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Block incognito mode on a phone or tablet with this handy guide
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It’s easy to switch from incognito mode back to normal mode on your Android. However, if you have a child whose internet history you'd like to monitor, you may want to disable incognito mode altogether. While there is no native method for disabling Chrome's incognito mode, you can use Google Family Link to disable it on a child’s device, or make incognito mode require a password or fingerprint to use. This wikiHow article teaches you how to turn off incognito mode on Android using Family Link and lock your incognito tabs.

Quick Steps to Disabling Incognito Mode on Android

  1. Download Family Link on a parent's and a child’s phone.
  2. Open the Settings menu on your child’s device.
  3. Scroll down and tap Google > All Services > Parental Controls .
  4. Select your child’s account and tap Supervise account .
  5. Follow the prompts to set up Family Link.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using Google Family Link

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  1. Family Link is a parental control app from Google designed for Android devices. When a child’s phone is restricted with Family Link, incognito mode is automatically disabled when they sign in to Chrome with their account. Search for the app in the Google Play Store and tap to install it. You’ll need to download the app on your own phone, as well as on your child's phone. [1]
  2. 2
    Sign up for a child’s Google account if they don’t already have one. To use Family Link to restrict access to features, your child must have their own account. You can sign up for a Google account from the Google sign-in page , or you can use the following steps to create a child’s account from within the Family Link app:
    • Open the Family Link app on the parent’s phone.
    • Tap the child’s profile icon in the upper-left corner.
    • Tap Add child .
    • Tap No if your child doesn’t already have an account.
    • Tap Next .
    • Follow the prompts to create a new Google account for your child.
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  3. 3
    Sign in to your child’s Google account on their phone. If you are setting up a new phone for your child, you will be asked to sign in to a Google account during the initial setup process. You can also add an account in the Settings menu. Keep in mind that your child can only be signed into one Google account once Family Link is set up. If they’re already signed in to a Google account, you can use their current account.
    • Swipe down from the top of the screen.
    • Tap the Gear icon to open the Settings menu.
    • Swipe down and tap Google .
    • Tap the current username at the top.
    • Tap Add another account .
    • Follow the prompts to sign in to your child’s Google account.
  4. 4
    Enabled parental controls on your child’s phone. Once you enable parental controls, incognito mode will automatically be disabled on your child’s phone and whenever they are signed into Google Chrome with their Google account. To enable parental controls on their Android: [2]
    • Swipe down from the top of the screen.
    • Tap the Gear icon to open the Settings menu.
    • Swipe down and tap Google .
    • Tap the All services .
    • Scroll down and tap Parental controls .
    • Tap Let’s do this .
    • Select your child’s Google account.
    • Tap Supervise account (you will need to sign out of all other accounts on the device).
    • Tap Next .
    • Enter the email address associated with the parent’s Google account.
    • Tap Next .
    • Have the child enter their password.
    • Tap Next .
  5. 5
    Block websites on Google Chrome (optional). In addition to disabling incognito mode, you can block websites using the Family Link app. You can block explicit websites in general or block individual websites. Use the following steps to do so:
    • Open the Family Link app on the parent's phone.
    • Tap your child’s account in the upper-left corner.
    • Tap Google Chrome and Web .
    • Tap Try to block explicit sites or Only allow approved sites .
    • Tap Blocked sites at the bottom.
    • Tap Add a website .
    • Enter a website you want to block and tap Add .
    • Tap Approved sites .
    • Tap Add a website.
    • Enter a website you want to block and tap Add .
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Exiting Incognito Mode

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  1. If you are already in incognito mode in the Chrome app and want to get back to browsing the web normally, tap the square with the number of tabs you have open in the middle. [3]
  2. It’s the square with the number of tabs you have open in the middle. This will be to the left of the incognito icon (glasses with a hat). Tapping the tab button from an incognito page will open up a preview of all your tabs. Tap to view a tab or open a new one.
    • To close an incognito tab, tap the icon of a hat with glasses, select the tab, then tap the X to close it.
  3. From this preview of all your normal tabs, you can either tap the + in the top-left corner to open a new tab, or tap the preview of a tab you already have open.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Locking Incognito Tabs

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  1. 1
    Open Chrome on your Android and tap â‹® . While you can’t disable incognito mode on Android, you can lock your incognito tabs, requiring you to enter your password or fingerprint to view or create new ones.
  2. 2
    Tap Settings . It’s next to an icon that resembles a gear. It’s near the bottom of the Chrome menu. This opens the Settings menu.
  3. 3
    Tap Privacy and security . It’s near the top of the Settings menu.
  4. 4
    Tap the toggle switch next to “Lock incognito tabs when you leave Chrome.” It’s the last option below the “Privacy” header.
  5. 5
    Enter your password or fingerprint. Use the password or fingerprint you use to log in to your phone or tablet. This enables incognito tab lock. You can still open a new incognito tab when you have no other incognito tabs open. However, if you close Chrome or switch apps, you will need to enter your password or fingerprint to view your incognito tabs or open a new one.
    • To view your incognito tabs, tap the Tabs icon in the upper-right corner and tap the Incognito icon. Tap Unlock Incognito and then enter your password or fingerprint.
    • As long as you keep one incognito tab open at all times (it can be a blank incognito page), incognito mode will essentially be locked behind a password.
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      • Another app that you can use to block incognito browsing is the Norton Family Accessibility. [4]
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