How to make a Chrome incognito shortcut in Windows work after Chrome updates

Question

I have created a shortcut to the Google Chrome application on Windows XP. I have modified the target line in the shortcut such that it ends in the argument to start Chrome in incognito mode.

The modification is as such for the Target: "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --incognito

The works until seemly Chrome updates and then I need to redo the above modification appending --incognito, again to the Target: line.

Is there a way to make this change more permanent, so that I can just do this one time and have a constant shortcut that's not going to randomly change back to a normal mode Chrome shortcut?

Solution 1

Probably either chrome or some other software is messing with the shortcut.

Options:

• Try naming the shortcut differently than the Default name.

• Create shortcut manually i.e. by right clicking on the desktop and select New>Shortcutand follow on screen instructions.

Update Proof method:
Alternatively you can use Batch file to launch chrome in Incognito mode. (This will not be affected by updates or anything like that)
Create a text file, paste following command to it, save it with extension .bat.

    C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --incognito
    EXIT

Double Click the file to launch chrome. (You can customize the icon to make it look like the chrome shortcut)

Solution 2

Do it like this:

• Open notepad copy/paste this code:

  @echo off
  cls
  start %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\Chrome.exe --incognito
  exit

• But if you want to let it open a website in incognito window it should be like this:

  @echo off
  cls
  start %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\Chrome.exe --incognito "http://www.example.domain"
  exit

  Replace 'example' with your website address, And also 'domain' with your website's domain, Like '.com' '.org' '.tk'...

• Save it as "Incognito".bat, replace with "Your File Name".bat.

Solution 3

i find this better as solution.

@echo off

start /d "c:\Program files\Google Chrome" Chrome.exe --incognito http://www.example.domain

Comments

[MrDaniel]

As in right clicking and creating a new shortcut with the shortcut wizard. More details would be appreciated.

[m4573r]

As in copy-pasting your shortcut (presumably in the same folder), renaming it "Chrome incognito", and then modifying the "target" the way you do with the normal shortcut (adding the --incognito parameter).

[Ankit]

@MrDaniel that's great, I hope you will also report results when done.

[MrDaniel]

Renaming / creating the shortcut with a different name worked. I called it "Chrome Incognito"

[InterLinked]

The Chrome executable is NOT in the user profile directory