Google Incognito Mode To Become “Private Mode”

• Google might be planning to rebrand “Incognito Mode” to “Private Mode.”
• A few users have noted seeing the “Private Mode” option replacing the “Incognito Mode” option.
• The company recently renamed “Keep” to “Keep Note”, for adding clarity.

The Incognito Mode on Google Chrome has for long been a favorite feature of users, especially those who are concerned about privacy. With the feature turned on, users get to browse the internet without leaving a browser history. Cookies and form inputs are not saved while inside the Incognito Mode.

Besides Google Chrome, other browsers also provide this functionality. But most of them call it “Private Mode” - a term that resonates with the functionality. The tech giant might have taken note of this, and now they have decided to rebrand their “Incognito Mode” to “Private Mode.”

A couple of Google Chrome users on Android have noted “Open in Incognito tab” has been replaced with “Open in private tab.” However, this is not the case with all users, which tells us that Google might be doing a limited server-side test to see how users react to the change.

It is not unlike Google to indulge in the minor testing of potential changes before taking it mainstream. However, this also means that if the company doesn’t get the response they are hoping for, then the naming might not change and we would still have our fancy “Incognito Mode” title.

But on the same side, it is worth noting that the Chrome Help page has started heavily using the “private” term. And let’s not forget how Keep has been recently renamed to Keep Notes. All this may be an indication that Google wants all their features to be made available with absolute clarity.

Which naming do you prefer more - Incognito Mode or Private Mode? Tell us in the comments section below. We’d also love to hear back from you on Facebook or Twitter.