Back in 2020, some Google apps on iOS added a Privacy Screen feature that required Touch or Face ID authentication to access. The good news is that Chrome for Android is also getting that feature since you can go ahead and lock your Incognito tabs behind your fingerprint.
When you have Incognito tabs open and you exit Chrome, the app will instantly lock those pages and you will require fingerprint authentication to get things working again.
Chrome Will Soon Let You Lock Your Incognito Tabs Using Fingerprint Scanner on Android
Launching the browser to return to those tabs will bring you to a grey screen with the Incognito logo in the center. There will also be text reading "Unlock Incognito" and tapping on it will open the system fingerprint unlocking page that will ask you to verify your fingerprint sensor. As expected, a PIN option will also be there on the bottom left.
Other available options will let you return to regular tabs and the overflow feature remains in the usual place. Honestly, it is a useful feature, especially when you are handing your phone to someone and you do not want to pry around. You can, however, turn off the feature by going to Settings > Privacy and security > Lock Incognito tabs when you leave Chrome.
It is also worth noting that the feature has not been widely rolled out just yet but if you are using Chrome on Android and you want to use the feature, you can enable this feature by following the flag below.
chrome://flags/#incognito-reauthentication-for-android
The feature is already available in Google Drive, Search, Fi, Chrome, and Authenticator on iOS and is branded as "Privacy Screen," needless to say, it definitely needs a wider implementation on Android as well.
About the author: I have been tinkering with Android devices ever since the early days of the HTC Desire. Over time, I have grown a fondness for the ecosystem and now I cannot live without it. Although some might believe that I have sold my soul to Android, but I believe it is not the case. You can find me writing tutorials and posting guides on a number of different smartphones. When I am not writing here, I am wasting myself away in books, journals, or on Steam.
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