Private browsing mode, AKA Incognito is a valuable feature that allows you to surf the web without leaving a trace of your activity on your device.
While this can be useful for protecting your privacy, it can also make it difficult to access your browsing history if you need to reference it later.
In this article, we’ll explore how to check private browsing history on an iPhone after it’s been deleted.
How to Check Private Browsing History On iPhone After It’s Been Deleted
First, it’s essential to understand how private browsing mode works on an iPhone.
When you enable private browsing mode on your iPhone, your device will not store any information about the websites you visit or search for.
This includes your browsing history, search history, and any autofill information.
So, if you’ve deleted your private browsing history on your iPhone, it may seem like there’s no way to retrieve it.
However, you can try several methods to recover an iPhone’s deleted private browsing history.
Here are some options to consider:
Use a Third-Party Recovery Tool
Several third-party recovery tools can help you recover deleted data from your iPhone, including your private browsing history.
These tools scan your device’s memory and extract any recoverable data. Some popular options include Dr.Fone or uMobix.
Dr.Fone
If you’ve accidentally deleted your private browsing history on your iPhone and need to recover it, Dr.Fone can help.
Dr.Fone is a third-party data recovery tool that retrieves lost or deleted data from iOS devices.
It scans your device’s memory and extracts any recoverable data, including your private browsing history.
To use Dr.Fone to recover your deleted private browsing history, you’ll need to follow these steps:
- Download and install the Dr.Fone tool on your computer
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable
- Launch the Dr.Fone tool and follow the prompts to begin recovery
- Select the option to scan your device for recoverable data
- Wait for the scan to complete. Depending on how much data is stored on your device, this may take a few minutes
- If Dr.Fone can locate your deleted private browsing history, it will display a list of recoverable data on your device
- Preview the recovered data to ensure that it is what you’re looking for
- Select the private browsing history data you want to recover, and then click the “Recover” button to save it to your computer
It’s important to note that Dr.Fone may not be able to recover all deleted data, as it depends on the state of your device’s memory and how long it has been since you deleted the data.
However, it is worth giving it a try if you need to recover your private browsing history, as it may be able to retrieve it.
uMobix
uMobix is a third-party recovery tool that can scan your device’s memory and extract any recoverable data from your iPhone, including your private browsing history.
To use uMobix to recover your deleted private browsing history, follow these steps:
- Choose your desired subscription plan from the uMobix website and complete the purchase
- Check your email for your login information, which they will send to you after the purchase is complete
- Log in to your uMobix account and enter the iCloud credentials for the iOS device you want to recover data from
- Follow the instructions provided in the account dashboard to set up your recovery settings. This may include selecting the type of data you want to recover, such as your private browsing history
- Wait for the recovery process to complete. This may take some time, depending on the amount of data that needs to be recovered
- Once the recovery is complete, you will be able to access your recovered data, including your private browsing history, from your uMobix account
Check your iCloud Backup
If you have iCloud enabled on your iPhone, you could have backed up your private browsing history to iCloud before you deleted it.
To check for this, go to Settings > iCloud > iCloud Backup and see if you created a recent backup before you deleted your private browsing history.
You can restore your device from this backup to recover your private browsing history.
Check Your Device’s Cache
It is vital to regularly check your device’s cache to ensure that it takes up only a little storage space.
The cache is a storage area where your device stores specific data from websites that you visit.
This data is meant to help the website load faster when you revisit it, as it allows your device to access the data from the cache rather than downloading it again from the internet.
However, if you visit many websites, the cache can become quite large and take up a significant amount of storage space on your device.
It’s a good idea to clear your cache every so often to prevent this from happening.
Use a Forensic Tool
If you cannot recover your private browsing history using the methods above, you may need to use a forensic tool.
These tools are designed to extract data from devices and are often used by law enforcement agencies to investigate crimes.
While these tools can be expensive and require specialized training, they can be a powerful way to recover deleted data from an iPhone, including private browsing history.
Contact Apple Support
If you cannot recover your private browsing history using the methods above, your last resort may be to contact Apple support.
Apple’s support team may be able to provide further assistance or guidance on how to recover your deleted data.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Get Back Deleted Private Browsing Data?
A straightforward solution is to perform a system restore. This could be particularly effective if you deleted the internet history recently.
To access system restore, you can go to the “start” menu and search for it, which will bring you to the feature.
You can follow the prompts to initiate the restore process and recover your deleted internet history.
Can Private Browsing Be Traced Back?
Your data traffic can be visible to certain parties, even if you are using private browsing.
This includes the Wi-Fi administrator (usually the owner of the router), your internet service provider, and Apple.
These individuals or organizations may be able to see what websites you are accessing and any data transmitted over the network, regardless of whether you are using private browsing.
It is essential to be aware of this when using the internet, as it can affect your privacy and security.
Can I See My Browsing History After I Deleted It?
If you have iTunes installed on your iPhone and have regularly backed up your phone, it is possible to restore a backup and retrieve your detailed Safari browsing history.
To do this, open iTunes and click on the iPhone icon. From there, select the option to restore a backup and choose the file that contains your deleted Safari history.
This should allow you to recover your browsing history if lost or deleted.
Remember that this process will restore your entire device to the state it was in when you created the backup, so you may need to set up specific settings and apps again after the restore.
Conclusion
While learning how to check private browsing history on iPhone after it’s been deleted may be challenging, you can try a few methods to recover the data.
These include using a third-party recovery tool, checking your iCloud backup, preventing your device’s cache, using a forensic tool, or contacting Apple support.
With patience and persistence, you can recover your deleted private browsing history on your iPhone.