Brave Browser
Version 1.93.136 · Brave Software · Windows 7 / 8 / 10 / 11 (32-bit and 64-bit) · ranked #236 in the library
A Chromium browser that blocks advertising and tracking by default rather than after you install something, which makes pages load faster because most of what it stops was never worth downloading.
Read the installation section below before you start. The order of the steps matters on this release.
About this release
Overview
Brave is Chromium with the tracking layer removed at the engine level. Advertising, third party trackers, fingerprinting attempts and cross site cookies are blocked out of the box with no extension involved and nothing to configure. Pages load faster as a direct consequence, because a large fraction of what a typical page fetches is measurement code rather than content, and on a metered connection the data saving is significant.
The privacy work goes further than blocking requests. Fingerprint randomisation makes each session look different to scripts that try to identify the machine by its configuration. Scripts that upgrade connections to encrypted ones run by default. A private window can route through an anonymising network for cases where hiding the connection itself matters. All of this is on by default rather than buried in a settings page.
Everything else behaves like the browser family it comes from. Extensions from the Chrome store install and run, developer tools are identical, profiles separate work from personal browsing, and sync between devices works without an account through a shared key. Additional features include a built in video call tool, a reading list, vertical tabs and a per-site shield panel where the blocking can be relaxed for a page that breaks.
What it does
Feature breakdown
Blocking at the engine level
Advertising, trackers and fingerprinting scripts blocked by default without an extension, which measurably reduces page load time and data use.
Per-site shield controls
A panel showing exactly what was blocked on the current page, with per-site toggles to relax individual protections when a page genuinely breaks.
Fingerprint randomisation
Session to session variation in the values scripts read to identify a machine, making passive fingerprinting far less reliable.
Private window with network routing
A private browsing mode that can route through an anonymising network rather than only avoiding local history.
Full extension compatibility
Chromium engine and extension platform, so anything from the Chrome store installs and behaves identically.
Sync without an account
Devices are linked with a shared key rather than by signing into a service, so bookmarks and settings sync without an identity attached.
Changed in this build
Version 1.93.136
- Rebased on the current Chromium release with the accompanying security fixes.
- Shield panel redesigned with a per-category breakdown of what was blocked.
- Improved compatibility handling for sites that break under strict blocking, with automatic exceptions.
- Vertical tabs gained collapsible groups.
- Reduced memory use on long browsing sessions with many tabs.
Installation
Follow these in order
- Extract the archive and run the offline installer.
- Let it complete, no connection is needed during setup.
- Launch it and import bookmarks and passwords from your previous browser if you want them.
- Review the shield settings and choose between standard and aggressive blocking.
- Turn off the optional reward and advertising features if you do not want them.
- Set your default search engine from the settings page.
Release notes
From whoever packed it
- Aggressive blocking breaks a small number of sites. The shield panel lets you relax it per site rather than globally.
- The optional reward system is entirely separate from the browsing features and can be disabled permanently.
- This is the standard open source build, not a modified one. Nothing has been patched.
System requirements
Minimum and recommended
| Operating system | Windows 7 through Windows 11, 32-bit or 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Any dual core processor |
| Memory | 4 GB minimum, 8 GB for heavy tab use |
| Graphics | Any GPU with hardware acceleration support |
| Storage | 700 MB for the browser and profile data |
Questions about this release
Answered before you ask
- Does blocking break payment pages?
- Occasionally. Lower the shield for that specific site and it works, without weakening protection anywhere else.
- Do Chrome extensions work?
- Yes, same engine and extension platform.
- Is an account required for sync?
- No. Devices are paired with a key rather than an account, which is unusual and deliberate.
Download
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