With increasing concern for privacy, there is a high demand for a privacy web browser. Various browsers provide measures to protect you from cookies and trackers online, but a good privacy browser should delete all browsing data as soon as you exit the browser. So in this article, we will look at some of the best privacy browsers available on Android that do not save any history and delete your data on exit.
Android Privacy Browsers That Don’t Save History
We will focus on browsers that prioritize your privacy and delete your browsing history, cookies, and any other related data when you close the browser. Such browsers are also referred to as Incognito browsers.
Some browsers have this feature but are not enabled by default, so we will show you how to turn it on and discuss the pros and cons of these browsers. So let’s look into the list of best privacy browsers on Android.
1. Firefox Focus
Firefox Focus is a privacy-focused and lightweight version of Firefox. It does not support multiple tabs and deletes browsing data when the app is closed by default. You can think of it as just a private window with enhanced privacy features that allow you to block ads, content trackers, and potentially dangerous websites.
You can set up fingerprint verification, lock the app when a website is open, and you move the app to the background. The only shortfall is that it sends usage data and installs studies, but you can disable them in both in-app settings.
Pros:
- Blocks Ads, analytics, and social trackers.
- Enables fingerprint lock when a webpage is open.
- Hides web pages when switching between apps.
Cons:
- Collects and sends usage data to Firefox until disabled.
- Installs and runs studies in the background until disabled.
Developed by: Mozilla
Based in: The United States of America
Download: Firefox Focus Android
2. In Browser
InBrowser is an incognito browser that offers several privacy-related features and a few customizations like text reflow for better mobile optimization of websites and the ability to hide the status bar. It lets you open multiple tabs in this browser but deletes all data each time you close the browser.
In-Browser supports TOR onion routing, which can prevent sites from tracking you and help you stay anonymous online, followed by LastPass password manager integration. But using onion routing could result in a slower loading speed of webpages, and some websites and services detect and block users using TOR.
Pros:
- Supports Swipe Gestures.
- Tor Supports and LastPass integration.
- Advanced protection against Trackers.
Cons:
- Does not block any Ads.
- Using TOR routing may result in slower load times.
- Some blockers and TOR may result in sites not working properly.
Developed by: Private Internet Access, Inc
Based in: The United States of America
Download: In-Browser for Android
3. Private Browser for Android
The Private browser is a fairly basic web browser with a minimal and clean interface. It provides a few customizations like full-screen view, AMOLED dark mode, and the ability to change the color of the address bar according to the website.
As for privacy, it will delete all browsing history when closed, but you can choose to disable that. You can request sites to ‘Do Not Track.’ You also get a built-in ad blocker, but in our test, we found the adblocker does little to nothing as we kept running into ads repeatedly.
Pros:
- Simple and clean interface.
- Various customizations and tweaks.
- Hides the status bar for a full-screen view.
Cons:
- Ads still appear even after enabling the in-built Adblocker.
Developed by: Tabero
Based in: The United States of America
Download: Private Internet Browser
4. Brave Private Web Browser
Any discussion about privacy browsers is incomplete without the Brave browser. It features a variety of tools to block almost all ads, cookies, and trackers and prevents fingerprinting of data. Users can also enable some advanced settings to disable google and other social media trackers, but it may break websites.
It is based on Chromium, so it looks almost identical to Chrome in terms of interface. You can also find support for several Web3 applications here along with a built-in crypto browser and earn cryptocurrency just for browsing the web. But it will collect usage data that you can turn off.
By default, Brave will keep track of browsing data and history, but you can disable to delete all data when you exit the browser. Let us take a look at how to do so in Brave:
Step 1: Open Brave and tap on the three dots at the bottom right corner of the toolbar.
Step 2: Go to Settings.
Step 3: Now visit Brave Shields & privacy.
Step 4: Scroll down to Clear data on exit and switch on the toggle to enable it.
Step 5: Next, Go to Clear browsing data below it and select the type of data you want to delete every time you close the browser.
Step 6: Scroll down further to Close tabs on exit and switch on the toggle.
Now Brave will not keep an account of your browsing data and delete it when you close the app.
Pros:
- Aggressive Ads, Trackers, and Fingerprinting Blockers.
- Support for multiple Web3 Applications.
- Allows you to disable many Google codecs and services.
Cons:
- Collects and sends specific usage data but can be disabled.
Developed By: Brave Software, Inc.
Based in: The United States of America
Download: Brave Private Browser for Android
5. DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser
DuckDuckGo is based around the DuckDuckGo privacy search engine, which is used by most privacy web browsers. It offers several tools that can be used to safeguard your data like Track radar, GPC opt-out to request websites from tracking you, HTTPS enforcement, and privacy score for websites.
It will not delete your data when closed by default, but you can enable it from settings. Here is you can enable it:
Step 1: Open the DuckDuckGo browser and click on the three dots in the top right corner.
Step 2: Click on Settings.
Step 3: In Settings, open Privacy and Security.
Step 4: Scroll down and Go to the Automatically Clear… option.
Step 5: Select Tabs and data to delete all browsing history data when you exit the app and press Save.
Step 6: Now go to the Clear On… option.
Step 7: Select App exit only and press Save again.
This will set up the DuckDuckGo browser to erase all data when you exit the app.
Pros:
- Tracker Radar and Privacy Score for websites
- Fire Button to clear all data at once.
- Displays Privacy Report.
Cons:
- Does not delete data upon exit by default.
Developed by: DuckDuckGo
Based in: The United States of America
Download: DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser
6. Bromite Browser
Bromite Browser is a privacy-centric web browser based on the Chromium codebase. It offers a similar look to Google Chrome, but the browser itself is entirely free of any Google services. For privacy, it has an adblocking engine, an anti-phishing system, and the ability to reduce fingerprinting of data.
But just like the DuckDuckGo and Brave browser, it has the option to clear all browsing data on exit by not enabled by default. Let us take a look at how to enable it:
Step 1: Launch the Bromite browser and click on the three dots in the top right corner.
Step 2: Tap on Settings.
Step 3: Go to Privacy and security.
Step 4: Scroll down to Expire history days threshold and tap on the downward arrow next to it to open the drop-down list.
Step 5: Select No history.
Step 6: Now scroll down to Close all open tabs on exit and tap on the toggle to turn it on.
The browser will no longer record any of your browsing data. All of it will be auto-deleted when you close the browser.
Pros:
- The interface is modern and minimal.
- Phishing prevention and built-in adblocker.
- Unique Fingerprint Designation.
Cons:
- Not available to download from the Google Play Store.
- Does not erase browsing data when closed by default.
Developed by: Bromite (Open Source)
Download: Bromite Browser Android
7. Dolphin Zero Incognito Browser
Dolphin Zero is an Incognito web browser that will delete all browsing history, cache, and cookies when you exit the browser. It is a highly lightweight web browser and does not offer any settings or features. The home screen is all that there is where you can find an option to switch search engines, but that’s it.
It has a download size of just under 500 KB which is great if you want to look up something on a friend’s phone or run out of storage space on your smartphone. You can also use it as a secondary incognito browser on your smartphone.
Pros:
- Small download size of less than 500 KB.
- Deletes all data upon exit by default.
- Supports multiple search engines.
Cons:
- No additional settings or features are available.
Developed by: Dolphin Browser
Based in: China
Download: Dolphin Zero Incognito Browser
Bonus: Directly Open Incognito Mode on Other Browsers
If you just want your browser to delete your browsing history, you can use the incognito mode on your current browser. A trick is to directly access incognito mode and add it to your Android home screen for quick access. Here are the steps for it:
Step 1: On your home screen, swipe up to open a list of all apps or App Drawer.
Step 2: Select your preferred browser, which will be Chrome in our case.
Step 3: Press and hold the browser icon until a quick shortcut menu opens up, as shown below.
Step 4: Tap on Incognito mode, and the shortcut will directly open the incognito mode within that browser.
Add Incognito Shortcut to HomeScreen
You can also add the shortcut to your home screen for easier access. However, this method does not work on phones running MIUI.
Step 1: Press and hold the browser icon until the menu opens.
Step 2: Press and hold on to the Incognito mode shortcut till it gets highlighted.
Step 1: Now, you can drag it and add it anywhere on your home screen.
You can directly open Incognito or Private mode and clear your browsing history and data every time you close the browser. This method saves you the time of toggling incognito mode in the browser.
Wrapping Up
This concludes our list of best privacy browsers that save no history on Android. People are learning and understanding how much websites track them these days and how they need to take a step to protect their privacy. These web browsers will help protect your data while allowing you to surf your favorite websites. We hope you enjoyed this guide, and stay tuned to Browser To Use for more such amazing guides and How to’s.
