What Is Google Maps Incognito Mode and How to Enable It on Your Phone
Among the other features promised by the technology giant during the I / O 2019 include the filters that allow to automatically delete the location history, the application and the Web activity .
This gives you more ways to control your privacy on Google Maps, especially when you want to switch to MIA, you do not want to be tracked, or even your activity is saved to your Google Account.
Incognito mode operation in Google Maps
In the face of growing concerns about digital privacy and behavior monitoring, today's businesses are responding more than ever to user demands by implementing applications and tools that they can use to control their privacy.
To this end, Google has introduced several privacy enhancements that prevent it from backing up certain types of data while removing the customization of the application. This does not mean that your movements can not be tracked.
When you switch to Incognito mode, the first thing you'll probably notice is that your profile icon changes from your usual profile photo to a private browsing icon.
Your Google Maps activity will not be saved to your Google Account. you will not see the usual custom recommendations in the app either. For example, if you are searching for a hotel or hospital, Google Maps will not record this information in incognito mode.
Other details of this mode are not displayed: trip information, such as how long it takes to get to work from home.
The app also does not update your shared location or location history, which means that everyone with whom you share your location will not see where you are, even if the setting is enabled.
What does not happen in incognito mode?
Just as if you were using Incognito mode in your Chrome web browser, enabling this feature in Google Maps does not affect how your activity is saved or used by Internet Service Providers, the voice search, other Google services and apps. This will not make your activity as invisible as it may seem.
Information regarding your position will remain confidential only. This way, your shared users will not see it and will not necessarily hide Google Maps browsing history from other sites.
When you are in incognito mode, you also do not receive information such as notifications, messages, search completion and history suggestions, Google Maps contributions, offline maps, Google Assistant microphone in navigation, and your places. preferred. You will also not enjoy the usual multimedia integration with playing music from streaming applications such as Apple Music or Spotify.
How to enable incognito mode in Google Maps
Enabling private browsing mode in Google Maps requires a few simple steps.
Step 1: Launch the Google Maps app on your Android phone.
2nd step: Tap the photo of your profile in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 3: In the menu that appears, tap Turn on incognito mode. The icon of your profile becomes the icon of the incognito mode, instead of the picture of your profile.
When Incognito mode is enabled, you receive an alert stating that "Enabling Incognito Mode in Maps does not affect the use or recording of your activity." by Internet access providers, other apps, voice search and other Google services. "
All of this only minimizes your Google Maps navigation record in your Google Account; it does not anonymize and hide your web traffic to the rest of the world. All data generated from Incognito mode in Google Maps is stored with a unique session ID.
In the future, such data from your Android device will not appear in the history of your Google locations. Similarly, updates about your device's location will pause if you share your location with someone else through Google Maps.
How to disable incognito mode in Google Maps
Of course, you can return to normal mode at any time. In this mode, you can share your location and device, or your Google Account, without hiding. This is possible in the same way that you can enable or disable dark mode on different applications or devices.
This means that you will retrieve your personalized recommendations, notifications and messages, offline maps, search completion and history suggestions, Google Maps contributions, your locations and multimedia integration, among other settings.
To disable or disable incognito mode, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Google Maps and tap the Incognito Mode icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
2nd step: In the menu, tap Turn off incognito mode, and the app will be back in the usual mode.
Roam Incognito
Incognito mode is about your privacy, the dark mode for your eyes and the battery life of your device. It can not be a privacy protector in its own right or make your movements completely invisible. However, at least the other people with whom you share your device, your Google Account, or your location, should not see where you are going or where you have searched. This is an interesting feature to use when planning a birthday or surprise appointment.
Then: Need more tips and tricks to use Google Maps? Check out our next article on the top 13 Google Maps tips to use as a pro.