Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
I often come across a quick search or video that I’d rather watch in incognito on YouTube. It’s usually related to a temporary interest or research — planning for a trip, comparing products before a purchase, lots of work-related searches, quick current culture-related videos — that I don’t want to be associated with my account history, so I don’t get similar recommendations for months down the line. I used to resort to YouTube’s incognito mode in the app or on the web to watch these videos without leaving a trace for the pesky algorithm.
A few years ago, I discovered a better and more versatile solution that gives me the separation and privacy of an incognito mode, while still keeping all the benefits and features I’m used to. Since then, I haven’t opened Incognito once.
Do you watch YouTube in incognito mode? 12 votes Yes. 42 % No. 58 %
Why YouTube’s incognito sucks
My issue with resorting to incognito mode on YouTube is that I lose all my privileges when I switch away from my primary account. I’m subscribed to and pay for YouTube Premium, but since incognito acts like a signed-out version, it reverts to the free version of YouTube. I have to watch interminable ads with each video, stay online, forget about background playback, and about any of Premium’s extra perks. I’d never go back to the ad-filled YouTube experience by choice, so having to live with it in incognito is a frustrating waste of my time and money.
Besides, sticking with incognito means I can’t save any data that I actually care about. As I said, I used to use this mode for trip or product research, work, and more, but I was quickly annoyed by the fact that I was relinquishing playlists and channel subscriptions in the name of a bit of privacy or content sequestration.
Incognito disables my Premium benefits and takes away interesting features like playlists and saved subscriptions.
If you’re fine with those limitations and/or you have a free YouTube account, then the reasons to ditch incognito become less relevant. But if you’re a paid Premium subscriber and you need more from your incognito watching time than an ad-filled, feature-less experience, then you’ll find this alternative path worth it.
Use multiple channels instead of incognito
... continue reading