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# Browsing privately

When you browse the web, Safari stores information about the websites you visit, including the content and any user names and passwords you enter. Other people who use your computer can view that information. If you don’t want this information stored, use Private Browsing.

Private Browsing is always turned off when you open Safari, even if it was on when you last quit Safari.

To turn on Private Browsing:

1. Choose Safari > Private Browsing.

2. When you see a confirmation message, click OK. A Private button appears in the address field to indicate that private browsing is on.

To skip the confirmation message, hold down the Option key while you choose Private Browsing.

To turn off Private Browsing:

1. Choose Safari > Private Browsing (so the checkmark disappears), or click the Private button in the address field.

2. Close any windows you’ve used to view private information.

If you don’t close the windows, other users can view those pages using the Back and Forward buttons.

If you forgot to turn on Private Browsing:

After you finish browsing, choose Safari > Reset Safari.

When Private Browsing is on, webpages are not added to the history list, the names of downloads are removed from the Downloads window after downloading is complete, AutoFill information isn’t saved, and searches are not added to the pop-up menu in the search field. Websites that store databases on your computer can’t modify the databases, so services normally available at such sites may work differently until you turn off Private Browsing.

Any changes made to cookies are discarded when you turn off Private Browsing.

Important:Private Browsing only removes the names of items you’ve downloaded from the Downloads window. To get rid of the items themselves, you must delete them.

### Related Topics

Resetting Safari