Disable Incognito Mode in Chrome

TL;DR

Yes, you can disable Chrome’s Incognito mode using Group Policy (Windows) or Preferences (macOS). This is useful for managing browser usage in organisations or preventing accidental use of private browsing.

How to Disable Incognito Mode

1. Understand the Methods: There are two main ways to disable Incognito mode:
   • Group Policy (Windows): This is the preferred method for managed environments like businesses or schools. It requires the Chrome ADMX templates.
   • Preferences (macOS): This involves editing a configuration file (.plist) and requires some technical knowledge.
2. Windows: Install Chrome ADMX Templates
   1. Download the latest Chrome Enterprise Bundle from Google’s website.
   2. Extract the bundle. You need the policy_templates.zip file within it.
   3. Copy the contents of policy_templates.zip to your Group Policy central store (usually yourdomain.comSYSVOLyourdomain.comPoliciesPolicyDefinitions). If the folder doesn’t exist, create it.
3. Windows: Configure Group Policy
   1. Open the Group Policy Management Console (gpedit.msc if you are on a local machine, or use the Remote Server Administration Tools).
   2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Google > Google Chrome.
   3. Find the policy named “Prevent users from opening Incognito windows”.
   4. Double-click this policy and set it to Enabled. This will block Incognito mode.
   5. Click Apply and then OK.
   6. Force a Group Policy update on the target machines using

      gpupdate /force

      .

4. macOS: Edit Chrome Preferences File
   1. Close all instances of Chrome.
   2. Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
   3. Navigate to the Chrome profile directory. This is usually ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome. You can use

      cd ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome

      .

   4. Edit the Preferences file using a text editor like TextEdit or nano. You may need to create this file if it doesn’t exist.
   5. Add the following line within the top-level curly braces ({...}):

      "incognito_mode_disabled": true,

   6. Save the Preferences file.
   7. Restart Chrome.
5. Verify the Change
   • On Windows, try to open a new Incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N). It should be blocked.
   • On macOS, try to open a new Incognito window (Cmd+Shift+N). It should be blocked.