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You are here: Home / Tips and Tricks / Safari Private Browsing Button Missing? Fix (iOS)

Safari Private Browsing Button Missing? Fix (iOS)

Last updated on November 7, 2018 By Serhat Kurt 27 Comments

UPDATE (November, 2018): With iOS 12, Apple replaced Restrictions with Screen Time. Your Screen Time password is your Restrictions password. This means that if the Safari Private icon is missing on your iPad or iPhone, now this is because of your Screen Time settings.  It is not available because your device settings restrict adult websites. You can change that easily. To change that, simply go to:

  • Settings
  • Screen Time
  • Content & Privacy Restrictions (you will need to enter your password, which is your old Restrictions password, if not, read this article to reset)
  • Content Restrcitions
  • Web Content (under the Web Content section)
  • And select “Unrestricted Access”
  • Now, open Safari, Safari has the private browsing option.

Private Browsing lets you browse the Internet without saving your browsing history. There may be occasions when you don’t want to leave a trace of your web browsing history.

You can easily turn on and off Private Browsing on your iPad or iPhone. Here is how:

Enable private browsing

1-Launch Safari

2-Tap the Pages icon (two squares icon).

turn on private mode

3-Tap Private.

private mode

When you enable the Private browsing mode, you will notice that Safari appears black instead of white.

private browsing interface

If you do not see the Private icon, here is how you can fix:

If your device is running iOS 12 or later, please see the update above. 

However, blocking websites using the Restrictions menu will cause the ‘Private’ button to disappear.This means that, If you the “private” link doesn’t show up, it is highly likely that Restrictions (aka parental controls) for websites is turned on. You need to disable website restrictions. Here is how:

1- Go to Settings > General > Restrictions (enter your passcode)

2-Tap Websites

Restrictions iPhone

3-Select “All Websites”.

Restrictions Web Sites

See also: How to Manage & Limit Cellular Data Usage On Your iPhone (iOS 9)

Filed Under: Tips and Tricks Tagged With: Private Browsing

Comments

  1. Kay says

    October 21, 2020 at 5:27 am

    If anyone still has trouble just go to screen time click on content and privacy restrictions, content restrictions then under “web content” see if it’s on unrestricted, if it is turn it on allowed websites only, open safari for like 5 seconds fully quite Safari then go back go settings amd turn it on unrestricted it should get the private browsing back 🙂

    Reply
  2. Maisy says

    April 10, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    Tried all the steps multiple times. Private mode still isn’t enabled and I cannot delete my search history even though my settings are correct.

    Reply
    • Pietra says

      September 17, 2020 at 9:17 pm

      Mine is the same way

      Reply
    • AAK says

      October 18, 2020 at 10:25 am

      I don’t think this is a bug. If your iphone/iPad is currently part of a family sharing mode and your parent has control over the main account and they in turn control your phone’s Screen Time through their iPhone/iPad. Then your parent will need to turn off screen time on their family sharing account for your iPhone /iPad first.This will disable private mode on your device.

      Reply
  3. Georgia says

    March 9, 2020 at 10:07 pm

    I tried this and it didn’t work, so I turned off screen time altogether, then turned it back on and the private search icon came back. Don’t know if this’ll work for everyone 🙂

    Reply
    • Maddie says

      October 9, 2020 at 2:10 am

      Bro I literally love you

      Reply
  4. ace says

    July 13, 2019 at 5:14 pm

    I just have to say that I also have the problem and it’s really annoying, but, if you hold down the button in safari thats shows multiple windows ther’ll be an option for private browsing and you cam click that. However, since the button is gone, there’s no way to get out of private browsin and the only way is to close out of Safari completely, then it’ll go back to the regular browsing. It’s really frustrating but it’s a solution. At least your private browsing is harder to findd incase other people are looking.

    Reply
  5. L says

    March 26, 2019 at 1:56 pm

    Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Royori.PS says

    February 11, 2019 at 12:41 am

    I see what you mean about being quick but to be honest apple needs to fix this problem if its not an individual problem then it’s probably something that has to do with the iphone itself.

    Reply
    • Racc on Crack says

      February 13, 2019 at 10:48 pm

      If screen time was activated, you need to deactivate it completely

      Reply
  7. I help says

    December 20, 2018 at 5:48 am

    I found a way to do it first power of you phone. Then turn it back on.After that go to safari at this point you have to be quick you press the tab button and then you’ll See the private button but you have to be quick and press it if the + is not there just press done make sure not to flip you phone or else it will go back

    Reply
  8. Jane says

    December 3, 2018 at 12:42 am

    My private button has just gone too. while I was in private mode, the iPad switched itself to regular mode and private button missing

    Reply
    • Freya Cottrell says

      December 20, 2018 at 9:18 pm

      That’s what happened to mine. I was on it and switched me to normal mode. Have u been able to fix it yet? And if so how?

      Reply
  9. zoe says

    November 25, 2018 at 12:43 am

    it still doesn’t work, the private button still isn’t there after i followed the stems and re did them about 10 times ?

    Reply
  10. C. E says

    November 20, 2018 at 6:16 pm

    same here! I can’t figure out how to fix it

    Reply
    • abcd says

      November 22, 2018 at 6:20 am

      Same here. Out of nowhere it just disappeared

      Reply
  11. Ann says

    February 10, 2018 at 9:43 pm

    This doesn’t work and isn’t helpful. I followed the steps and I still can’t get the private mode.

    Reply
    • Brad says

      April 17, 2018 at 11:16 pm

      This is the second time this has disappeared on my phone and like you i can’t get it back. The last time it came back after an IOS update, but mine was there yesterday and gone today.

      Reply
      • Kelly says

        November 10, 2018 at 8:46 pm

        The same thing is happening to me! I have tried everything multiple websites have told me and it does not work. The Private Browsing button is just gone.

        Reply
        • Jerry f says

          November 22, 2018 at 6:54 am

          Same idk what to do it showed up for like 5 mins but then disappeared

          Reply
        • Freya Cottrell says

          December 20, 2018 at 9:17 pm

          Same! Mine has just disappeared. It’s nowhere to be seen. I don’t know how to fix it. Nothing is working.

          Reply
  12. Ranouy says

    January 12, 2017 at 7:47 pm

    Instead of clicking the + to add a new tab, click the cascaded windows icon. Private appears at the top.

    Reply
    • deven says

      November 7, 2018 at 4:29 am

      The “+” with the Cascade Windows thing isn’t working. The private button is literally gone, i’ve tried everything!!

      Reply
      • Serhat Kurt says

        November 7, 2018 at 4:44 am

        We just updated the article.

        Reply
      • Justin Fabsits says

        December 21, 2018 at 6:18 am

        you probably already figured it out by now but just download the ggogle chrome app because that works

        Reply
  13. Ralph Fox says

    December 17, 2016 at 10:26 pm

    I’ve tried everything available
    On the web but settings>privacy>browsing>on device history is completely gone. My website restrictions are turned of,f I’ve updated google.
    My IOS is 10.1.1
    I’d like to know what I’m doing wrong. Can anyone help?

    Reply
    • Ranouy says

      January 12, 2017 at 7:48 pm

      Open a new tab by clicking on the cascaded window button instead of the “+”
      You will see PRIVATE at the top.

      Reply

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