How to Enable Private Browsing in Firefox 3.5

Your browser will usually remember most entries you put in, for example, pages you've visited, your passwords to various secured sites, and so on. If you are sharing a computer with someone, your browsing history and the personal information you entered on the Internet may be of concern to you. In the old days, you'll need to delete cookies, remove search history and such manually. Firefox has an automated real time feature that does the "leave no trace" for you while on the Internet. However, you can still manually erase browsing history, cookies and cache when private browsing mode is enabled, (Tools > Clean Recent History; PC -- Ctrl+Shift+Del / Mac -- Cmd+Shift+Del).

Firefox will not remember these when the private browsing feature is enabled:

• All text field entries, including form, address bar and search
• Screen name and password
• Visited sites; pages
• Download history, plus list entries
• Cached files and cookies

You do not need to be online to activate this feature. Instructions for Internet privacy when using Firefox 3.5 >>

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mozilla Firefox 3.5.X (i.e. 3.5.1, 3.5.5) editions web browser / not applicable to 3.0.XX

1. 
   Menu: Help > About Mozilla Firefox

   Make sure you have the correct version as this function is only available on Firefox 3.5.X versions. To check what version you have:
   http://forms.ehow.com/betacontribute.aspx?P=10&id=5621296
   Click on the top main menu, Help > About Mozilla Firefox (usually the last item from the list). Your version information will be displayed in a popup window.
   
   There are two ways to enable Firefox private browsing session. Do one of the following:

2. Method 1: Go to Tools > Start Private Browsing (PC -- Ctrl+Shift+P / Mac -- Cmd+Shift+P)

3. Method 2: Type the following in the browser address bar, about:privatebrowsing, and then click the right fly-out arrow on the right next to the address text field.
   
   ※ Suggestion, save about:privatebrowsing as a bookmark to have an easy one-click access to the Firefox 3.5 private browsing mode.

4. 
   Activate Firefox private browsing

   You will be asked if you want to start the private browsing now, click on the button to confirm. Now you have enabled the Firefox private browsing feature. When you are in "private browsing" mode, those words will appear in the title on Firefox browser window. The "history wipe-out" begins when you close a tab and browser window.
   
   Remember, you can still use the Tools > Clear Recent History, and Tools > Options to clean records at will while a tab/browser window is in use, even when private browsing mode is enabled.

Tips & Warnings

• Firefox 3.5 private browsing does not make you anonymous on the Internet.

[godfather25]

on 11/9/2009 Great tips for firefox users.