Security
How to Browse the Web Privately
Your browser is where most tracking happens. A better browser and a few settings cut out the majority of it in about ten minutes.
Start With a Better Browser
- Brave blocks ads and trackers out of the box.
- Firefox is excellent once you turn on Enhanced Tracking Protection (Strict).
- Chrome is the least private of the mainstream browsers; it is built by an ad company.
Add a Tracker Blocker
- On Firefox, install uBlock Origin, the most effective free ad and tracker blocker.
- Brave has strong blocking built in, so you can skip the add-on.
Fix the Settings
- Block third-party cookies.
- Turn on HTTPS-only mode and send Do Not Track / Global Privacy Control.
- Set your search engine to DuckDuckGo, and clear cookies on close if you like.
Understand Incognito's Limits
Private/incognito mode only stops your own device from saving history and cookies. It does not hide you from websites, your ISP, your employer, or your school. Combine it with the steps above for real privacy.
Go Further
The browser only covers the browser. To block trackers in every app, filter at the network level with encrypted DNS, and see our fingerprinting guide for the trickier tracking that survives all of this.
Common Questions
Is incognito mode private?
Only on your own device. Sites, your ISP, and your network can still see what you do. It is for hiding local history, not real privacy.
Which browser is most private?
Brave and a hardened Firefox lead the mainstream options. Both beat Chrome by a wide margin for privacy.
Do I still need a tracker blocker with a private browser?
Brave has it built in. With Firefox, add uBlock Origin. Either way, blocking trackers is the single biggest browser-privacy win.
WANT THIS DONE FOR YOU?
Harbor Privacy blocks tracking and ad domains at the DNS level for every device on your home network, automatically. Get started here.