An Incognito mode desktop shortcut is coming to Chrome for Windows

In a nutshell: Here’s some good news for regular users of Chrome’s Incognito mode: the Windows version of the program will soon get a desktop shortcut that will open the browser directly in the privacy-focused mode.

It’s a quick process to get to Chrome’s Incognito mode—simply select ‘New Incognito Mode’ or hit Ctrl+Shit+N, but having a direct desktop shortcut will save time, especially for those who utilize it often.

Incognito mode, of course, stops Chrome from recording your browsing history, cookies, and anything entered into online forms. It’s also quite popular for viewing pornography, so I hear. With the surge in people working from home and their need to keep sensitive data private, and perhaps more regular visits to Pornhub, a direct desktop shortcut to Incognito mode would be welcomed by many.

9to5Google was first to discover the feature in the Chromium Gerrit blog. The listed code changes introduce a new flag, which are used to enable experimental Chrome features. The flag adds a “Create Shortcut” option to Incognito mode’s profile menu, similar to how Chrome lets users create a desktop shortcut that opens directly onto a particular page.

The new feature, which is still in the early stages of development, isn’t expected to arrive until Chrome 87. Chrome 86 is less than a month away from entering Beta, and its successor isn’t due until November.

Incognito mode won’t keep your browsing totally private, of course; the websites you visit, your ISP, and employer (if using a work computer) might see your activity. The better option would be to use a VPN, preferably one that has been verified as keeping no logs.