Worrying about your kid’s internet activities is normal and indicates that you’re a responsible parent. But kids of this digital age are smart enough to use incognito mode to keep their searches private. I figured this out when I learned how to check my child’s incognito history. That’s why this article will answer the ‘How do I check my child’s incognito history’ question.
Whether you want to view private browsing on Windows, Android, or iOS, we’ve got you covered with easy-to-follow instructions.
That said, let’s roll in.
What is Incognito Mode History?
Incognito mode is a specialized browsing mode that keeps the browser or device from saving your browser history. Aside from the search history, it wipes out all other temporary browsing data to ensure it is inaccessible to other users of the same device. Incognito mode is also known as private browsing or private mode, depending on your browser. Check out this list of different incognito mode names for browsers:
- Chrome: Incognito Mode
- Safari/Firefox: Private Browsing
- Opera: Private Mode
- Microsoft Edge: InPrivate Mode
So, Incognito mode forgets your browsing history and does not save website visit information and cookies, but is it 100% private? Read on to find out. However, it would help if you knew that Incognito Mode does not encrypt your IP address or outgoing traffic.
By the way, if you’re worried about how to check private browsing history on phone to spy on your child, you might also want to track his private Facebook conversations. Learn how you can do that with our guide on how to view your child’s incognito history on Facebook.
Does Incognito Mode Wipe Out All the Browsing Data?
You are wrong if you believe incognito mode makes your internet activities totally private. The private mode only deletes the data from your device or browser so that the users of the same device cannot view it. But the point to note is that your browsing activity is still visible online.
To be clear, what you search in private mode is accessible to your internet provider, your employer, and the websites you visit. They can still track your IP address, your location, and the activities you perform online.
Secondly, the incognito mode doesn’t clear up all the browsing data either. The downloaded files and bookmarks remain on your device. So, you can also look out for downloads to see if your child has downloaded something inappropriate through private browsing.
Also read: How to spy on a phone without having access to it?
How to See Incognito History?
You cannot view the incognito history directly because it has already been wiped out due to the incognito mode. So, can parents see incognito mode and how to track incognito browsing? You can use some alternatives to do that, even after the browsing session has ended. The common solutions are DNS cache and third-party parental control apps.
Use Apps to See Incognito History on Android or iOS
You can conveniently use DNS cache to see incognito history on Windows. But how to view private browsing history on iPhone or Android? That’s where the third-party parental control apps come in. They not only track your child’s incognito history but also help you monitor other on-screen activities of your child. You can also learn how to spot fake calculator apps on a child’s phone.
Since these apps consistently track all browsing activities on the device, they become a reliable way to monitor your child’s incognito history. Plus, these programs are easy to use and don’t require command-line functions for operation.
So far, the best parental control app – offering incognito history viewing – is definitely mSpy. Our review experts have found it useful to check incognito history on phone when keeping track of your child’s internet activities. It offers a detailed breakdown of the sites he/she visited and the time.
Furthermore, mSpy also offers a website-blocking feature that lets you conveniently filter out inappropriate content on your child’s devices. Whether you use Android or iOS, mSpy covers you and supports both iOS – Jailbreak & Non-jailbreak and Android 4+ versions.
You can also read our in-depth review on mSpy to find out whether it’s a good option to track your child’s online activities or not.
That said, some alternative options are listed below:
- uMobix
- SpyBubble
- Bark
Whichever option you pick, make sure it supports the OS of your mobile phone. It could be iOS or Android. For your convenience, we also have dedicated guides on:
- Best parental control apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad)
- Best parental control apps for Android
How to See Incognito History Through DNS Cache?
DNS stands for Domain Name System, and it is responsible for connecting your device with the right server location (IP address) when you type in a browser’s domain name (URL). That’s how you see and browse through data on a website.
To prevent finding information like server IP address again and again whenever you visit a site, the system saves that information in your device. It ensures a good browsing performance and is known as the DNS cache.
Since the DNS cache contains the records of your browsing information, it also contains the private browsing history. But you should know that the DNS cache method only works well on Windows. That’s why there are other methods for Android and iOS.
That said, follow these steps to view incognito history on Windows:
- Click on the Windows icon in the center of the taskbar (on the left in Windows 10) and look out for Windows Command Prompt. Once you’ve found it, open it as administrator. Furthermore, you can search for it as CMD in the Windows search.
- Now, you will see the blackish command-line interface. If you’re unfamiliar with it, don’t worry; I’ll guide you through it. Type the command “ipconfig/displaydns” and press enter. It will open up the complete private browsing history. Enjoy!
You can also use the DNS cache to delete the incognito history (more on this below).
How to See Incognito History Through DNS Cache?
DNS stands for Domain Name System. It is responsible for connecting your device with the right server location (IP address) when you type in a domain name (URL) on a browser. That’s how you see and browse through data on a website.
To prevent finding information like server IP address again and again whenever you visit a site, the system saves that information in your device. It ensures a good browsing performance and is also known as the DNS cache.
Since DNS cache contains the records of your browsing information, it also contains the private browsing history. But one thing you should know is that the DNS cache method only works well on Windows. That’s why there are other methods for Android and iOS.
That said, follow these steps to view incognito history on Windows:
- Click on the Windows icon on the center of the taskbar (on the left in Windows 10) and look out for Windows Command Prompt. Once you’ve found it, open it as administrator. Furthermore, you can search for it as CMD in the Windows search.
2. Now, you will see the blackish command-line interface. If you’re not familiar with it, don’t worry, I’ll guide your way through it. Type the command “ipconfig/displaydns” and press enter. It will open up the complete private browsing history. Enjoy!
You can also use the DNS cache to delete the incognito history (more on this below).
How to See Incognito History on Tablets?
Many kids use tablets for on-screen activities. Based on our experience, the best way to see incognito history on tablets is to use a parental control app with an incognito history viewer feature. mSpy lets you know how to tell if someone uses incognito on Android tablets or iPads.
How to Delete Incognito History?
Deleting incognito history is the next step to viewing it. The methods to delete incognito history vary depending on the device platform. Let’s find out about Windows and Mac below.
How to Delete Incognito History on Windows?
While DNS cache helps to view incognito history on Windows, it also lets you delete it. Follow the steps below to wipe out private browsing history:
- Open the Windows Command Prompt by clicking on the Windows icon or search it as CMD in Windows search. Make sure to run it as administrator (leave this step if you already have Command Prompt open).
2. Now, type the command “ipconfig/flushdns” and press enter. It will wipe out all your DNS records, IP records, and private history from the device.
How to Delete Incognito History on Mac?
You’ll have to use Mac’s Terminal to delete incognito history on Mac. The Terminal is a command-line tool just like Command Prompt on Windows. Follow these steps to delete private browsing history on Mac using Terminal:
1. Click “Go” on the top of your Mac computer and navigate “Utilities”
2. Inside the “Utilities” section, you’ll find the option for “Terminal”, open it
3. Now, type the command “sudo dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder”
4. Type in your computer/laptop login password and press enter, it will clear out all the private browsing data on your Mac
Note: the command above only works for macOS versions from OS X Lion to macOS Big Sur. If your Mac version is OS X 10.10.1, 10.10.2, or 10.10.3, use the command “sudo discoveryutil udnsflushcaches;sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcaches”.
To recap, use the following command for macOS versions from OS X Lion to macOS Big Sur:
“sudo dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder”
For macOS versions OS X 10.10.1, 10.10.2, or 10.10.3, use the command below:
“sudo discoveryutil udnsflushcaches;sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcaches”
As you know, wiping out the DNS cache also deletes the accessed domain names, known as browsing history.
How to Delete Incognito History on iPhone
Due to our practical knowledge, the easiest ways to delete the DNS cache on iPhone are via Airplane mode and Force restart. If these don’t work, resetting network settings can help. To turn on Airplane mode on your iPhone, swipe down on the upper right of the screen and select Airplane mode, which appears as an airplane, usually right next to where you turn mobile data on/off. Turning on airplane mode on your iPhone mostly wipes out the DNS cache and incognito browsing history.
Force restarting your iPhone is also pretty straightforward. In force restarting, the power connection to the phone is turned off immediately, and the phone hardware shuts down. You should know that force restart isn’t a factory reset where all your phone data is reset, but the method is helpful in clearing up the DNS cache. For iPhone 6s and below, hold the side/top and home button simultaneously (release when the Apple logo appears on the screen) to force restart them.
For iPhone 7, press and hold the side button and volume down key (release when the Apple logo appears on the screen). For iPhone 8 and newer devices, quickly press & release the volume up key, press & release the volume down key, and then press & hold the side key (release when the Apple logo appears on the screen).
If you’ve noticed that even force restart hasn’t cleared up the incognito history, resetting the network settings might help. But note down that it will clean up the Wifi connections, disconnect all tethered interfaces, and forget paired devices. So, be ready for that.
To do a network reset on your iPhone, go to Settings> General> Transfer or Reset[Device]> Reset> Reset Network Settings. This also resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings you’ve used before.
How to Delete Incognito History on Android
The same methods discussed earlier for iPhone all work for Android; however, you have to go about it differently for Android. You can enable and disable the airplane mode via quick settings:
Force restarting your Android phone is different from normal restarting or rebooting.
In force restarting, the power connection to the phone is turned off immediately, and the phone hardware shuts down. The method is helpful in clearing up the DNS cache. To force restart your phone, press and hold the phone power button for 20-30 seconds until your phone powers off. This method works for most Android devices, but for you should press and hold the power/side key and volume down key for 7 seconds.
You can search on Google for your specific phone model like this:
To do a Network reset on your Android:
- Open Settings on your phone and tap System Settings (otherwise, Connection & Sharing Settings)
- Find Reset, and tap “Reset Network Settings,” (otherwise, find and tap “Reset Wifi, mobile networks, and Bluetooth”)
- Confirm the action you’re taking
That’s it. You’re all set.
One last method can work on either iPhone or Android if your device has Google Chrome installed. Internet browsers also have their internal DNS cache containing the private history. If Chrome was installed on your child’s device, here’s how to clean Chrome’s DNS cache:
- Open Chrome browser and open a new tab
- In the address bar, type the code “chrome: //net-internals/#DNS” and hit the search button
- You will see various sections on the side tab, navigate to DNS and tap “clear host cache”
This will delete your Chrome DNS cache.
Key Takeaways
We’re confident you now know enough about the several ways to see incognito history on phone, and we hope you can put them to good use. However, note that Incognito history may wipe out browsing data from your device, but it remains visible on the internet to your internet provider, employer, and websites you visit. According to our experience, there’s no direct way to view incognito history since it has been wiped out from your device, but you can use some alternative ways. Lastly, you should know that paid methods like mSpy are more reliable and accurate than the free ones, so you should always pay for the service you can afford.
Is There a Way to Track Incognito Browsing?
Although there’s no direct way to view incognito browsing, DNS cache and third-party apps can be used to track it. If you’re on Windows, you can use the Windows Command Prompt to access the private browsing history via the DNS cache. For Android and iOS, you can use third-party apps like mSpy.
How to Recover Incognito History?
There are different ways to view and recover incognito history for different platforms. Our investigation shows that accessing the DNS cache through Windows Command Prompt is an effective method to track private browsing on Windows. On the other hand, parental control apps are handy for smartphones (either iOS or Android).
Can Family Link See Incognito Browsing History
Many people have wondered, ‘Do parental controls work on incognito mode via Family Link?’ No, Google Family Link, which is designed for parental control, cannot see the browsing history or activities conducted in incognito mode on a device.
How to See Incognito History on Phone?
The only easy way to view private browsing history on the phone is to use third-party software like mSpy. Such apps will offer an incognito history tracker feature and let you track private browsing. Multi-functional apps like mSpy also offer a breakdown when visiting a certain site.
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