Is there any way to stop specific sites appearing in browser history?

Question

I am using Firefox and Chrome. There a few websites only which I don't want anyone to know I visit. But they appear in browser history or when I start typing they also come as auto complete. I have to manually delete them.

Is there any way or add-on which I can install and then I can define the sites that I don't want to appear in history?

Incognito mode is also available, but if I use that, all of my cookies are cleared and I have to enter all my log-in stuff again.

Solution 1

You can use Private mode of browser. Websites you visited will not be stored in history.

On Firefox: press Ctrl + Shift + P

On Chrome: press Ctrl + Shift + N

Solution 2

1. Use Browser-Profiles:

You can start Firefox with a Link pointing to "firefox -P profile-name" If you put this link in your start-menu you can use a certain profile just for yourself. Whenever you give the Lapotp away, they will use the Desktop-Link which uses the default profile with no history whatsoever.

2. Don't create browser history: You can individually set if the browser should keep cookies/cache/login and URL-history. So just disable URL-history and leave everything else on!

Solution 3

The main problem seems to be that other people are guessing your password, and thus logging in seeing all your information. (Either that or you forget to log out). Fix that and there are no more problems.

A bit longer:

• You log in: You get your desktop, your shortcuts, your firefox profile (and only your information and explicitly shared information).
• Someone else logs in: they get their desktop, their shortcuts, their firefox profile (and not your information).

This is the way modern system are set up. If you violate that by using a single account then you will always share information. You cannot prevent your other self from seeing what you do.

You can make it harder. E.g. encrypt files, or use multiple browser profiles, but that will merely make it harder. The only proper way is to make sure other people log in with their own account and that they do not have admin rights.

Solution 4

Not preventive, but after the fact in Firefox you can open history (Show All History), select the item you don't want remembered, right click and select "Forget About This Site". All history and cookies related to that domain name will be deleted.

Solution 5

You can use the built-in option to clear the browser history when the browser gets closed. This way you just need to make sure to close the browser once after visiting those site or before you let anyone else use the browser. It's more convenient than completely disabling the history.

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Comments

[ganesh]

+1 for probably the best answer, though it does mean entering credentials for those webpages.

[cctt]

The issue is many times people ask for my laptop just to show me something. Then sometimes during typing they can see the url which i don't want them to see but i use that on daily basis ,e,g suppose i use torrent on my browser and don't want any one to know . but if they start typing tor then it will show all the links. So i just want to keep taht out of my history

[Darius]

Add also password manager (like lastpass or keepass) so you don't have to re-enter your login stuff - just use a strong master password.

[cctt]

That will work but not possible if i heavily visit the site on daily basis but just don't want to come in history.

[cctt]

@Darius i think last pass don't work on private mode. i tried and it didn't show up

[Darius]

@Moorage For Chrome Incognito mode, you need to explicitly say to allow last pass on Incognito mode (Settings - Extensions - Tick "Allow on Incognito). On my firefox (I never set anything explicitly) it is always there on Private Mode... so not sure why it does that at your end...

[grg]

Why would you use code formatting?

[phyrfox]

Internet Explorer also has a Private mode (if you've bothered upgrading in the last few years).

[cctt]

In the end i ended up doing reverse. rather than myself using Private mode. Whenever someone ask for my laptop i gave them browser in private mode :)

[Spooky]

This is not a valid answer. The question asker specifically asked for a solution other than incognito mode.