John kolbert

Chrome Incognito Missing? 3 Innovative Fixes to Retrieve It

Chrome Incognito Missing? 3 Innovative Fixes to Retrieve It

Google Chrome, just like any other browser, offers you to browse privately. You simply have to use the incognito window, or the incognito browser to do that. This mode is temporary and doesn’t store any of your browsing information including cookies and caches. 

Sometimes, you might see that the incognito mode is missing from the Chrome browser. If this happens, then you won’t be able to browse in private. In addition to that, all of your necessary Chrome extensions will not work. Thus, resulting in the distraction of your browser’s interface. 

What’re the Reasons behind it?

There are several reasons that might be responsible for the disappearance of Chrome’s incognito window. Let’s get a brief idea about it. 

  • Malicious extensions
  • Corrupted and improper settings
  • Absence of the availability key

Now, finding the best solution to this problem will be your primary task. After that, you have to enable it and use it accordingly. 

Solutions to the problem

The solutions will work more or less the same in all the Windows Operating Systems. Let’s check them out and eliminate the problem with ease. 

1. Disable or Remove the Extensions 

Uninstalling or disabling the extensions might help you to retrieve back the incognito mode from the browser. 

  • Open Google Chrome and type “chrome://extensions” in the address bar. You will see the list of installed extensions.
  • Click on an extension and you will see three options: “Details”, “Remove” and a toggle button to disable and enable it. 
  • It is better that you remove it just because the extension can contain malicious files. Hit on “Remove” and your task is now complete. 

2. Reset the Settings to Default mode

Resetting the browser is an excellent idea for solving the issue. The process will roll back the Chrome browsers to its factory-set condition. 

  • Double click to run the Chrome browser, on the right corner side of the screen, you will see three dots. 
  • Click on the three vertical dots and a drop-down menu will appear. Hit on it and click on “Settings”. 
  • Now, you have to scroll downwards and choose the “Advanced” option. After that, select “Restore settings to their original defaults”. 
  • The Reset Settings dialogue box needs your permission. Grant it by clicking on “Reset settings”. 

Wait for a few seconds and your browser will be restored to its factory mode with all the default settings in it.  

3. Bring back the Incognito Mode Availability Key

When you cannot find the incognito mode, the absence of its Available key might be a reason. Therefore, the registry editor will help you to solve this problem. 

  • Press both Windows logo key and R simultaneously. The Run dialogue box will open. 
  • Type “regedit” and press the Enter key or click on “OK”. When the Registry Editor opens, try to navigate to Chrome.
  • Double click on HKEY_Local_Machine from the left-hand side of the window. After that, choose “Software”, “Policies” and “Google”.
  • Under the “Policies”, go to “New” and then on to “Key”. You will see the Chrome folder. Open it and you will see the “Incognito mode availability”.

After finding the key, set its value to 0 by right-clicking on it. 0 means the key is active and 1 means it is inactive. Make sure you set the base to hexadecimal. Now, click on “OK” to save the changes.