How to Turn Off Guest Browsing in Google Chrome

Google Chrome’s Guest Mode lets someone browse without using your bookmarks, history, passwords, or saved sign-ins. That can be useful on shared computers, but if you want to keep other people out of a temporary browsing session, you can disable Guest browsing on the device.

The exact method depends on your operating system and whether the computer is managed by an organization. On many personal Windows and Mac computers, you can remove or hide Guest Mode using Chrome settings or system-level policies.

What Guest Mode Does in Chrome

Guest Mode opens a separate browsing session that does not use the signed-in Chrome profile. When the guest session closes, Chrome discards its browsing history, cookies, and site data from that session.

• Guest users cannot see your saved bookmarks or passwords
• Browsing history from the guest session is not kept after the window closes
• Guest Mode is separate from Chrome profiles and regular Incognito windows
• It is meant for temporary use on shared computers

Disable Guest Browsing on Windows with the Registry

On Windows, the most reliable way to block Guest Mode on a personal computer is to create or change a Chrome policy in the Registry. This removes the Guest option from Chrome for the current device.

1. Close Google Chrome.
2. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
3. If prompted by User Account Control, allow Registry Editor to open.
4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies.
5. If you do not see a Google folder, right-click Policies, choose New > Key, and name it Google.
6. Right-click Google, choose New > Key, and name it Chrome.
7. Select the Chrome key, then right-click the empty area on the right and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
8. Name the value BrowserGuestModeEnforced.
9. Double-click it and set the value data to 1.
10. Close Registry Editor and open Chrome again.

Disable Guest Browsing on Windows with Group Policy

If you have Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you may also be able to use the Local Group Policy Editor instead of editing the Registry directly.

1. Download and install the latest Chrome policy templates if they are not already available on the system.
2. Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
3. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Google > Google Chrome.
4. Find the policy named Enable guest mode or Browser guest mode, depending on the template version.
5. Set the policy to Disabled or turn off guest browsing, then apply the change.
6. Restart Chrome after saving the policy.

Disable Guest Mode on macOS

On a Mac, Chrome guest browsing can also be controlled with a policy, but the exact method depends on whether the Mac is managed. In many cases, the easiest approach is to use an administrative configuration profile or a managed Chrome policy.

• If the Mac is managed by work or school, contact the administrator
• For personal Macs, Chrome policy files or configuration profiles may be used
• After the policy is applied, Guest Mode should no longer appear in Chrome

Check Whether Chrome Is Being Managed

If Guest Mode still appears after you make a change, Chrome may be controlled by a policy that is overriding your local setting. This is common on work, school, or family-managed devices.

1. Open Chrome.
2. Type chrome://policy in the address bar and press Enter.
3. Look for a policy related to guest mode or browser sign-in behavior.
4. If you see a policy listed, the device is being managed or the setting is being enforced somewhere else.

What to Do If Guest Mode Still Shows Up

If the Guest option is still visible after you apply a policy, try these checks before assuming the setting failed.

• Make sure you changed the policy in the correct location, such as HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE rather than a user-only branch
• Confirm that the value name is spelled correctly
• Close every Chrome window and open Chrome again
• Check chrome://policy to confirm the policy is being read
• If the device is managed, ask the administrator whether the policy is being overridden

Can You Disable Guest Mode Without Admin Access?

Usually, no. On most systems, disabling Guest Mode requires administrator access or an organization-managed policy. If you do not have admin rights, you may be able to switch to a different Chrome profile, but you typically cannot remove Guest Mode for the whole device.

Alternative Ways to Limit Shared Use

If your goal is to keep someone else from using your browser, Guest Mode is only one part of the picture. You can also reduce access by using separate operating system accounts and strong screen lock settings.

• Create separate Windows or macOS user accounts for each person
• Use a password, PIN, or biometric lock on the computer
• Avoid leaving your Chrome profile signed in on a shared machine
• Use Chrome profiles to separate work, school, and personal browsing

When Disabling Guest Mode Makes Sense