privacy you desire when browsing online.

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