While other browsers force their use by coming pre-installed on devices, Opera is chosen by hundreds of millions of users because of its superior performance. Telemetry data is collected by most popular web browsers, which can usually be opted out of by the user. Web browsers are popular targets for hackers, who exploit security holes to steal information, destroy files, and partake in other malicious activities. As of February 2025, mobile devices represent a 62% share of Internet traffic, followed by desktop at 36% and tablet at 2%.
- As of February 2025, mobile devices represent a 62% share of Internet traffic, followed by desktop at 36% and tablet at 2%.
- Just a few of the must-have features built into Opera for faster, smoother and distraction-free browsing designed to improve your online experience.
- Split view lets you view two tabs at the same time for a more streamlined, flexible way to work.
- Just like your bookmarks and passwords, your tab groups are now available across all your devices.
- Google Chrome is a fast, simple, and secure web browser, built for the modern web.
Download Chrome on your mobile device or tablet and sign into your account for the same browser experience, everywhere. Use Safety Check to instantly audit for compromised passwords, safe browsing status and any available Chrome updates. When you set Chrome as your default browser, any link you click will automatically open in Chrome.
Responsive web design is used to create websites that offer a consistent experience across the desktop and mobile versions of the website and across varying screen sizes. They automatically log users’ browsing history, unless the users turn off their browsing history or use the non-logging private mode. Since the early 2000s, browsers have greatly expanded their HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and multimedia capabilities. Apple released its Safari browser in 2003; it remains the dominant browser on Apple devices, though it did not become popular elsewhere. A search engine is a website that provides links to other websites and allows users to search for specific resources using a textual query.
Is Chrome the fastest browser?
To install Chrome, simply download the installation file, then look for it in your downloads folder. AI Mode is our most powerful AI search, built right into Chrome.
Split view lets you view two tabs at the same time for a more streamlined, flexible way to work. Gemini in Chrome helps you easily understand content on the web and get things done using the context of your open tabs and browsing history. Opera is shaping the web in unexpected ways, providing free access to AI, Web3, and advanced innovative features. Keep your tabs arranged in separate groups for contextual browsing Safari, based on Apple’s WebKit code, is the second most popular web browser and is dominant on Apple devices, resulting in a 16% global share. A web browser is able to access DRM-restricted content through the use of a Content Decryption Module (CDM) such as Widevine.
Meet Gemini in Chrome
Prior to late 2016, the majority of web traffic came from desktop computers. Both of these codebases are open-source, so a number of small niche browsers are also made from them. Google Chrome has been the dominant browser worldwide since the mid-2010s and currently has a 69% global market share on all devices. Access to some web content — particularly streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify — is restricted by Digital Rights Management (DRM) software. Starting in the mid-2020s, browsers with integrated artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, known as AI browsers, have become increasingly common.
- Access to some web content — particularly streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify — is restricted by Digital Rights Management (DRM) software.
- In 1998, Netscape launched what would become the Mozilla Foundation to create a new browser using the open-source software model.
- Firefox protects your privacy automatically, with built-in tracker blocking from the start.
- It remembered a handful of my oldest tab groups…
- AI Mode is our most powerful AI search, built right into Chrome.
Most browsers use an internal cache of web page resources to improve loading times for subsequent visits to the same page. A web browser, often abbreviated as browser, is an application for accessing websites. To enable it on desktop, click the profile icon in the top-right corner and select Turn On sync.
All your stuff on desktop, mobile, and tablet
However, web browsers are often used to access search engines, and most modern browsers allow users to access a default search engine directly by typing a query into the address bar. When signed in, Chrome can save bookmarks, passwords, browsing history, open tabs, settings, themes, extensions, addresses, and other selected data to a Google Account. Just like your bookmarks and passwords, your tab groups are now available across all your devices.
Firefox works across platforms, so your spinlynx data isn’t tied to one platform and stays encrypted by default. When switching to Firefox, your bookmarks, passwords, and history come with you automatically, so you can get back to browsing right away. Stay focused with tab groups, reader mode, and videos that stay in view. Personalise your web browser with themes, dark mode and other options built just for you.
Similar apps
The Mosaic web browser was released in April 1993, and was later credited as the first web browser to find mainstream popularity. As of 2026update, the most used browsers worldwide are Google Chrome (~69% market share), Safari (~16%), Edge (~5%), Firefox (~2%), Samsung Browser (~2%), and Opera (~2%). When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user’s screen. Google is making Chrome a little more work-friendly with a trio of productivity upgrades that are now rolling out on the desktop.
Ditch the default
Browsers are used on a range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, smart televisions and consoles. You can group tabs together for better organization or pin tabs to automatically open websites you use the most. Reader mode clears distractions from articles, picture-in-picture keeps video out of your way, and pinned tabs keep what matters close without clutter. Sign in to Chrome on any device to access your bookmarks, saved passwords and more. Sign in to Chrome on any device to access your bookmarks, saved passwords, and more.