Go Private Quickly

What it does

• Click the toolbar icon → a popup with two choices: Standard Private Window (a normal private/incognito window) or Open Hardened Private Window.
• Hardened Private Mode — opens a private window and tightens supported privacy settings for that private session only (WebRTC IP protection, network prediction, search suggestions, hyperlink auditing, the Topics/Ad-measurement/Related-Website-Sets/FLEDGE advertising APIs, third-party cookies, and more). On Chromium the browser restores them automatically when the last private window closes; your normal browsing is never changed and security protections are never touched. On Firefox, where these settings can't be confined to the private session, each one is reported “Unavailable” rather than changed. See every protection and why each was chosen →
• State-aware icon — a vivid purple-and-gold mask in a normal window, a muted silver mask when you're focused on a private (secure) one.

What it does not do (please read this)

GPQ is a convenience tool, not a privacy product. Private mode itself has real limits, and GPQ does not expand them. To be completely clear:

• It is not a VPN. Your internet provider, employer, school, or any network observer can still see every site you visit.
• It does not hide your IP address.
• It does not block ads, trackers, or browser fingerprinting. For that, use uBlock Origin or your browser's built-in tracker protection.
• It does not clear cookies or history from your normal browsing.
• It does not add anonymity beyond what private mode already gives you. If you want serious anonymity, use Tor.

GPQ pairs well with all of those tools — it just doesn't replace any of them.

Privacy promises

• Zero data collection. Nothing is collected, stored remotely, sold, or shared. Ever.
• Zero analytics, telemetry, or error reporting.
• Zero network requests at runtime. The extension never connects to the internet on its own.
• Minimal permissions. Firefox requests only storage. Chromium adds privacy, used only by Hardened Private Mode to apply session-scoped settings to a private window — never to your normal browsing.
• No third-party SDKs, no CDNs, no remote scripts. Verifiable in the source.

Full privacy policy and terms of use.

Install

Pick the store for your browser. Firefox is live on Firefox Add-ons (AMO); the Chrome Web Store and Opera add-ons store listings are still pending review — their links go live once approved.

Chrome & Chromium browsers

Chrome

Brave

Edge

Vivaldi

Chrome, Brave, Edge, Arc, Vivaldi — all install from the Chrome Web Store.

Chrome & Chromium →

Opera

Opera

Opera 95 and newer — installs from the Opera add-ons store.

Opera →

Firefox

Firefox

Firefox and Firefox ESR, version 115 and newer.

Firefox →

On first launch you'll see a welcome page that walks you through enabling GPQ in private/incognito mode — a one-time toggle the browser requires you (not the extension) to flip.

Browser support

Note: GPQ is not currently submitted to the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store. Edge users can install from the Chrome Web Store via Microsoft's compatibility shim.

About this project & maintenance

GPQ is a personal side project, released under the MIT License. I plan to keep it working as Chromium and Firefox ship new versions, and I'll do my best to address security or compatibility issues, but there's no service-level commitment — see the Terms of Use for the formal language.

If you spot a bug or want to suggest something, the support email below is the best way to reach me.