Microsoft often encourages users to switch from Chrome to Edge, but this time, the company has unexpectedly improved Chrome’s privacy. Windows 10 and Windows 11 no longer save clipboard history when browsing in Chrome’s Incognito mode.
This change was implemented several months ago, though Microsoft did not announce it at the time. Google also introduced related adjustments in the second half of last year, but both companies remained silent on the update.
Privacy Enhancement in Clipboard Sync
By default, Chromium allows clipboard history storage, and in Windows, copied Chromium content syncs with the cloud clipboard. Users can access this clipboard using the Win + V shortcut. However, this feature posed a potential privacy risk, especially for those using Incognito mode, which is meant to enhance privacy, notes NIXSolutions. Clipboard synchronization in this mode could compromise user security instead of protecting it.
To address this, Microsoft modified Windows to prevent clipboard synchronization when copying data in Chrome’s Incognito mode. This change was rolled out to users through one of the system updates.
While Microsoft and Google have not officially highlighted this update, it is a significant step toward improving privacy. We’ll keep you updated on further security enhancements.