When you let a friend, family member, or colleague borrow your computer to quickly check their email or search the web, the last thing you want is for them to accidentally view your browsing history, mess up your algorithm recommendations, or inadvertently post something while logged into your Facebook account. While you could create a completely separate user account within Windows or macOS, that is often overkill for a five-minute favor. The fastest and easiest solution is to use the Guest Mode feature built directly into Google Chrome.
What is Chrome Guest Mode?
Guest Mode provides a temporary, completely isolated browsing environment. When someone uses Guest Mode, they cannot see your bookmarks, your saved passwords, your browsing history, or your active logins. Furthermore, as soon as they close the Guest Mode window, Chrome instantly deletes all their cookies, temporary site data, and browsing history. It is effectively a self-destructing, clean-slate browser.
How to Open a Guest Window
Launching a Guest session takes only two clicks.
- Open Google Chrome normally.
- Look at the extreme top-right corner of the browser window, right next to the three-dot menu button. You will see your Profile Icon (this is usually your Google Account profile picture or a circle with your initial).
- Click on your Profile Icon to open the profile management menu.
- At the very bottom of the menu, under the “Other profiles” section, click on Guest.
A new, separate Chrome window will open. You will immediately know it is the correct window because the profile picture will be replaced by a generic gray silhouette, and a message on the screen will read “You’re browsing as a Guest.” You can safely hand the keyboard over to your friend.
Exiting Guest Mode
Once your friend has finished browsing, exiting is simple.
- Click the Guest icon in the top-right corner of the window.
- Click the Close Guest button.
- Alternatively, they can simply click the standard “X” in the corner to close the window entirely.
As soon as the window closes, all trace of their activity is wiped from your machine.
Guest Mode vs. Incognito Mode
It is important to understand the difference between Guest Mode and Incognito Mode, as they serve different purposes. Incognito Mode is designed for you to browse privately; while it doesn’t save your history, you still have full access to your existing bookmarks and saved passwords while using it. Guest Mode is designed for other people; it completely blocks access to all your personal data, ensuring your privacy remains intact while they use your device.