You make a quick search online, and immediately wonder: “Is this going to follow me around now?”
Maybe it was a sensitive health question, a surprise gift, a job application, or just a random site you don’t want mixed into your daily life. The problem is that algorithms often grab these one-off actions and glue them to your profile, causing targeted ads to haunt you for weeks.
In this article, we will try to fix that. But first, one key idea: privacy is not the same as anonymity.
Privacy is about leaving fewer traces and making it harder to connect your everyday actions into one neat profile. Anonymity is about being unidentifiable, and that is much harder. So, our goal is realistic for the average user: reduce tracking and cut down on leftovers. We will do it with incognito/private browsing, a proxy, and steady digital hygiene.
Incognito Mode: Useful, Limited, Often Misunderstood
Incognito mode is a good tool, but it is often treated like a cloak. It is not. If you want the full breakdown, see our blog post “Does Incognito Work? What It Does and Doesn’t Hide.” This article focuses on what you can do today without getting technical.
Most browsers use incognito mode to create a temporary session. It keeps that session separate from your regular one, and it removes temporary data when you close it. This is mainly about what is stored on your device, not about what the internet can see.
Also, keep in mind that history in incognito mode is not saved in your browser, but it can still exist elsewhere. Websites can log visits. Your workplace network, your school network, or your provider can still record connections. Incognito reduces local traces; it does not erase you from the network.
The Right Way to Use It
Incognito works best when you use it as a temporary workspace.
Use it for one clear task, then close it. For example, on a shared device, open a private tab, sign in, finish, log out, and close the window. For testing, use it to see how a website behaves without old cookies.
People also use browsing incognito for price checks or product research. It may help with anonymous shopping if you avoid logging in.
If your goal includes “not tied to my home connection,” you need a network layer change. Adding a proxy for browsing can help with that.
Web Proxy: What It Is, What It Helps With, and What to Avoid
A proxy is a server your browser talks to before reaching a website. The website sees the proxy’s IP address instead of yours. People use a web proxy to change the “outside” view of their connection, often for location-based content or for keeping a single task separate from a home IP.
A proxy does not solve everything. Cookies, logins, and your browser profile can still connect sessions.
Web Proxy vs VPN
A VPN is device-wide. A proxy is usually browser-only.
What a Proxy Actually Changes
A web proxy mainly changes the IP address and sometimes the apparent location. This can reduce easy linking to your home network and can help when you need to see region-specific pages.
What it does not automatically change:
- Your identity if you log in.
- Your cookies, if you reuse an old session.
- Your browser fingerprint, which can still be stable across sessions.
Residential Proxies
Connect to a global proxy network and stay safe.
How to Use a Web Proxy Without Making Things Worse
Start by avoiding random “free proxy lists.” If you do not know who runs the server, assume it can log traffic. With Froxy, you manage your proxies inside your account, get clear connection details, and can use common secure formats such as HTTP(S) and SOCKS5. This makes it easier to control what you are using and where your traffic goes.
Next, keep the scope narrow. Use a web proxy only for the tasks that actually need it, and keep sensitive accounts (like banking) out of experimental setups. If your setup allows it, use authorization methods that help you stay in control, such as login and password, and in some cases an IP whitelist, so only you can connect to your proxies.
A simple, safe pattern for beginners works well with Froxy:
- Create a separate browser profile just for proxy sessions, so cookies and logins do not mix with your daily profile.
- Configure the web proxy in that profile using the connection data from your Froxy account, usually the server IP, port, username, and password.
- If you want a more convenient on-and-off switch, you can optionally use a proxy manager extension. It lets you save proxy settings as a profile and enable them only when needed, without changing your system settings.
- Use incognito inside that proxy profile for one-off tasks, then close the session when you are done, and clear site data if the task was sensitive.
One last practical tip from our experience. When you set geo targeting or filters in Froxy, broader targeting usually gives you more available IPs in rotation, while very narrow targeting can reduce availability. If something does not connect, widening the targeting is a common fix.
Basic Online Hygiene: Small Habits That Do Most of the Work
Most tracking succeeds because small things accumulate: old cookies, “remember me” logins, broad permissions, and cluttered extensions. The boring fix is often the best fix: digital hygiene. You only need consistency.
Cookies and Sessions
Cookies are how websites remember you. Some cookies are useful, but many are used for profiling.
Good digital hygiene focuses on keeping things under control without constantly wiping everything. A simple place to start is separating contexts:
- Dedicate one browser profile to your normal life, and spin up a second one for random or specific tasks.
- When the situation calls for it, use a web proxy, but keep it totally boxed inside that second profile.
- Delete cookies for the really aggressive tracking sites, or just set that secondary profile to auto-delete everything when you close the window. This setup prevents your personal sessions from crossing paths with your side projects.
This prevents your normal sessions from bleeding into each other.
Permissions and Leakage
Permissions are an easy way to share more than you intended. Location, camera, microphone, and notifications are the usual suspects.
A simple digital hygiene rule is to default to “Ask.” Grant a permission only when you need it, and remove it later. Most sites do not need notifications. Many do not need location.
If you use a proxy for browsing, also check basic settings related to WebRTC leaks.
Updates and Extensions
Updates fix security problems, and outdated software is an easy target. Extensions add features, but they can also track you or create unique fingerprints.
As digital hygiene, keep your browser updated and keep extensions minimal. Remove what you do not use. If you use a tracker blocker, pick one reputable tool and keep it updated.
Search and DNS Basics
Two small choices can reduce low-effort tracking.
First, reduce search personalization or use a privacy-focused search option. Second, enable encrypted DNS (DNS over HTTPS) if it is available.
For those who don't want to bother with theory
Feel free to ask our support engineers — they know exactly how to configure the proxy for your specific case.
Three Everyday Cases
Abstract advice is hard to apply, so let’s look at familiar situations.
Shared Computer
Use incognito, do not save passwords, log out, and close all private windows. This is an easy place to practice digital hygiene.
“I Don’t Want This Tied to My Home IP” Case
For those moments when you need a different IP, fire up a proxy for browsing, but keep it boxed inside a secondary browser profile. Keep the session completely isolated by not logging into your usual stuff (like your personal email or social media). Once you wrap up, just clear the site data and shut the windows. It’s a very practical approach to separating your tasks, built right on top of good digital hygiene.
Everyday Browsing With Less Tracking
Goal: reduce tracking without turning browsing into work.
Keep your normal profile for everyday life. Keep a second profile for “separated tasks,” and use a proxy for browsing there only when you need it. Review permissions now and then, clear cookies for high-tracking sites, and keep extensions tidy.
This is a realistic way to do private browsing in daily life. You are browsing private more often without extra effort.
Tiny Checklist
To save you from overthinking it, just stick to these basics for cleaner sessions:
- Only use incognito for quick, one-off stuff. And make sure you actually close the window when you're done so the session dies completely.
- Need a different IP for something specific? Grab a proxy, but run it inside a completely separate browser profile.
- Whatever you do, don't log into your personal accounts while you're in that secondary profile.
- Keep an eye on cookies there, and wipe old data regularly.
- Force websites to ask for permissions—especially for your location and those annoying notifications.
- Keep your browser updated, ditch extensions you never use, and just stick to the routine.
FAQ
Can Private Browsing Be Tracked?
Yes. Private mode mostly reduces what is stored locally. Websites can still track activity during a session, and networks can still log connections. Better results come from pairing a clean session with a proxy for browsing and consistent digital hygiene.
Does Private Browsing Hide IP Address?
No. A private window does not change your IP address. If you need an IP change, use a web proxy or a VPN, and keep the session clean with digital hygiene.
How Secure Is Private Browsing?
It is secure for its main job: separating a session and reducing local traces. It is not a complete solution by itself. Add careful habits, minimal extensions, controlled permissions, and, when needed, a web proxy. Keep your digital hygiene routine steady, and you will get a clear, practical improvement.
