Any web browser by default saves certain traces of the user's network activity. And we are talking not only about the Favorites folder, well-known since the days of the first Internet Explorer and Netscape, and all its modern derivatives, but also visited web pages, auto-complete forms, download lists and cached multimedia files. And if it becomes necessary to conduct a session that is not reflected in the browser statistics, or there is no desire to constantly clean up the browser history behind you, you should use the so-called "Incognito" mode. You can enable it in Opera, as in most other browsers, by pressing Ctrl, Shift and N.
Working principle
It should be noted that the functionality of this mode is somewhat simpler than the rather loud name promises: it only ensures the cleanliness of the visit and download logs, the absence of data entry in forms, and the deletion of all cookies when the window is closed. In this case, all the settings made are saved, and the downloaded files will need to be deleted manually. Therefore, the only purpose of the "Incognito" mode in the "Opera" isproviding a "clean" session on a public device.
Privacy and anonymity
Privacy is guaranteed only within the boundaries of a particular device and only in relation to other possible users of it. But at the outer edges of the network (provider-host-server-site level), as well as inside the network location (if the device is connected to the Internet via a local network), you can not expect anonymity and privacy.
The VPN service built into the browser is, in fact, the most common proxy with HTTP and HTTPS encryption, while the IP address is not particularly hidden. And the infamous WebRTC service is to blame for everything, demonstrating a public IP, which none of the currently available addons can fully disable. Therefore, completely different means are used to ensure confidentiality. For example, specialized browser assemblies from enthusiasts (most often paid), in which anonymization mechanisms are written in the code itself, or various paid or free vpn services.
Mode activation
Private mode starts differently on different devices. It all depends on what exactly you are using. Below we will consider the most popular connection options.
Enabling "Incognito" mode in Opera on a desktop computer
There are two ways to use private browsing and enable Incognito mode in Opera:
- Ctrl, Shift and N is the single keyboard shortcut adopted by most web developers.browsers.
- Through the main menu - the line "Create a private window".
The mode is activated in a new window, and every new private tab will open here. At the same time, public tabs will not be closed, and the browser can be used simultaneously in two modes. However, be aware that all installed custom extensions in private tabs do not work. You can disable default extensions in the extension settings by setting rules for each of the add-ons separately, but some add-ons in Opera with Incognito mode are partially incompatible, because they require access to the browser history.
When you first start the browser, instead of the usual start screen, it will display a message like this:
To turn it off, just move the cursor down and put a check mark on the "Do not show again" item. When you close the last active tab, the Incognito mode window in Opera will also be closed, and all data from the current session will be erased.
On devices based on the MaC OS operating system, the mode is activated in the same way as on Windows-compatible PCs, except that the “Command” function key is used instead of CTRL.
Starting the mode on Android devices
You can enable Incognito mode in Opera on both smartphones and tablets on the start page of the mobile browser. To the right of the address bar is an icon that displays the number of tabs currently open. By clicking on it, the user enters the selection menumodes, where you should select "Private". The browser window will change color to dark gray, but otherwise all navigation is the same as in normal mode.
Launch on iOS
Until recently, only the Opera Mini browser could boast of the ability to work in privacy mode. You can activate the function in this browser using a special button, the mode located in the "Tab Gallery". First you need to tap on it, and then click on the icon to open a new tab. It should be borne in mind that in devices based on the iOS operating system, if desired, you can also remove the entire history of the user's virtual walks from the private mode. It's all because of the organization of the data store, common to all browser modes.
In the mobile browser Opera Touch before version 1.10.5, there was no private mode, but the developers promise to add this feature in it.
Incognito mode in Opera is a very useful feature designed only for local privacy when working on public devices that more than one user has access to. All information transmitted through the session will be available only to the current user, while there is no need to clear the data upon completion of work.
