How to Create a Guest Access Shortcut for Chrome or Edge

This practical guide walks through how to create a guest access shortcut for Chrome or Edge, explains the main requirements, and highlights common issues that may appear along the way.

What is Guest Mode in Chrome and Edge?

Guest mode in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge is essentially a 'guest account' created specifically for certain browsing sessions. When you use guest mode, the browser does not load your main profiles (these have browsing history, browser personalization options, etc.).

At the same time, when you leave this mode, all browsing activity that you have done in it will be completely erased, nothing will be saved. Even the list of files that you have downloaded while surfing the web in Guest Mode is also deleted, although the files themselves will still be retained on the system.

If your computer is often used by many other people (such as family members, colleagues .), creating a shortcut for them to use the browser in guest mode is a good solution, helping your browser. does not become a 'mess'.

Create a Guest Mode Shortcut for Chrome

Normally, you would click your profile icon in Chrome's toolbar and select 'Guest' to enter guest mode in Chrome. However, you can also create shortcuts for quick access right from the Windows desktop.

First, open the Start menu and search for the keyword 'Google Chrome'. Right click on the browser in the list of results returned and select 'Open file location'.

In the File Explorer window, right-click the 'Chrome' shortcut and select 'Open file location'. What we are looking for is the executable (chrome.exe) of Chrome.

Once you see the 'chrome.exe' file, right-click on it and choose Send to> Desktop (create shortcut).

Immediately, a new 'Chrome' shortcut will be created on the desktop, right click on it and select 'Properties'.

In the Properties window, you click on the 'Shortcut' tab. Place the mouse pointer at the end of the text in the 'Target' field and press the spacebar, and then type the following:

--guest

Hit 'Apply' and then 'OK' at the bottom to save the changes.

Your guest-mode Chrome access shortcut is now ready to use. Of course, you can also rename this shortcut if needed.

Create a Guest Mode Access Shortcut for Edge

Overall, the process of creating a guest mode shortcut for Edge is quite similar to Chrome.

To get started, open the Start menu and search for the keyword 'Microsoft Edge'. Right click on the browser in the returned results and select 'Open file location'.

You should now see Edge's icon in the File Explorer window. Right click on it and select "Open file location" again.

Once you find the file 'msedge.exe', right click on it and select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut). This will create a shortcut of Edge to the desktop.

Right click on the newly created Edge shortcut on the desktop and select 'Properties'.

Click the 'Shortcut' tab in the Properties window. Place your cursor after the last character in the 'Target' text field, press the spacebar, and then type:

--guest

Click 'Apply' and then 'OK'. That is all! Good luck.