While switching from incognito mode to normal browsing on your Android device is straightforward, you may want to completely disable incognito mode on Android for monitoring purposes. Although there’s no built-in Chrome feature to do this, you can use Google’s Family Link app to disable it on a child’s device or configure incognito mode to require a password for access.
Before you start, you will need the Google Family Link app installed on both the parent’s and the child’s phone. Both parent and child must also have their own Google accounts.
This guide provides several methods for controlling incognito mode, from completely disabling it on a child’s device using parental controls to locking it behind a password for personal security.
To manage incognito mode using Google Family Link, first download the Google Family Link app from the Google Play Store. You must install the app on your phone and on your child’s phone to link the accounts and manage settings.
Create a Google account for your child if they do not have one. To use Family Link, the child needs their own supervised account. On the parent’s phone, open the Family Link app, tap the child’s profile icon in the top-left, then tap Add child. Tap No if your child does not have an account, then tap Next. Follow the on-screen prompts to create a new Google account for your child.
Sign in to your child’s Google account on their device. If it’s a new phone, you can do this during the initial setup. Otherwise, you can add it through the Settings menu. Open the Settings app by tapping the gear icon, scroll down and tap Google, tap the current username at the top and select Add another account, and follow the prompts to sign in with your child’s account credentials.
Enable parental controls on your child’s phone. Once supervision is active, incognito mode will be automatically disabled in Chrome whenever they are signed in with their Google account. On the child’s device, open the Settings app, tap Google, then select All services, scroll down and tap Parental controls, then tap Let’s do this. Select your child’s Google account and tap Supervise account. Note that you will need to sign out of all other accounts on the device. Tap Next and enter the parent’s Google account email address, tap Next again and have the child enter their password to confirm.
Optionally, block specific websites through the Family Link app. You can either block all explicit sites or manage a custom list of approved or blocked sites. On the parent’s phone, open the Family Link app and tap your child’s account, select Google Chrome and Web, choose to Try to block explicit sites or Only allow approved sites. To add a specific site to block, tap Blocked sites, select Add a website, and enter the URL.
To exit incognito mode, tap the tab button in the top-right corner of the Chrome browser. This button looks like a square with a number in it. At the top of the screen, tap the normal tabs button, which is to the left of the incognito icon (a hat and glasses). This will show a preview of all your non-incognito tabs. Tap the plus icon (+) in the top-left corner to open a new normal tab, or simply tap on any of your existing open tabs to continue browsing normally. To close an incognito tab, tap the incognito icon, then tap the X on the tab you wish to close.
To lock incognito tabs, open the Chrome browser on your Android and tap the three-dot menu icon (⋮) in the top-right corner, tap Settings, which is located near the bottom of the menu next to a gear icon, select the Privacy and security option from the settings list, and tap the toggle switch next to Lock incognito tabs when you leave Chrome to turn this feature on. Enter your device’s password or use your fingerprint to confirm and enable the lock. Now, if you leave Chrome, you will need to authenticate to view your incognito tabs again.
To view your locked tabs, tap the Tabs icon, select the Incognito icon, and then tap Unlock Incognito to authenticate. As long as you keep at least one incognito tab open, even a blank one, the incognito mode will remain locked behind your password or fingerprint.
If you are looking for an alternative parental control app, Norton Family also includes features that can block incognito browsing on Android devices.
Taking steps to manage or disable incognito browsing, especially on a child’s device, is a crucial part of digital parenting. It provides a necessary layer of oversight, helping you guide your child’s online experiences and protect them from accessing inappropriate content. By ensuring that browsing history is visible, you can have more open and honest conversations about internet safety and digital citizenship.
Ultimately, these controls offer peace of mind. Knowing that safeguards are in place allows you to trust that your child is navigating the web more safely. It empowers you to set healthy digital boundaries and fosters a more secure environment for your family’s technology use, without having to constantly look over their shoulder.
