Being able to browse through the internet without leaving any trace is a virtue in itself, and Google Map users have been waiting for this feature to come their way as well for quite some time. Well, the wait is finally over as Google has officially announced that its bringing ‘Incognito Mode’ to Maps, allowing Android users to search for locations and navigate while staying anonymous.
Google’s first announcement on this subject came in May at the Google I/O event. After a wait of 5-months, android users are finally getting access to the feature.
As per the Maps support page, once the incognito mode is on, any activity on Maps, such as searching for places or getting directions, will not be saved on the users Google account. In this mode, Google will not save any browsing and search history and will not send any notification regarding the same either. Google will also not share your location or update your location history.
It is notable that this is a staged rollout, and will not be available on all the Android devices immediately. Google has said that the feature will be made available to all Android users in the coming few days.
Once the feature is enabled on your device, you may turn on the mode by clicking on your profile picture in Google Maps app, and then flipping the switch.
This mode will come very handy in the coming holiday season, when you want to keep your gift hunting locations private, or are looking for the best location to throw a surprise party.
Remember, while you will remain hidden in a lot of aspects, Google will still storing the navigation data behind its curtains. Though the data will not get tied to the user’s account, they will still remain logged into a unique session identifier which will reset itself over time.
