Incognito mode is coming to Google Maps and Google search (GOOGL)

Troy Wolverton

May 7, 2019 7:52 PM

Google plans to bring its Incognito feature to its Maps and search apps, company CEO Sundar Pichai said Tuesday.

Google IO 2019

The feature will allow Maps users to block Google from associating the places they search or travel to with their accounts.
Pichai made the announcement at the company's annual I/O developer conference on Tuesday.
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You'll soon be able to keep your activity on Google's Maps app a bit more private from the company.

The search giant plans to add an Incognito mode to Google Maps, company CEO Sundar Pichai said at the company's annual I/O developer conference on Tuesday. By turning on the feature, users will be able to block the company from associating the places they search for or navigate to in the app from being associated with their Google accounts.

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The company previously offered an Incognito mode in its Chrome browser and in its YouTube app.

Google IO 2019 Google

He didn't say when Google would launch the new feature, saying only that it will be "soon." The company also plans to add the feature to its search app "this year," he added.

Users will be able to activate the private search mode in Maps by tapping on their profile picture in the search bar at the top of the app. That will call up a menu screen, with "Turn on Incognito mode" listed as one of the top options.

"We want to make it easy to enter and out of Incognito," Pichai said.

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