Safari private browsing button missing on iPhone or iPad? Here's how to get it back (2024)
You decide you want to use private browsing in Safari on your iPhone or iPad. So, you open Safari, tap the button to open a new tab, and the Private button is gone. Where did it go?
If this is happening to you, it’s a simple fix. You made some changes to your settings and probably didn’t realize that it would take that Private button away from Safari. Here’s how to solve the case of the missing Safari Private browsing button.
Get back the Private browsing button in Safari on iPhone or iPad
If you’ve adjusted your Screen Time settings to restrict content, then this is also what removed your Private browsing button. Follow these steps to put it back:
1) Open the Settings app and select Screen Time.
2) Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
3) Choose Content Restrictions.
4) Look down at your setting for Web Content. Does it show Limit Adult Websites or Allowed Websites Only? There’s the problem. If you change it to Unrestricted orUnrestricted Access, you’ll get your Private browsing button back. If not, restart your iPhone.
Now, if you don’t want to make this change, then you’ll have to forgo the Private browsing feature in Safari. After all, the point of private browsing is that the sites you visit aren’t tracked. So, it makes sense that if you put restrictions on the web content, you wouldn’t be able to use private browsing.
You can always change that setting temporarily, and when you finish your private browsing, put the restriction back. But at least the case is solved, and you know why your Private browsing button went missing.
Now that you know where your Safari private browsing button went, are you going to put it back? If so, will you do it temporarily or not? Let us know!
Locked Private Browsing is available starting in iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and in Safari 17 on macOS Monterey, macOS Ventura, and macOS Sonoma. If you don't find the option to lock private windows, update your device to the latest software version. Locked Private Browsing is turned on by default in macOS.
If you've adjusted your Screen Time settings to restrict content, then this is also what removed your Private browsing button. Follow these steps to put it back: 1) Open the Settings app and select Screen Time. 2) Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
If you receive a “this connection is not private” message on Safari, it could be because: The website's SSL certificate has expired or can't be verified. The website uses HTTP (unencrypted) rather than HTTPS (encrypted).
Click the “Safari opens with” pop-up menu, then choose “A new private window.” If you don't see this option, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar, then turn on “Close windows when quitting an application” on the right.
It's not possible to check your iPhone's private browsing history because the primary purpose of private browsing is to prevent the device from storing any search history, cookies, or other browsing-related information.
If you have an Incognito window open and you open another one, your private browsing session will continue in the new window. To exit Incognito mode, close all Incognito windows. If you find a number next to the Incognito icon at the top right, you have more than one Incognito window open.
It's not possible to check your iPhone's private browsing history because the primary purpose of private browsing is to prevent the device from storing any search history, cookies, or other browsing-related information.
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