What it means
Edge InPrivate clears browsing history, cookies, cache and form data when all InPrivate windows close. It allows sites to work during the session and does not hide a visit from the site, a school or employer network, or an internet provider. Favorites and downloaded files remain. Extensions enabled for InPrivate can also retain activity. The practical promise is narrower than anonymous browsing.
A real-world example
Someone signs into a travel site in an InPrivate window on a borrowed laptop, downloads a ticket and closes the window. The local Edge history may be gone, yet the PDF remains in Downloads and the travel service still has the login and booking record.
What to do
Use InPrivate only on a reasonably trusted computer, avoid sensitive downloads, close every InPrivate window and inspect the file system afterward. Use your own device for high-stakes account changes. Verify the website address because InPrivate does not prevent phishing.
The distinction that matters
A VPN, private relay and InPrivate address different exposures; none makes a compromised borrowed computer trustworthy. InPrivate can access passwords already saved in its launching profile and can use that profile's location permissions. The absence of browser history should not be taken as proof that no one else saw the activity.
Microsoft Edge InPrivate behavior
