Guest mode opens Chrome as a blank, temporary profile. A guest cannot see or change anyone’s Chrome profile on the computer, and when the guest window closes, Chrome deletes the browsing history, cookies and site data from that session. Google suggests it for letting someone borrow your computer, borrowing someone else’s, or using a public computer at a library or cafe.
To open it on Windows, Mac or Linux: click your profile picture at the top right of Chrome, then click Open Guest profile. Guest mode is only on computers. It is not in Chrome for Android, iPhone or iPad, and Chromebooks have their own guest sign-in instead.
Open a guest window
- Open Chrome on the computer.
- At the top right, click the Profile picture (your photo, initial or a person icon).
- Click Open Guest profile. A separate guest window opens.
Keyboard route: Ctrl + Shift + M on Windows and Linux, or ⌘ + Shift + M on a Mac. Google’s Chrome shortcut list describes it as the shortcut to log in as a different user or browse as a guest.
If Guest is missing from the menu, two things can hide it. Google notes that when a computer has a supervised profile, Guest mode is not available while all the non-supervised profiles are locked. A school or company that manages the browser can also turn Guest mode off with the BrowserGuestModeEnabled policy.
Close guest mode
- Close the guest window: the X at the top right on Windows and Linux, or the red button at the top left on a Mac.
- Or click the Profile picture at the top right and choose Close guest.
When the guest session ends, the history, cookies and site data from it are deleted. Google’s list of what gets deleted does not include downloaded files, so check the Downloads folder and delete anything that should not stay on the computer.
Guest mode vs Incognito: which one to use
Both forget your browsing when you close them, but they are meant for different people. Google’s rule of thumb: Guest mode is for someone else using a computer, and Incognito is for browsing privately on your own computer while keeping your own info and settings.
| Guest mode | Incognito mode | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | A visitor on your computer, or you on a shared or public one | You, on your own profile |
| Your bookmarks and settings | Not visible. A guest cannot see or change any profile’s info. | Available. Bookmarks you add in Incognito stay in your profile. |
| After you close it | History, cookies and site data are deleted | History, cookies and site data from the session are not kept. Downloads and new bookmarks stay. |
| How to open it | Profile picture, then Open Guest profile | Menu (three dots), then New Incognito window, or Ctrl + Shift + N (⌘ + Shift + N on a Mac) |
| Phones and tablets | Not available | Available |
| Installing extensions | Not possible | Not possible |
Sources: Google’s help pages for Incognito mode and installing extensions, which says you cannot add extensions in Incognito or as a guest.
What guest mode does not hide
Guest mode only stops Chrome from keeping the session on that computer. Google warns that your activity can still be visible to:
- the websites you visit, including the ads and resources on them, and any site you sign in to
- your employer, school or whoever runs the network
- your internet provider
- search engines
Google also says the owner of a device may be able to get to your data, so only sign in to sensitive sites, such as your bank or email, on devices that belong to people you trust.
Guest mode on a phone or tablet
Chrome for Android, iPhone and iPad has no Guest mode. Google’s advice for private browsing on a phone is to use an Incognito tab. To let another person use Chrome on an Android device, Google suggests adding them as a user of the device and switching to that user.
Want something that lasts?
A guest window starts empty every time. If someone uses your computer often, give them their own profile instead, with their own bookmarks and passwords. See how to add and switch Chrome profiles.