Using Incognito / Private Browsing for Troubleshooting

When experiencing issues with a website or the CMS, one of the quickest troubleshooting steps is to open the site in Incognito (Private Browsing) mode.

Private browsing creates a temporary browsing session that does not use your normal browser data, such as cached files, cookies, or most extensions. This makes it a useful way to determine whether a problem is being caused by your browser rather than the website itself.

What is Incognito / Private Browsing?

Incognito or Private Browsing is a feature available in most modern web browsers that allows you to browse the internet without using your existing browser data.

When using this mode:

• Your browser does not use stored cache or cookies

• Most browser extensions are disabled

• Your session data is deleted when the window is closed

This provides a clean browsing environment, which helps identify whether issues are related to cached data or browser settings.

Why use private browsing for troubleshooting?

Private browsing is useful when diagnosing issues such as:

• Website changes not appearing

• Login problems with the CMS

• Forms not submitting correctly

• Pages displaying incorrectly

• Unexpected behaviour on certain features

If the website works correctly in a private window, this often indicates the issue may be caused by:

• Cached files stored in your browser

• Old cookies

• Browser extensions interfering with the site

• Saved login sessions or permissions

In many cases, clearing your browser cache or disabling extensions will resolve the issue.

How to open a private browsing window

Below are instructions for opening a private browsing session in the most commonly used browsers.

Google Chrome

Keyboard shortcut

Windows
Ctrl + Shift + N

Mac
Cmd + Shift + N

Menu method

1. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the browser.

2. Select New Incognito Window.

Microsoft Edge

Keyboard shortcut

Windows
Ctrl + Shift + N

Mac
Cmd + Shift + N

Menu method

1. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.

2. Select New InPrivate Window.

Mozilla Firefox

Keyboard shortcut

Windows
Ctrl + Shift + P

Mac
Cmd + Shift + P

Menu method

1. Click the menu icon (three lines) in the top-right corner.

2. Select New Private Window.

Safari

Keyboard shortcut

Mac
Cmd + Shift + N

Menu method

1. Open Safari.

2. Select File from the menu bar.

3. Click New Private Window.

How to use private browsing for troubleshooting

1. Open a new private/incognito window in your browser.

2. Navigate to the website or CMS page experiencing the issue.

3. Test the same action again (such as logging in, editing content, or submitting a form).

4. Compare the results with your normal browser window.

If the issue does not occur in private browsing, the cause is likely related to your browser's stored data or extensions.

What to do if the issue only occurs in your normal browser

If the problem only occurs outside of private browsing, try the following steps:

• Perform a hard refresh

• Clear your browser cache and cookies

• Disable browser extensions

• Restart your browser

These steps often resolve issues caused by outdated or conflicting browser data.

Additional tips

• Private browsing is useful for testing website updates without cached data affecting what you see.

• It can also help verify whether login or session issues are related to stored cookies.

• Remember that private browsing does not hide your activity from websites or network administrators. It simply prevents your browser from storing session data locally.

If you continue to experience issues after testing in private browsing mode, please contact ASP Support, providing details of the issue and the browser you are using.