- Turn on Incognito in the YouTube app
- What Incognito changes
- The 90-minute catch
- Turn Incognito off
- What about YouTube on a computer?
- What Incognito doesn't hide
- A better option if it's about recommendations
- Incognito and other people on your account
- When Incognito is the right call
- Does Incognito work on a TV or games console?
- Incognito versus clearing history
- My advice
- Frequently asked questions
To turn on YouTube Incognito mode, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, tap Accounts at the top and tap Turn on Incognito. While it's on, your watch and search history aren't affected and your subscriptions don't shape what you see, but it only works in the app and the session ends after 90 minutes of inactivity.
Incognito is handy when you want to watch something without it taking over your recommendations: a children's song for your niece, a one-off how-to, a video you're researching for work. It's not a privacy cloak, though, and it's a mobile app feature only.
Here's how it works, what it does and doesn't hide, and what to do on a computer, from YouTube's and Google's own help pages.
Turn on Incognito in the YouTube app
- Open the YouTube app and make sure you're signed in.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap Accounts at the top.
- Tap Turn on Incognito.
A black bar appears at the bottom of the screen as a reminder that you're browsing Incognito.
What Incognito changes
| While Incognito is on | What happens |
|---|---|
| Search history | Not saved |
| Watch history and subscriptions | Don't influence what YouTube shows you |
| Your account | YouTube behaves as if you're signed out, although you stay signed in |
| Commenting or subscribing | You're asked to sign in to finish the action |
YouTube says activity in an Incognito session isn't linked with your account, and that data use still follows Google's Privacy Policy.
The 90-minute catch
If you're inactive for more than 90 minutes, YouTube ends the Incognito session and returns you to the last account you used. The next time you open the app, you'll see a message saying you're no longer Incognito. So if you leave a video paused for a long break, check that black bar before you carry on.
Turn Incognito off
Tap your profile picture and turn off Incognito. YouTube returns you to the last account you were using before you switched it on.
What about YouTube on a computer?
YouTube's Incognito help page is about the mobile app, and there's no equivalent toggle described for youtube.com. On a computer, the nearest option is your browser's private window. In Chrome:
- Windows, Linux or ChromeOS: press Ctrl + Shift + N.
- Mac: press Cmd + Shift + N.
- Or click More at the top right and choose New Incognito window.
Chrome won't automatically sign you into your Google Account in that window, so YouTube treats you as signed out. Your session ends when you close every Incognito window.
What Incognito doesn't hide
Google is clear that Incognito doesn't make you invisible. Websites you visit, including Google sites, and whoever runs your network, such as your employer, school or internet provider, may still be able to see your activity. Incognito is about what's saved to your account and device, not about being untraceable.
A better option if it's about recommendations
If what you really want is to stop certain videos shaping your feed, pausing your watch history might suit you better. In My Activity, go to the Controls tab and turn YouTube history off. Videos you watch while it's paused won't appear in your history. If your history keeps switching itself off, here's why YouTube watch history keeps turning off.
And if your recommendations are already a mess, my guide to resetting your YouTube algorithm walks through the clean-up.
Incognito and other people on your account
Because Incognito leaves your history alone, it's also a tidy way to hand your phone to someone else for a few minutes. Whatever they watch won't feed into your recommendations or appear in your history afterwards. Just remember to turn it off when you get your phone back, or wait for the 90-minute timeout to do it for you. And if the person using your phone is a child, a supervised account is the better long-term answer, because that's the tool YouTube built for younger viewers.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
When Incognito is the right call
- You're watching a one-off video you don't want shaping your recommendations.
- You're letting someone else watch on your phone for a few minutes.
- You're researching a topic for work and don't want your feed filled with it afterwards.
- You're checking what a video or channel looks like without your own subscriptions and history in the mix.
For anything longer than a single session, pausing history is less fiddly, because Incognito turns itself off after 90 minutes of inactivity.
Does Incognito work on a TV or games console?
YouTube's Incognito help page is written for mobile devices, and it doesn't cover TVs or consoles. If you share a TV, YouTube's watch history help has a separate section on pausing and clearing watch history on a TV or games console, which is the more reliable way to keep shared viewing out of your recommendations.
Incognito versus clearing history
- Incognito: use it before you watch, for a one-off session that won't touch your account.
- Pausing history: use it when you want to stop history for a while, across devices.
- Clearing history: use it after the fact, to remove what's already shaping your recommendations. Here's how to clear your YouTube search history.
My advice
Use Incognito in the app for one-off videos you don't want shaping your feed, and remember it times out after 90 minutes. On a computer, open a private browser window instead. And if you need privacy from your workplace or network, Incognito isn't the tool, because they may still see what you're doing.
I keep every related walkthrough in the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on Incognito mode on YouTube?
In the app, tap your profile picture, tap Accounts at the top, then tap Turn on Incognito.
Is there YouTube Incognito mode on a computer?
YouTube's Incognito toggle is for the mobile app. On a computer, use your browser's private window, such as Chrome's Incognito window.
Does YouTube Incognito save search history?
No. YouTube says search history won't be saved in Incognito mode.
Why did YouTube Incognito turn off by itself?
If you're inactive for more than 90 minutes, the Incognito session ends and you return to your last account.
Can I comment while in YouTube Incognito?
No. Commenting or subscribing asks you to sign in to complete the action.
Does Incognito hide what I watch from my employer?
No. Google says organisations that manage your network may still be able to see your activity.
