Brave Browser is a free, fast, secure, and open-source web browsing application based on Chromium, available across all your devices. It comes complete with a built-in ad blocker that prevents tracking and provides robust security protection, all while optimizing data and battery performance.

More than just a web browser, Brave represents a new approach to how the web functions. Brave is dedicated to improving the web by offering users a safer, faster, and superior browsing experience. Simultaneously, it fosters support for content creators through an innovative attention-based rewards ecosystem. This browser is developed by a team of privacy-focused, performance-oriented web pioneers, including the inventor of JavaScript and co-founder of Mozilla. It empowers you with unmatched speed, security, and privacy by blocking trackers, and allows you to earn rewards by opting into privacy-respecting ads, helping publishers receive their fair share of Internet revenue.

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Power User Guide

Optimize Privacy with Brave Shields

Click the Brave Shields lion icon in the address bar for any website.
Adjust the settings for Trackers & ads blocking to Aggressive for maximum privacy, or Standard if a site breaks.
Explore other options like Fingerprinting blocking and Upgrade connections to HTTPS to fine-tune your protection.

Explanation: Customizing Brave Shields allows you to balance privacy and site functionality. Aggressive blocking prevents more tracking, while per-site adjustments ensure your favorite websites work as expected.

Change Your Default Search Engine

Open Brave Browser settings.
Navigate to the Search engine section.
Under Standard Tab, select your preferred search engine from the list (e.g., Brave Search, DuckDuckGo, Google).

Explanation: While Brave defaults to its own privacy-focused search engine, you have the flexibility to choose another. This allows you to personalize your search experience based on your preferences for privacy or search results.

Manage Performance with Memory Saver and Vertical Tabs

To enable Memory Saver: Go to Brave settings > System, and toggle on Memory Saver. You can also add exceptions for frequently used sites.
To enable Vertical Tabs: Go to Brave settings > Appearance > Tabs, and enable Use vertical tabs. Consider disabling Show title bar for a more streamlined look.

Explanation: These settings help improve browser performance and user experience. Memory Saver suspends inactive tabs to reduce RAM usage, which is beneficial if you keep many tabs open. Vertical Tabs can free up horizontal screen real estate, especially useful on larger displays, by stacking tabs on the side.

Download Brave Browser

File size: 133 MB

OS support: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Tech Specs

Software Name	Brave Browser
Version	1.90.121
License	Open Source / Freeware
File Size	133 MB
OS Support	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Language	Multi-language (100+ languages)
Developer	Brave Software Inc.
Homepage	https://brave.com/
Changelogurl	https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/releases
Last Updated	April 26, 2026

Hardware Requirements

Minimum

OS: Windows 10 or later, macOS Big Sur 11 or later, 64-bit Ubuntu 18.04+, Mint 19+, Debian 10+, openSUSE 15+, Fedora 28+, Rocky 9+, iOS 15.0 or later, Android 8.0 or later

Main Features

Integrated Ad & Tracker Blocker: Brave Browser features a powerful, built-in ad and tracker blocker, known as Brave Shields, which operates by default. This significantly enhances privacy, speeds up page load times, and provides a cleaner browsing environment by eliminating intrusive advertisements and tracking scripts.
Enhanced Security & Privacy: Beyond ad blocking, Brave offers robust security features including automatic HTTPS upgrades, protection against browser fingerprinting, and control over site scripts. It also includes an optional private browsing mode with Tor integration for increased anonymity.
Performance Optimization: By blocking unwanted content, Brave optimizes data usage and battery life. Websites load significantly faster, often 3x to 6x quicker than other browsers, leading to a more efficient and responsive browsing experience.
Brave Rewards Ecosystem: Users have the option to participate in Brave Rewards, a unique system that allows them to earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) by opting into privacy-respecting ads. These tokens can then be used to tip content creators or manage within a crypto wallet.
Chromium-Based Foundation: Built on the open-source Chromium web core, Brave offers broad compatibility with most extensions available in the Chrome Web Store, ensuring users can customize their browsing experience with familiar tools.
Integrated AI Assistant (Leo): Brave includes Leo, a browser-native AI assistant that can summarize web pages, answer questions, generate content, and analyze text or images, all while maintaining user privacy.
Cross-Platform Availability: Brave Browser is designed for universal access, supporting a wide range of operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, allowing for a consistent browsing experience across all your devices.

How to Install

Show Installation Steps

Installation Steps

Click the download button above to get the installer for your operating system.
Locate the downloaded file (e.g., BraveBrowserSetup.exe for Windows) and double-click to run the installer.
Follow the on-screen installation wizard to complete the setup process. You may be prompted to import settings from another browser.

Compatibility: Compatible with Windows 10 and later, macOS Monterey 12 and later, and various Linux distributions. Mobile versions require Android 10+ or iOS 17+.

Fix Common Problems

Show Common Issues

Issue: Installation fails → Solution: Ensure your operating system meets the minimum requirements and try running the installer as an administrator.
Issue: Websites not displaying correctly → Solution: Adjust Brave Shields settings for the specific site by clicking the lion icon in the address bar. Temporarily turning off Shields can help identify if it’s the cause.

Questions & Answers

Is Brave Browser free to use?

Yes, Brave Browser is completely free to download and use across all supported platforms, including desktop and mobile devices. It is also open-source software.

How does Brave Browser protect my privacy?

Brave Browser prioritizes user privacy by blocking privacy-invasive ads and trackers by default. It also offers features like automatic HTTPS upgrades, protection against browser fingerprinting, and an optional private browsing mode with Tor integration to mask your location.

Can I synchronize my browsing data across multiple devices with Brave?

Yes, Brave Browser includes a Sync feature that allows you to securely synchronize your browsing data, such as bookmarks, passwords, and history, across all your devices where Brave is installed. This ensures a consistent browsing experience.