When you work in a shared environment or if someone has borrowed your laptop, you need a way to lock your browser with passwords. Mozilla Firefox does it quite efficiently with a Master Password. After all, browsers not only store current surfing history but also passwords, bookmarks and extensions.
Google has released several updates for Chrome over the years, often deleting useful features with hardly any explanation. One of the missing items in Chrome is a Supervisor profile which used to be handy in preventing others from snooping on your browser activity.
What Are the Current Options in Chrome
To lock Google Chrome with passwords, you were once able to adjust the guest settings from chrome://flags/. Sadly, it is no longer possible.
The current option in Chrome to protect your browsing history is very confusing to say the least. You can log in to your Google account and set up multiple “personas” for surfing – all this while hoping that any guest who has borrowed your laptop refrains from overriding their access levels. What if someone casually takes a peek with the excuse of dropping in for a chat?
Tip: if you don’t have time to adjust Chrome settings, you can always share less information with these useful privacy tips.
Protect Your Chrome History with PassBrow
Thankfully, there are easier ways to restore privacy. One of them is using a third party Chrome extension: PassBrow. Compatible with both your PC systems and Android phones, the highly-rated extension does a smooth job in ensuring total browser privacy.
After downloading the extension, simply enable it to protect your browsing activity. You might want to enable it in the Incognito mode for which the permissions are set separately. PassBrow Authenticator is a Google Play app which allows you to carry forward your privacy settings on Android phones.
Set up your account information, security question and alphanumeric password. Write it down somewhere so you can remember. If you forget your password, you will have no choice but to uninstall Google Chrome from your computer and install it again.
As soon as you save your information and passwords in PassBrow, it will save your information in an encrypted file extension called “.passbrow.”
Now, every time you open the browser, you will have to enter the saved password to access the contents. This might seem tedious, but at least your PC is now safe from prying eyes. Use the following shortcut key Ctrl + Shift + 9 to immediately block access to your browser when someone is snooping around your desk.
PassBrow works with Google Chrome for Mac but there are no iPhone apps available at the moment.
The best part about PassBrow is its mobile extension unit, PassBrow-Authenticator. As soon as you check it, it will reveal a code. The Google Play app is automatically installed on your Android phone or tablet. Now you only have to enter the code to protect Chrome browser activities on other devices. There is also a QR code available.
Conclusion
PassBrow is highly suited to its role to lock Google Chrome with passwords. This is because the app company does not have any ties to Alphabet Inc. The extension itself is unable to access your browser activities, as it is only allowed to display notifications. There are a few advertisements in the mobile app but no adware to worry about.
Are you aware of any other Chrome extension which protects your browser activity with a password?
Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.
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