Xopus

Main Menu

  • Schemas
  • CSS
  • Chrome
  • Firefox
  • Fund

Xopus

Header Banner

Xopus

  • Schemas
  • CSS
  • Chrome
  • Firefox
  • Fund
Chrome
Home›Chrome›How to Set Up a Chrome Incognito Context Menu Shortcut in Windows 11

How to Set Up a Chrome Incognito Context Menu Shortcut in Windows 11

By Warren B. Obrien
April 28, 2022
0
0

If you need to quickly switch to private mode, here’s how to add a Chrome Incognito shortcut to the Windows 11 context menu.


The Google Chrome browser

Google Chrome has an Incognito mode that does not save browsing data when activated. Chrome does not save cookies, page history, or details entered into forms when in this mode. Thus, some users prefer to switch to private browsing in Google’s flagship browser.

You can activate Chrome’s Incognito mode with a Ctrl+Shift+N keyboard shortcut. However, Chrome does not include any built-in option to always open in incognito mode. However, you can always configure this browser to always start in incognito mode. Here’s how to set up a context menu shortcut that launches Chrome in incognito mode.

The Windows 11 desktop context menu is a good place to add all kinds of program shortcuts. It’s a shame that Windows doesn’t include any type of customization settings for this menu. So we need to edit the registry to add a Chrome Incognito shortcut to the context menu.

You will need the full folder path of your Google Chrome software (including its EXE file) to apply this registry tweak. If you don’t have a shortcut for this software yet, add one to your Windows 11 desktop. Right-click the Chrome shortcut on your desktop to select Properties. Copy the path in the Target area (including its quotation marks) with the CTRL+C keyboard shortcut. Then edit the registry as follows:

  1. Click the magnifying glass icon on the taskbar to open the search box to find files and apps in Windows.

  2. Find Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Type here to search box.

  3. To select Registry Editor to open this application.

  4. Next, navigate to this registry key location: ComputerHKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryBackgroundshell.

  5. Click on shell with the right button of your mouse and select New.

  6. Choose the Key option.


    The New and Key options
  7. Grab Incognito Chrome for the title of the new key.

  8. Right click Incognito Chrome to select the New and Key context menu options.

  9. Type ordered in the key text box.

  10. Select your new ordered key.

  11. Right click on the ordered keys (Fault) channel to select To modify.


    The Modify option
  12. Enter the full Chrome path you copied into the Value box by pressing the Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut.

  13. Add a space then type -Incognito at the end of the road. A default folder path for Google Chrome entered here would look like this: “C:Program FilesGoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe” – Incognito.


    The Edit Channel window
  14. Click on OKAY to save the value and exit the Edit String window.

  15. Quit the Registry Editor application.

Try the new one now Incognito Chrome shortcut in your context menu. Right-click an area of ​​the Windows 11 desktop and select Show more choice. You will see a Incognito Chrome option in the classic context menu. Select this shortcut to start Google Chrome in incognito mode.


The Chrome Incognito Shortcut

You can undo this registry tweak by deleting the added keys. To delete them, open the shell key again. Then right-click on Incognito Chrome button to select a To delete option for this.


The Delete option

Optionally, you can add an icon to your Chrome Incognito context menu shortcut. You will need an appropriately sized icon to do this. To save you searching, check out the little 16 x 16 Chrome icons on this IconAchive page. Choose an icon there and click on the ICO button to download it. Then edit the registry like this:

  1. Bring up the Registry Editor window as shown in steps 1-3 above.

  2. Open the ComputerHKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryBackgroundshellChrome Incognito key location.

  3. Right click on the Incognito Chrome key to select New > String value.

  4. Walk in Icon for the title of the new channel.

  5. Double click on the Icon string you just added.

  6. Enter the full path to your downloaded Chrome icon (including its file name) in the Value box.


    The chain of icons
  7. Select the OKAY in the Edit Channel window.

Take a look at your Incognito Chrome new context menu shortcut. You will see that this shortcut includes the little icon you downloaded like in the snapshot below.


A Chrome shortcut icon

Addition of a Incognito Chrome shortcut to the context menu will do the Ctrl+Shift+N keyboard shortcut to activate this redundant mode. You’ll never need to press that key combination again when you can start Chrome in incognito mode from the context menu. This context menu option is a handy secondary Chrome shortcut to have next to a desktop to open the browser in standard browsing mode.


Chrome Incognito guest mode differences

Guest mode vs Incognito mode in Google Chrome: What’s the difference?

Read more


About the Author

jack slater
(128 articles published)

Jack has been a freelance technology journalist for over a decade. He has covered Windows Vista, 7, 10 and 11 topics in a host of guides to make use of and many other websites.

More Jack Slater

Subscribe to our newsletter

Join our newsletter for tech tips, reviews, free ebooks and exclusive offers!

Click here to subscribe

Related posts:

  1. New Chromebook Perk Gives 50% Off Stadia Premiere Edition Bundle in UK
  2. 7 compelling Google Chrome 90 features that improve your browsing
  3. Top 10 best space pens with chrome clips 2021 – Bestgamingpro
  4. Google Chrome will soon load pages faster on Windows, Linux and macOS

Recent Posts

  • Google Chrome adds virtual credit card numbers to protect your real ones – TechCrunch
  • How to take screenshots using the built-in screenshot tool in Mozilla Firefox on Windows 11 2022
  • Three Bard Faculty Pen Reviews for Artforum May 2022 Edition
  • 10 CSS background templates you can use on your website
  • Automotive Chromium Market Size and Overview 2022-2030 | Key Players – HELLA KGaA Hueck, Thule Group AB, Lund International, Covercraft Industries, Pep Boys – Manny

Archives

  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021

Categories

  • Chrome
  • CSS
  • Firefox
  • Fund
  • Schemas
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy