Why can’t I turn off private browsing on my iPad?

Why can’t I turn off private browsing on my iPad?
I’m really frustrated because I seem to be stuck in private browsing mode on my iPad, and no matter what I try, I just can’t turn it off. When I go into Safari, the pages all have a dark theme which signals private browsing is active. I navigate through the settings and look for an option to disable it, but I don’t find anything helpful there. Restarting the device doesn’t seem to make a difference either. It’s puzzling and inconvenient, as I can’t have any of my browsing activities saved or accessed later. I feel like I’m missing something obvious, but I just can’t figure out what it is. Is there a setting I might have overlooked or something more complex that’s causing this issue?
7 Answers

As a last resort, a factory reset might be necessary:
1. Backup your data.
2. Go to Settings > General > Reset.
3. Choose ‘Erase All Content and Settings’.
After resetting, set up your iPad as new without restoring the backup initially. Confirm that you can turn off private browsing, then restore your backup cautiously. This method can identify and resolve persistent software issues.

Sometimes, parental controls are the reason you can’t disable private browsing. Follow these steps to check:
1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on ‘Screen Time’.
3. Select ‘Content & Privacy Restrictions’.
If these restrictions are on, they could be locking private browsing. Adjust or disable these settings to solve the issue.

The issue might be a profile installed on your device by a corporation or school that restricts certain functionalities:
1. Go to Settings > General.
2. Find ‘Profiles & Device Management’.
3. Check any installed profiles for browsing restrictions. Contact the administrator if needed to change these settings.