Mozilla has launched its free VPN, built directly into Firefox. Unlike the best VPNs, no extension or separate app is needed to protect your browsing.

The feature arrives with Firefox 149, which rolled out on March 24, and is currently in beta for desktop users in the US, UK, Germany and France.

Signed-in Mozilla account holders get 50 GB of free data per month. Mozilla says this is enough for everyday tasks like shopping, banking, and reading.

A gradual expansion to more regions planned across future releases.

Is this the same as a regular VPN?

Every time you visit a website, your IP address is shared automatically. That information can be used to approximate your location, link your activity across sites, and build logs of your browsing behaviour.

Firefox's built-in VPN tackles this by routing your traffic through a proxy network, replacing your IP address before it reaches a website, so sites see the proxy's address rather than yours.

It's worth being clear about what it doesn't do, though. This is browser-level protection only. Traffic from other apps on your device won't be covered, and it won't encrypt your entire internet connection.

According to Mozilla, the feature relies on standard HTTPS encryption already built into Firefox, rather than adding a separate layer like AES-256. There's no option to choose a server location either, which is a notable omission compared to premium VPNs and most of the best free VPNs – only Proton VPN Free fails to give users the choice.

If you hit the 50 GB monthly cap, IP protection pauses until the next cycle. Firefox will prompt you to confirm before continuing without it, so you won't accidentally browse unprotected.

Why is Mozilla doing this?

Mozilla has been building privacy tools into Firefox for years: Total Cookie Protection, anti-fingerprinting, and Private Browsing mode among them. The built-in VPN is the next step in that direction, and Mozilla is positioning it as a genuinely free offering in a space where "free VPNs" often come with a catch.

"Firefox's built-in VPN is designed differently," Mozilla said. "It does not sell your browsing data and does not inject advertising into your traffic."

It's also separate from Mozilla's existing paid product. Mozilla told Tom's Guide: "The built-in VPN is a separate proxy that protects users' traffic while browsing in Firefox. We will continue to offer users choice with the Mozilla VPN if they would like full device protection, unlimited bandwidth, and a choice of over 500 servers in 30+ countries."

On logging, Mozilla confirmed it only receives data volume from its proxy provider, not what sites you visit. IP addresses are retained in standard server logs for up to 90 days for fraud prevention and regional eligibility checks.

How to use Firefox VPN

The rollout is gradual, so not everyone in supported regions will see it immediately after updating. Here's how to check:

• Open Firefox and go to Menu, then Help, then About Firefox to update to version 149 or later.
• Sign in to your Mozilla account, or create one for free.
• Look for the VPN or IP Protection toggle in your toolbar or under Menu, then Settings.
• Click once to enable it (no additional setup needed).
• To save data, you can choose to enable protection on specific sites only.
• If the option isn't showing yet, sit tight: it should appear within the coming days as the rollout continues.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

A new malicious browser extension has been discovered that along with two others, are designed to steal credentials, take over browsers and more. Discovered by security researchers at Koi Security, all three extensions are believed to be created by the same threat actor and put millions of Chrome, Edge and Firefox users at risk.

This most recent malware has been dubbed Zoom Stealer and its uses 18 different extensions to steal online meeting information like URLs, embedded passwords, meeting IDs, schedule times, registration status, topics and descriptions. These extensions affect up to 2.2 million Chrome, Firefox and Edge users and are specifically designed to imitate enterprise level tools for video conferencing apps like Google Meet and Zoom.

The extensions, which succeed specifically because they perform as advertised and have positive reviews, also silently run surveillance in the background to exfiltrate details of the meeting like links, participant lists and credentials using a WebSocket connection. If a users visits a webinar registration page with one of the malicious extensions installed in their browser, the threat actors can harvest all sorts of data including information about the speakers, the hosts and the session metadata.

The Zoom Stealer campaign is the third rolled out from the threat actor known as DarkSpectre. The first, known as ShadyPanda, was found by the same researchers last month and was used to commit fraud, hijack search queries and carry out data theft from more than five million users. The second campaign, known as GhostPoster, used hidden malicious JavaScript code inside logo files in order to gain full control over a browser.

How to stay safe from malicious browser extensions

As with any other malicious extension, if you've downloaded anything that you suspect isn't entirely legitimate, you should remove it immediately.

After removing a problematic extension, you should always reset your account passwords – often, the recommendation is for all your high profile accounts like your email, online banking and social media ones too. Since this could be a hassle, you should use one of the best password managers to make it easier since many can update compromised passwords for you. A password manager can also help keep your passwords organized, safe and can automatically generate strong and unique passwords for each of your online accounts.

I also always recommend using the best antivirus software as well. An antivirus program may not have caught these malicious extensions, but they can scan for malware, spyware and viruses to help you deal with the fallout from a campaign like this one. Antivirus programs also have browser extensions that can warn you when you try to visit suspicious websites, help protect your data with cloud backups and can provide you with a VPN and other extras to add an extra layer of security to protect you when you're online.

Given how effective malicious extensions like the ones described above have been in the past, I highly doubt cybercriminals are going to stop using them soon. Instead, it's up to you to remain vigilant when it comes to downloading and using new browser extensions. When in doubt though, consider whether or not you really need a particular extension before downloading and adding it to your browser.

More from Tom's Guide

• I write about hackers for a living but these are the 3 real-world threats that worry me most — and how to avoid them in 2026
• From misinformation to AI-powered cyberattacks – the top cybersecurity risks for 2026
• I’m a security editor and these are my 3 security New Years resolutions

The internet is designed to collect your data. Whether it's cookies, trackers, or permissions, your data is always up for grabs – and your browser is one of the most guilty suspects.

One of the best VPNs, Surfshark, has analyzed 10 of the most popular mobile internet browsers to determine how much data each one collects.

Google Chrome collects the most data by far, and 30% of the browsers analyzed share your data with third-parties.

Safari also collects a large amount of data, and together with Chrome, the two occupy 90% of the mobile browser market share. That's a lot of data.

But not every browser analyzed collects huge amounts of data, and there are steps that can be taken to avoid mass data collection – here's what you need to know.

This article was edited on May 19, 2025, to clarify "coarse" location data and its implications.

20 different data types

Surfshark's research found that Google Chrome was the most data-hungry browser, collecting 20 different data types.

Contact information, financial details, location, browsing history, usage data, and identifiers are just some of the data Chrome collects. It is thanks in part to the Google ecosystem, with Google Drive, Maps, and Mail all seamlessly integrated into the browser.

Chrome is the only browser analyzed that collects financial information such as payment methods, card numbers, and bank account details. It's also the only one to collect contacts from the user's phone or address book. However, it is worth noting that some of this information is provided voluntarily by users – having Chrome remember card details for example.

Bing was the second-hungriest browser, collecting 12 data types. Pi Browser was third, collecting nine types of data. Safari and Firefox were tied for fourth place, each collecting eight data types.

Some browsers are better than others

The average number of data types collected across the 10 browsers was six, and only two browsers collected fewer data types than this.

The privacy-focused browser, Brave, collected only two data types – identifiers and usage data.

The Tor Browser was by far the most secure browser analyzed, collecting no data. Tor is a decentralized network designed to protect user anonymity and prevent tracking. It's certainly not the fastest or feature-packed browser, but is an excellent choice for maximizing privacy and security.

DuckDuckGo and Firefox are two browsers that have decent privacy credentials, and Surfshark rated their data collection as "moderate" – Opera also falls into this category.

They avoid collecting sensitive data, but do collect contact information, identifiers, usage data, and diagnostics.

They could be seen as browsers for those with moderate privacy concerns who still require robust browsing capabilities.

Third-party data sharing

30% of the browsers analyzed shared data with third-parties. Data is collected for advertising purposes, with Opera, Bing, and Pi Browser being able to do so.

40% of browsers were also found to have the capability to collect your location. However, Surfshark's data needs a little clarification, here.

Bing was the only browser to collect precise location data, which is a big red flag.

Safari, Chrome, and Opera are stated to collect "coarse" location data.

In human terms, collecting a user's "coarse" location means that the user can give consent to the browser to know their location, but it is not necessarily active by default.

This does not mean that these browsers are tracking your every move, and they require you to accept these terms before any location data is stored.

Given Opera's reputation as a privacy-focused browser, we asked them about these findings.

Michael Tegos, Product Marketing Manager, Privacy and Security, at Opera said it is open about its data collection and does so in order to "make better browsers" and monetize its free products. It details the data collected in its privacy statement.

"We do this only upon consent and in such a way that our users remain anonymous to us, through the use of randomized user IDs that are not associated with any real-world identity," Tegos added.

Opera users can revoke this consent at any time through their browser settings, and all data collection can be opted out of – which is more than can be said for many other browsers.

Tegos also highlighted Opera's built-in Ad Blocker and Tracker Blocker, as well as its built-in VPN.

"Opera VPN is also a no-log service, meaning that it never collects or stores user data," said Tegos.

"Our no-log policy has been independently audited by Deloitte, a trusted auditor of VPN services. We also publish a bi-annual Transparency Report, outlining how many requests for data we get from law enforcement authorities."

First steps to take

Tomas Stamulis, Chief Security Officer at Surfshark, shared initial steps users can take to secure their personal data.

• Allow permissions: Storage (to save downloads), a camera and microphone if you use video calls.
• Deny or restrict permissions: Location, contacts, SMS, and phone access – unless absolutely required.
• On Android: Use “Only While Using App” or “Ask Every Time” when granting permissions like location or microphone.
• Choose privacy-focused browsers that collect data strictly necessary for browsing.
• Turn off the personalization settings on your browser app: Syncing with your Google/Microsoft account, Ad personalization, Activity tracking (location history, web & app activity)
• On Android: Go to Settings > Privacy > Ads > Opt out of ad personalization
• Revisit app permissions monthly – many apps request more than they need over time.

"In public, it is often explained that browsers collect the data to personalize and improve a user's experience," Stamulis said.

"If we rely on this explanation, it appears that the more data you provide, the smoother and seamless your browsing should be. In any case, this study from Surfshark is a reminder to look through your browser app permissions," he added.

Use a VPN and a tracker blocker

In order to protect your data when browsing, you might want to consider using a VPN. Your data and internet traffic is encrypted, plus your IP address is masked.

Leading, reputable VPN providers will not log or share your data, keeping it safe from hackers and third-parties. Verified no-logs policies back these claims up, and Windscribe's recent legal case proved just how important they can be.

Some VPNs offer tracker, ad, and malware protection as part of their plans. NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro is a good example of this, and has been named as the best VPN malware protection.

But VPNs alone can't protect you from every single piece of data collection or trackers. Therefore, using a dedicated tracker blocker alongside a VPN is a great way to ensure your data is not tracked.

These products often include an ad-blocker as well, with Ghostery and uBlock Origin being some popular choices.

Google Chrome has recently U-turned on its use of trackers. Considering its global popularity, there will be many people who could benefit from tracker protection.

Switch to a secure browser

Surfshark's research shows Brave is a safe choice for those seeking a more familiar browsing experience. Its design is similar to Chrome and it's packed full of features. Despite having the capability of collecting a little more data, Opera is also a good choice for those looking to increase privacy due to its clear, consent-based model.

For total anonymity, the Tor Browser is best. However, its speeds are not the fastest and you won't get nearly as many features as mainstream browsers.

Vivaldi is a browser Surfshark didn't analyze but it's another solid privacy-focused choice. Vivaldi has also partnered with Proton VPN, and Proton VPN Free is now offered as a Vivaldi browser extension.

Mullvad VPN has built its own browser, in partnership with the Tor Project. Mullvad is one of the most private VPNs and its browser is no different. It's also open source and free to use – whether you're a Mullvad VPN user or not.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Google has U-turned on its plans to roll-out a standalone prompt for third-party cookies and trackers in Chrome, leaving the data privacy of millions of users at risk.

In a blog post, Google said: "We’ve made the decision to maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome, and will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies."

Unlike privacy software like many of the best VPNs, major tech companies don't care about protecting the personal data of their users and have questionable data privacy practices.

Trackers, targeted ads, and cookies are all part of an ecosystem designed to profit and function from the collection of our personal data. But there are ways to combat this and wrestle back control of our data.

Use a tracker blocker

A tracker blocker is software designed to prevent cookies from tracking you across the internet. They often come in the form of browser extensions and are an excellent way of protecting your privacy.

The non-profit digital rights organization, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), has a free browser extension known as Privacy Badger. It prioritizes tracker blocking rather than ad blocking, only blocking ads that actively track you, and automatically learns to block invisible trackers.

Ghostery is another popular and free browser extension. The ad and tracker-blocker prevents private data from leaving your browser and regularly updates its tracker database.

uBlock Origin is also a popular ad and tracker-blocker, but it's currently unavailable on the Google Chrome Store. However, it can be downloaded via GitHub.

Some leading VPNs include tracker blockers in their plans. NordVPN and its Threat Protection Pro feature is a good example. It is a threat protection feature that blocks ads and trackers – it is also the best VPN malware protection.

Threat Protection Pro has already blocked over 177 billion trackers in the first three months of 2025, as well as 5 billion ads and 960 million cases of malware.

As well as NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN both provide the ability to block trackers in their VPN settings but NordVPN's feature is the standout.

VPNs mask your IP address which can prevent you from certain, IP-related trackers. But using a VPN alongside a dedicated tracker blocker, or one that is bundled with your VPN plan, is the safest solution.

Switch to a secure browser

Major browsers are packed with trackers as standard. There are tracker-preventing settings and incognito modes in many, but if you want to truly protect your online privacy, then consider switching to a secure browser.

Popular browsers include Brave, Opera, Firefox, and DuckDuckGo, and all are designed to prevent trackers as standard.

Many also protect against "fingerprinting." This is when a list of user characteristics, including your device hardware, browser, and website location, is collected.

Seemingly insignificant data such as installed fonts or screen resolution can also be collected and stitching all this information together can create a unique and detailed "fingerprint" of your device.

Some secure browsers have built-in VPN protection or offer one as a paid add-on. Secure browser Vivaldi has recently partnered with Proton VPN to offer Proton VPN Free as a browser extension.

The EFF has a "Cover Your Tracks" tool which allows you to test your browser for tracking protections.

One of the most private VPNs, Mullvad, has developed its own secure browser in collaboration with the Tor Project. Private browsing is enabled by default, fingerprinting is protected against, and uBlock Origin is used to block ads.

Investigate and adjust settings

Big tech companies and major browsers benefit from tracking you, but you do have some control over the collection of your data.

You can limit some data collection and how much information is shared. Check your browser settings and disable as much tracking and data collection as possible. Using incognito mode as standard and deleting your browsing history are other actions you can take.

Chrome users can decide how ads are targeted through its "My Ad Centre" tool. It's worth remembering that Google's ecosystem – including YouTube and Gmail – can also track you and share data across profiles and devices, so change your settings for all accounts.

Although Chrome isn't removing all of its privacy protections, it's still one of the worst offending browsers for data collection and employees digital fingerprinting.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Mozilla's Firefox may not be the most popular browser these days, but it remains a feature-packed alternative to Chrome Safari and Edge, with new functions being added all the time. One of the best recent additions is an automatic picture-in-picture mode which detects when a video is playing.

When enabled, this feature automatically floats your video in a separate window whenever you switch tabs — ensuring you don’t miss a second. Though still an experimental feature like the new AI chatbot sidebar and complex symbol typing tool, it's well worth enabling.

Setting up automatic picture-in-picture in Firefox takes less than a minute, and saves you from having to manually float videos every time you switch tab. So, let’s take a look at how to automatically activate Firefox’s picture-in-picture mode.

And there you go. You now know how to automatically activate Firefox’s picture-in-picture mode. To make Firefox more efficient and private, you can also learn how to clear the cache in Firefox and discover how to reset Mozilla Firefox. It is also useful to know how to hide your IP address.

It’s not every day that we come across a vulnerability that’s almost two decades old but cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new zero-day flaw that impacts all major browsers.

As reported by The Hacker News, the Israeli app security firm Oligo found what it’s calling a “0.0.0.0 Day” that can be exploited by hackers to access sensitive services running on local devices. The most surprising thing about this critical vulnerability though is that it has laid dormant in popular browsers for 18 years.

The 0.0.0.0 Day impacts all of the top browsers including Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers like Edge, Safari and Firefox. However, it’s worth noting that it only affects devices running macOS and Linux. The reason why the best Windows laptops aren’t affected is due to the fact that Microsoft blocks this IP address at the operating system level.

This critical vulnerability can be used to weaponize harmless IP addresses like 0.0.0.0 to exploit local services to allow for unauthorized access and remote code execution by hackers that are not on the same local network.

In a report on the matter, Oligo’s security researchers explain that public websites which have domains that end in “.com” are able to communicate with services running on a local network and execute arbitrary code by using the address 0.0.0.0. The vulnerability also makes bypassing Private Network Access (PNA), which prevents public websites from directly accessing endpoints on a private network, possible.

How to stay safe from browser-based attacks 

After discovering this vulnerability back in April, Oligo quickly reached out to the companies behind all of the major browsers so that they could implement a fix.

Instead of releasing a security update, Google, Apple, Mozilla and others plan to block the IP address 0.0.0.0 going forward. With the release of Chromium 128 last month, Chrome is already blocking access to 0.0.0.0 but Google’s full fix for this issue won’t be completed for all users until Chrome 133 is released. Meanwhile, Apple has already made changes to the browser engine WebKit which is used by Safari to block access to 0.0.0.0 and Mozilla has also blocked the IP address in Firefox.

When it comes to protecting yourself from other browser-based attacks, the first and most important thing you can do is to keep your browser up to date. I know this may get annoying given how frequently Google releases new updates for Chrome but they only take a minute or so to install and all of your current tabs will be reopened once an update is complete.

Since your browser can be attacked by hackers to infect your computer with malware, you should also consider using the best antivirus software on your Windows PC and the best Mac antivirus software on your Apple computer. Both Windows and macOS ship with built-in antivirus software but paid options provide you with even greater protection along with some useful extras like a VPN or a password manager.

New vulnerabilities like the one described above are discovered and subsequently patched every day which is why you want to stay on top of updates and not let them pile up if you want to stay safe from hackers.

More from Tom's Guide

• FBI issues warning over scammers impersonating banks to steal your debit cards
• New Android malware drains your bank accounts and wipes your device
• 2.9 billion hit in one of the largest data breaches ever — full names, addresses and SSNs exposed

Bitwarden is a top contender for password management because it offers a lot of value at a low price. The platform is highly secure and open source, and it has the best free tier of any password manager on the market. 

Users can get unlimited syncing of unlimited passwords and basic functions like autofill and secure note-storage and sharing at no cost, while premium features like security monitoring and emergency access costs just $10 a year — much less than the $35 annual fee for competitors with similar functionality. Plus, all other free plans out there limit the number or type of device for vault syncing, and Dashlane allows you to store just 25 passwords total. 

Bitwarden isn’t as seamless as some other password managers when it comes to autofilling logins and forms, but it offers all the essential features, including some passkey support, for less than the likes of 1Password, Keeper, and NordPass. Our Bitwarden review will help you decide if this is the best password manager for you or if you’d be better off paying a bit more for something more intuitive.

Bitwarden review: Costs and what's covered

Bitwarden offers three pricing tiers for consumer accounts: Free, Premium ($10 per year) and Family ($40 per year).

The free tier comes with most of the basic features you'd want in a password manager, making it a good option if you're just looking for safe storage. The Premium plan is a bargain when compared to similar tiers offered by other password managers, which often run about $35 per year. 

Users on Bitwarden's Free plan get unlimited password and secure-note storage across as many devices as they want. There's also a password generator and an innovative feature called Bitwarden Send for sharing sensitive text-based information.

Bitwarden will auto-fill usernames and passwords through its browser extensions on the desktop and with the Bitwarden mobile apps on iOS and Android. Form filling for identities and payment info is included with this tier, but only via browser extensions on desktop.  

If you upgrade to a Premium account, $10 per year gets you all of the above features, plus file sharing via Bitwarden Send, the Bitwarden Authenticator app for verifying your identity on accounts that use 2FA or time-based one-time passwords (TOTPs) and an emergency access feature that lets you grant vault access to another user in case of, well, an emergency. 

This premium tier also comes with 1 GB of secure storage, priority support, advanced 2FA options such as YubiKey and "health reports" — basically, security audits (manually generated) that show you if your passwords are weak, recycled or have been exposed in a data breach. 

If you know how to set up a server, then Bitwarden also offers self-hosting (versus cloud hosting) options with all plans for anyone who wants complete control over their data using their own server.

The Bitwarden server can be anything from a leased cloud instance to a Raspberry Pi sitting on a shelf in your living room. Bitwarden has server specifications and instructions here, and there's a good third-party walkthrough here.

Finally, Bitwarden's $40-per-year Family plan is basically Premium for up to six users with unlimited sharing between accounts. 

As we've noted, Bitwarden Free is a solid option for basic password management — maybe the best one out there. LastPass, one of our other top freemium picks, now limits syncing on its free plan to only computers or to only mobile devices, a significant gap that Bitwarden fills. 

LastPass does include some of Bitwarden's Premium features, such as the ability to use an in-house authenticator app, in its free tier, but at $36 per year, its premium option costs nearly four times what you'll pay for a similar Bitwarden plan.

The premium and family plans offered by other password managers will also set you back a lot more than $10 (or $40 for families) annually, which may be attractive only if you really need bonus features like a built-in VPN. 

The Bitwarden desktop application supports Windows 10 and 11; macOS 10.14 and later; and most major distributions of Linux. The Windows and Mac versions can be downloaded directly from the Bitwarden website or via the Windows and Mac app stores.

There's also a "portable" Windows version you can install on a USB flash drive. If you want to get really elite, there's a command-line version that works on Windows, Mac and Linux alike.

There are Bitwarden desktop browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi and the Firefox-based Tor browser as well as a beta for DuckDuckGo for macOS 11.4 or later. Mobile apps are available for both iOS (11.0 or later) and Android (5.0 and up). You can also access your vault via any web browser at vault.bitwarden.com. 

I reviewed Bitwarden on a 2020 MacBook Air running macOS 12.7.1 Monterey, an iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 17.1.1 and Google Chrome. 

Bitwarden review: Setup

[Bitwarden Account Create]

To get started, you'll need to create an account on Bitwarden's website using your email address and name. You'll also choose your master password and an optional password hint. There is no account recovery for individual or family users if you forget your master password, so the hint may be helpful. Either way, make your master key something both secure and memorable. 

Bitwarden doesn't do much hand-holding through the setup process, although its help pages are actually pretty useful. Once you have your account set up, you'll be logged into your web vault to start importing and organizing your passwords.

To import data from LastPass, 1Password, Firefox, Chrome or another one of many supported file formats, select Tools > Import Data in the web app (File > Import Data on desktop) and fill out the dropdown fields. If Bitwarden doesn't officially support the service you currently use, you can create and upload a CSV file. Note that data uploads are not possible on mobile.

Next, download the relevant desktop and mobile apps as well as browser extensions. It took almost no time for me to install these and get logged in, and my items synced automatically. Extension features like autofill and password generation functioned immediately, with no additional setup needed.

Bitwarden review: Desktop

Bitwarden would be easy to use with only the browser extension and web app, as the desktop app doesn't add any functionality and is only slightly sleeker.

In fact, some features, such as emergency access (under Account settings) and vault health reports (under Reports), are available only in your web vault.

The browser extension looks a lot like a mobile app, with tabs for your main vault, Bitwarden Send, a password generator and your settings.

There are a few ways to use the automatic form filling feature. There’s no Bitwarden icon that populates in the form field — if the website you're on has a saved login, the Bitwarden extension icon in your browser toolbar will have a number on it. Tap the icon to open the extension and select the password you want to auto-fill. You can also set up autofill on page load, which will fill the username and password fields but not automatically log you in.

To auto-fill credit cards or identities (addresses, for example) when checking out or filling out forms, toggle the Bitwarden extension icon and choose Tab. All available cards and identities should be visible to select. Alternatively, you can right-click (CTRL + click on Mac) on the form field and select from a list of autofill options on the drop-down.

Bitwarden also has a few standard keyboard shortcuts to auto-fill the last-used login, though this was not enabled by default on my Chrome profile (you can set up shortcuts in your extension settings). I found it easiest to open the extension right away and select from there.

Bitwarden's password generator is a little bit clunky compared to those of other password managers — instead of auto generating in the form field, you have to manually go into the Bitwarden extension to create and copy/paste a password. When you create a new login on a website, Bitwarden should ask if you want to save it to your vault.

Sharing texts and files with Bitwarden Send is quick and easy using the browser extension. You can also view and edit the item or copy login information directly from the extension.

If you opt to download the desktop app as well, you'll find a left-justified menu bar where you can select your specific login types to view all the usernames and passwords in that category.

You can also organize or view by folder — use the plus sign to create a new folder — or view your favorites or trash. Search the selected category using the search bar at the top and add a new record using the plus icon at the bottom.

If you toggle Send at the bottom instead, you can create file or text links to content on your computer, which you can then copy or share to send. You can select a date on which access to your send will expire, or on which your send will be permanently deleted, as well as a maximum access count.

File sharing is available only with a Premium account, though you can send text links on the Free tier. Send recipients do not need to use Bitwarden to open the sent links or files.

Unlike the browser extension (and the mobile app, as described below), the Bitwarden desktop app does not have a separate tab for the password generator. Instead, you'll find it under View in the main application toolbar.

Bitwarden review: Mobile apps

Like the desktop app and browser extension, the Bitwarden mobile app is basic. The interface and functionality are almost exactly the same, so the experience will be similar no matter which device you're on. 

The default screen is your vault home, organized by item types and folders. There's a plus sign in the upper right corner to create items and a search icon to search your entire vault. If you tap on Login or another item type or folder, you'll see the full list of items in that category. 

Tap on the three horizontal dots to view, edit or copy the account information. You can also launch the website or app directly from Bitwarden.

Password auto-fill is easy to enable in your phone settings — but unless you want to type in your master password each time you need to connect to Bitwarden, go to Settings > Unlock with Face ID or Unlock with PIN Code in the app. Once enabled, this feature works smoothly. However, you cannot auto-fill cards or identities on mobile.

The Bitwarden app has a built-in password generator, which allows you to set the parameters for the password and copy it to paste directly into the app or website.

You can also use Bitwarden Send in the app just as on the desktop: Create links to text or content on your device, which you can copy or share using any share options on your phone. Toggle the Send icon on the bottom toolbar and select the plus sign in the upper right corner.

Bitwarden review: Security

Like most password managers, Bitwarden uses AES-256 encryption to protect the data stored in your password vault. Your information is only unencrypted, and only locally on your device, once you've logged into your vault with your master key. 

Bitwarden is also SOC 2 Type 2 and SOC 3 compliant, meaning the organization has met standards set by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) for handling consumer data. Bitwarden undergoes a security audit every two years, but it's also open-source, so the code is available for anyone to review for flaws.

All Bitwarden users get several 2FA options for accessing their vaults. Free-tier members can set up a two-factor authentication login process using email verification or an authenticator app like Authy or Google Authenticator.

The Premium tier also supports Duo Security, YubiKey and FIDO U2F-compliant USB security keys. As mentioned earlier, Premium subscribers can also use Bitwarden's own authenticator app instead of a third-party one.

Once you've logged in with your master password and any enabled two-step method, you can unlock your vault using a PIN or a biometric method. Bitwarden supports fingerprint and face unlock on Android, both Touch ID and Face ID on iOS, biometrics on Windows 10 via Windows Hello and Touch ID on macOS.

Bitwarden review: Passkeys

Passkeys, or private keys, are stored locally on your device, meaning no one can access them. A site or application that supports passkeys will use a public key to request that you authenticate this private key, typically using biometrics, to log you in. Unlike passwords, passkeys are not susceptible to hacks or data breaches, making them more secure. 

Bitwarden currently supports passkey storage for all subscribers, though passkeys can only be saved and used via the browser extension. Passkeys are not editable, and they are viewable but not usable on mobile and other Bitwarden clients. Bitwarden expects to add passkey support for logging into its own applications in the future. 

Bitwarden review: Bottom line

We highly recommend Bitwarden for highly secure password management, especially its free tier, which is the only no-cost plan to still offer unlimited syncing across device types alongside the basic features you’d need in a password manager. 

Bitwarden’s $10-per-year premium plan is the most budget-friendly of the bunch — comparable plans start around $35 annually — and comes with extras like security audits, advanced 2FA and additional storage. Bitwarden is not the most intuitive to use, especially its autofill function, but it does the basics and does them really well. 

YouTube has been cracking down on ad-blockers in recent months, pushing users to either deactivate their ad-blocker on its platform or subscribe to YouTube Premium. Now, the Google-owned platform may have taken things one step further: Firefox users are reporting a noticeable increase in load times on YouTube's desktop website, and it looks like that’s an intentional choice on Google’s part.

Redditor u/vk6_ recently shared a video showing a five-second delay when loading up YouTube on Mozilla's Firefox web browser. For a few seconds, the page remains mostly blank with background elements populating but no videos to be seen. After the brief delay, the page loads up as usual. Other Redditors also ran into the same problem, claiming that YouTube is taking noticeably longer to load on Firefox and Edge, whereas on Chrome, there's no wait time. Annoyingly, the delay doesn't just trigger once, but rather every time a YouTube link is opened, users said. 

Upon analyzing the JavaScript files that the YouTube client uses on desktop, one user uncovered code that shows a "timeout" function in the script that forces users to wait five seconds for the page to fully load after checking for the user’s browser of choice. Nothing in the code itself singles out Firefox or Edge in particular, but some users have found that using a filter for this code seems to solve the issue. Others reported that when spoofing the user agent of Firefox to make it appear to be Chrome, YouTube loads up as fast as usual with no five-second delay. Even more curious still, 9to5 Google experimented with the reverse, and found that spoofing Chrome to act as Firefox didn't push this delay into effect.

Some users suggested it may be related to the ad-blocker crackdown. Several posited the code could be a clumsily implemented ad fallback if a user uses an ad blocker, with the relevant code possibly ensuring that an ad is displayed for at least five seconds before the video begins. 

When reached for comment, a YouTube spokesperson said users who have ad blockers installed "may experience suboptimal viewing" no matter what browser they use:

“To support a diverse ecosystem of creators globally and allow billions to access their favorite content on YouTube, we’ve launched an effort to urge viewers with ad blockers enabled to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium for an ad free experience. Users who have ad blockers installed may experience suboptimal viewing, regardless of the browser they are using.”

More from Tom's Guide

• NSFW Facebook ads being used to spread dangerous malware — don’t click on these
• YouTube’s ad blocking crackdown has now gone global — what you need to know
• Nothing Chats just got pulled from Google Play store over security concerns

After reporting on a critical zero-day flaw in Chrome earlier this week, it turns out that Google’s browser isn’t the only one affected by this bug.

As reported by The Verge, other Chromium-based browsers including Firefox, Edge and Brave are also vulnerable to potential attacks. However, all of the companies whose browsers are affected have released new versions to patch this security flaw.

The flaw itself (tracked as CVE-2023-4863) is caused by a WebP heap buffer overflow weakness and if exploited, it can be used to execute arbitrary code within Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Brave. To make matters worse, Google revealed in a security advisory that there is an exploit available for the vulnerability and that hackers are already using it in their attacks.

For this reason, you need to update your browser to the latest version immediately in order to prevent falling victim to any attacks exploiting this vulnerability. Here are the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Brave (as of publication) so that you can check to see if your browser is fully up to date:

• Google: Chrome version 116.0.5846.187 (Mac / Linux); Chrome version 116.0.5845.187/.188 (Windows)
• Mozilla: Firefox 117.0.1; Firefox ESR 102.15.1; Firefox ESR 115.2.1; Thunderbird 102.15.1; Thunderbird 115.2.2
• Microsoft: Edge version 116.0.1938.81
• Brave: Brave Browser version 1.57.64

Not just browsers

If you think having to update all of your browsers is a hassle, this vulnerability also affects a number of popular apps as well which will all need to be updated.

According to Stack Diary, both Electron-based apps and cross-platform apps built with Flutter are also vulnerable. The encrypted messaging app Signal and the free image viewer Honeyview are both Electron-based while GIMP, LibreOffice, Telegram and many of the best Android apps are built with Flutter. At the same time, Apple also updated macOS Ventura to version 13.5.2 through an emergency security update last week to address this flaw.

This means you’ll need to update your browser and several other programs on PC and Mac as well as a number of Android apps on the best Android phones. All told, you’re going to be doing a lot of updating to stay safe from any attacks leveraging this security flaw.

How to stay safe from attacks exploiting this bug

When it comes to critical security flaws like this one, the most important thing you can do to stay safe is to ensure that all of your software is updated as soon as security fixes become available. This can be annoying, but updating all of your software is still a lot easier than dealing with identity theft or other repercussions.

Besides updating, you should also be using the best antivirus software on your PC, the best Mac antivirus software on your Apple computer and one of the best Android antivirus apps on your Android smartphone. By installing the latest software updates and using antivirus software on your devices, you can ensure you’re protected against all manner of cyberattacks.

Although every major browser and loads of popular apps are affected by this critical security flaw, other software could also be vulnerable from attacks leveraging this flaw. For this reason, you’ll want to keep an ear to the ground and install the latest updates for all of your other software just to be safe.

More from Tom's Guide

• Intel-based Macs under attack from new MetaStealer malware
• Mysterious new malware uses Wi-Fi networks to give hackers your exact location
• Hackers are using Facebook Messenger to spread password-stealing malware

Macs are currently under attack from a new info-stealing malware capable of exfiltrating sensitive data stored in iCloud Keychain including passwords for your online attacks.

As reported by The Hacker News, this new Mac malware has been dubbed MacStealer by researchers at the cybersecurity firm Uptycs who came across it while hunting for threats on the dark web.

While many of the best MacBooks are vulnerable, Uptycs notes in its report on the matter that Apple computers running macOS Catalina and later equipped with M1 and M2 chips are the most affected.

The MacStealer malware is still a work in progress but its creators have indicated on a hacking forum where they’ve been advertising it that they do want to add new features to the malware including the ability to capture data from Apple’s Safari browser as well as its Notes app.

Extracting sensitive data from infected Macs

At the moment, MacStealer is designed to extract iCloud Keychain data, passwords and credit card information from a variety of browsers including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Brave. However, the malware can also harvest Microsoft Office files, images, archives and Python scripts from infected Macs.

Surprisingly, it’s still unknown how the cybercriminals distributing this malware are getting it onto vulnerable Macs. Still, we do know that it arrives as a DMG file (weed.dmg) and could be sent to unsuspecting users via phishing emails or spread on fake websites.

When launched, the MacStealer malware opens a fake password prompt for users trying to gain access to the System Settings app. Instead of granting access to the app, the malware harvests their credentials.

Just like other recent Windows malware families, MacStealer uses the encrypted messaging app Telegram as a means to send stolen data back to a command and control (C&C) server operated by the hackers distributing this malware.

How to protect your Mac from malware

Although Macs were once thought to be safe from malware, those days have come and gone. As Apple’s computers have become more popular, they’ve become sought after by hackers and while still rare compared to Windows malware, malware targeting macOS has become much more prevalent.

For this reason, you want to make sure that your Mac is up to date and running the latest software. If you need help with this, check out our guide on how to update a Mac. While Apple’s Gatekeeper prevents malware from being launched and its Xprotect can help deal with a malware infection after the fact, you may still want some extra protection for your Apple computers. In this case, you might want to consider installing one of the best Mac antivirus software programs to run alongside Gatekeeper and Xprotect.

Since we don’t know exactly how MacStealer is being distributed at the moment, we all need to remain extra vigilant. As such, you want to avoid opening emails from unknown senders and downloading any attachments they may contain. Likewise, you shouldn’t click on any links without inspecting them first to see where they will take you.

As MacStealer is still in its early days, we’ll likely hear more about this new Mac malware, especially as its creators add new capabilities like stealing passwords and data from Safari and Apple’s Notes app.

More from Tom's Guide

• Hackers are stealing Gmail messages — delete this extension right now
• Almost 50% of macOS malware reportedly comes from single app
• The best MacBooks you can buy now

Amazon is quietly killing a seriously useful feature designed to help shoppers save money. And we're just a few days away from the plug being pulled. 

Say goodbye to the Amazon Assistant browser extension as it's being discontinued in just a couple of weeks. 

A note on the Amazon Assistant landing page, and also visible on the extension itself, reads: “At Amazon, we’re always experimenting and evaluating the potential of our products. We have made the decision to discontinue Amazon Assistant on March 28, 2023.” 

The message also apologizes for any inconvenience this decision may cause, and explains that any Amazon List created via Amazon Assistant will still be accessible beyond the extension’s shutdown date. 

If you’ve never used Amazon Assistant, it is a pretty useful tool that works across browsers including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox. While it offers multiple functions, its primary purpose is to facilitate quick price comparisons between Amazon and rival retailers. 

So, for example, if you were shopping for an LG C2 OLED deal at Best Buy, you could bring up the Amazon Assistant extension to see if your selected model was cheaper at Amazon. You could also see its Amazon rating without needing to visit the site directly. 

Plus, from the extension, you could instantly add the product to your cart or add it to an Amazon wishlist. The app would even offer a selection of additional products for you to consider instead.

Amazon Assistant has long been a useful way to ensure you’re not overpaying for an item when online shopping. And we also appreciated that Amazon opted not to lock it behind a Prime subscription. The Assistant extension was instead made available for free to anybody with an Amazon account. That is assuming of course you were comfortable giving Amazon access to your browser backend and search history. 

No reason why

Amazon has not given a concrete reason for why the browser extension is being discontinued, but based on the wording within the announcement post we can assume it is primarily due to low user engagement. 

Presumably, not enough people were using the feature to justify the maintenance required to keep it functioning smoothly and securely.

As of yet, there’s no indication that Amazon Assistant’s functionality will be rolled into another Amazon product, so for now, at least, it would seem that after March 28, comparing prices between Amazon and rival retailers will become a little more difficult. Fortunately, there are still several highly useful deal comparison websites out there such as Slickdeals.net. This third-party website can help you find the best price when shopping for in-demand items.  

More from Tom's Guide

• Amazon Fire TV just got a killer upgrade in time for March Madness
• How to make memes
• Amazon Kindle Scribe review

Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox could soon break free of the restrictions put upon them by Apple's App Store, which forces the browsers to use the Safari WebKit rendering engine instead of those found in their other versions. 

According to The Register Mozilla and Google are both preparing apps for future iOS devices that use the Blink and Gecko engines found in their standard browsers instead of WebKit. This means that instead of essentially acting as a re-skinned version of Safari, more native versions of Firefox and Chrome could be coming to iOS. 

Moving away from WebKit: Why now? 

If there were ever a time for Google and Mozilla to push the limits of Apple’s resolve, now would be a good one. After regulatory pressure for Apple to allow other app stores on iOS, and steps to allow third-party payments on its devices, there is a perceived loosening of restrictions at Cupertino. 

MacOS already supports fully-featured third-party browsers but If Apple were to allow these browsers onto iOS, they would likely need to respond with a re-vamped Safari or else lose users. This competition and an end to the "walled garden" would almost certainly be good for users, but this is not a new struggle. Ted Mielczarek, a former engineer at Mozilla claimed via Twitter that he worked on getting the Gecko engine version of Firefox onto iOS as early as 2010 and again in 2015. 

In a statement to The Register, Mozilla explained its reasoning for working on the project: "We abide by Apple's iOS app store policies, and are simply doing some exploratory work to understand the technical challenges for Gecko-based browsers on iOS if those policies were to change. We hope the day will come when people can freely decide to use the browser of their choice, including the opportunity to select the engine that underpins it."

The likes of Google and Mozilla are also facing pressure to improve. The potential implications of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, and the integration of AI into Bing and Edge could change search engines forever. Google is also working on its own Bard AI which could make its way to its Blink-powered browser. 

The phrase "web browser" evokes a feeling of complete and well-earned boredom in most of us, for good reason: The browser business isn't particularly exciting. 

For years now there have been just a handful of major players (Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari spring to mind) competing to be your default browser of choice. They each offer roughly similar features, and we all have a favorite or two we use on a nigh-daily basis. Maybe you use one for work and the other at home, or one on your phone and another on your PC. It's good enough, right?

That's how I felt for a long time about Google Chrome, a completely serviceable browser that does everything I need it to do. Sure it chews up a lot of my RAM, especially if I give in to the temptation to open new tabs all day without closing any, but thanks to our Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Microsoft Edge testing I know it's not actually that bad. 

Sometimes I end up using Edge or Safari for work, but for years now I've been a Chrome boy. It's one of the first things I download on any new PC I'm reviewing, and until recently I thought I'd keep on that way until one of us kicked the bucket. 

But after testing a new browser from the New York-based Browser Company, I'm having second thoughts. The company's new browser is called Arc, and it's pitched as a tool for using the Internet in a more calm, collected and capable fashion. The folks behind it have worked at other tech companies in the past, and they've built Arc to replace Chrome, minimize distractions and make you feel better about tab overload.

Arc does smart things other browsers should copy

Admittedly, accessing Arc is a bit more involved than most browsers at the moment. It's currently not widely available — you have to put your name down as interested (via the Arc website) and wait for an invite to install and use Arc. Once you do get one, it's only available on macOS — the team at The Browser Company are working on versions for Windows and mobile platforms, but it's unclear when we should expect those to drop.

Installing Arc itself is simple and quick, but at least for the moment the browser walks you through a series of examples of how it differs from the competition before dropping you off in front of a two-minute introduction video. All of this can be breezed past with little trouble, but if you do so you risk missing out on explanations of how key features work.

To oversimplify it, Arc relocates your tabs and address bar to a panel which sits on the lefthand side of the browser. They generally work the same as any other browser  — each tab is a distinct instance of a browser window, and you visit pages by typing the URL or term you want to look up into the address bar on the left. Easy enough, though honestly I find having my tabs and address bars on the left a bit disconcerting.

But once you start using the browser over time, you start to see how Arc stands out from the pack. The lefthand panel has distinct sections for favorites (which nest near the top as icons), pinned tabs and whatever tabs you have open at the moment. There's a small button to click to close all tabs, but your pinned tabs and favorites endure, reflecting Arc's focus on making tab management easy. You can create separate "spaces" for organizing groups of tabs (these are kind of like Spaces in macOS or Desktops in Windows 11), then rotate between these spaces in the sidebar by swiping right or left with two fingers on the touchpad. 

It all takes some getting used to, but works well once you get the hang of it. More importantly, there are all sorts of little touches that I wish other browsers would copy from Arc. For example, when you have Spotify or YouTube playing music in one tab and switch to another tab to read email or what-have-you, Arc automatically generates a small pop-up window that floats in the corner of the screen with basic controls and a timeline, allowing you to control what you're listening to without having to flip between tabs. 

Arc's killer feature

The feature that sold me on Arc and almost convinced me to switch from Chrome is the remarkably versatile "New Tab" functionality. You know what I'm talking about: that moment when you click the little + icon in your browser to open a new tab. I like to use the key combo (Ctrl + T in Chrome for Windows), and I was delighted to discover that this little function is far more capable in Arc than in other browsers. 

See, when you open a new tab in Arc (or press OPTION + T, like me) you get a little pop-up window with a text field for typing in your desired URL or query. But you can also type in commands to execute Arc actions like opening a new Note (Arc's built-in note-taking tool, which lets you jot down notes and save or archive them like a tab) or create a new Easel, which are Arc's catch-all collection spaces for captured and created content: think screenshots, diagrams and the like.

The thing I really love about Arc is that when you open a new tab you can choose to open it in Split View, which basically splits the browser's display port to show two or more websites side-by-side. It's fast and simple: I just hit the key combo, type in whatever I want to bring up, and it instantly pops in next to whatever I'm currently working on.

This may seem like a minor feature but it's such a time-saver for me — someone who works on laptops all the time while dreaming of the multi-monitor setup on offer at my PC. Sure, I could plug in whatever laptop I'm reviewing to my desktop monitors for more screen real estate, but when I'm jamming out a story on a laptop I rarely want to move to my desk, fiddle with all the cables and re-arrange whatever I'm working on across multiple displays of varying resolution; I just want to look at a spreadsheet or website right now to compare some figure or feature, and being able to do that with one key combo is a game-changer. Unsurprisingly, we've heard reports that a potential Microsoft Edge 'Phoenix' browser revamp could bring a similar feature to Microsoft's own browser.

Browsers can and should be better

Of course, there's a lot more that Arc does different from the competition, and it may not all be as useful or interesting to you as something like Split View is to me. There's a whole set of tools for coders to "Boost" websites by pulling data, modifying elements of style or even injecting their own features, for example, and the team at The Browser Company are adding to Arc all the time.

But I hope my own pleasant experience dipping a toe into Arc has encouraged you to venture beyond the bounds of your favorite browser to try something new. If you're interested in trying Arc yourself, you can request an invite via the company's website. Remember that it's currently only available on macOS, though versions for mobile and Windows are in the pipeline. 

Bitwarden and LastPass are two of the best password managers available today. They are also comparable when it comes to their features and the platforms/browsers they support.

However, the recent LastPass hack may be the reason you’re looking for an alternative in the first place. If so, Bitwarden is an open source password manager that even allows you to host your own server instead of using the company’s cloud servers. This can help prevent your passwords from ending up in the hands of hackers but it also gives you a bit more flexibility and customization.

So which password manager should you get and should you use a password manager in the first place? This Bitwarden vs. LastPass face-off is here to help you decide between these two top password managers.

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Specs

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Price

Bitwarden and LastPass both offer a free tier for users who want to test out their password managers. However, Bitwarden’s free plan has fewer limitations than what’s on offer from LastPass. With Bitwarden’s free plan, there are limits on 2FA (email and authentication app only) and file sharing with the ability to share vault items with only one other user. With LastPass’s free plan, file sharing is the same but you’re also limited to one device category, so you’ll have to decide whether you want to use its password manager on desktop or mobile, as you can’t use it with both.

When it comes to the paid plans offered by both services, Bitwarden is significantly cheaper for both individuals and families. Its paid plan for a single user costs just $10 per year while its family plan costs $40 per year and can be used by up to six users. Meanwhile, LastPass’ single user plan costs $36 per year while its family plan costs $48 per year for up to six users as well.

Winner: Bitwarden

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Platform compatibility

Both Bitwarden and LastPass support a wide variety of platforms including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux. However, LastPass can also be used with Chrome OS by installing the Android app or the Google Chrome browser extension while Bitwarden can only be used with the extension.

As for browser extensions or add-ons, Bitwarden takes the lead here with support for more browsers. While LastPass offers extensions for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari and Opera, Bitwarden supports these browsers as well as Edge, Vivaldi and even Tor.

Winner: Bitwarden

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Software

While both of these popular password managers offer full functionality through their websites and browser extensions, you can also download their desktop and mobile apps.  

Bitwarden’s desktop app has a menu on the left where you can access all of your passwords or add certain ones to your favorites. They are also organized by types below your favorites and these include Login, Card, Identity and Secure Note. The Send button at the bottom allows you to create file or text links to credentials stored on your computer which you can then copy or share to send to others. You also have the option to select a date on which access to anything you’ve sent will expire. It’s worth noting that you need to select View in the app’s toolbar to access Bitwarden’s password generator.

Unlike Bitwarden that also has a desktop app for Linux, LastPass only has them for Windows and Mac but they can’t be used with its free version. They closely resemble the company’s web vault with your Passwords, Notes, Addresses and other stored information available from the menu on the left. You can view stored passwords as a list or in blocks and they can be sorted several different ways. With the LastPass Windows app, you can store up to 5,000 items but the company notes in a support page that you may see a performance decrease after adding 2,500 or more items.

Both password managers also offer full-featured mobile apps for iOS and Android. Bitwarden and LastPass’ mobile apps allow you to access your stored credentials, auto-fill passwords and create new, strong passwords using their built-in password generators. 

Winner: Tie

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Form filling

Besides storing your passwords, the best password managers also make it easy to access them when logging in to different sites and services. Bitwarden and LastPass both have an auto-fill feature that can copy passwords stored in your vault and enter them when you need to log in.

With either password manager, you can auto-fill passwords using their browser extensions on desktop or their mobile apps on your smartphone. On Android, Bitwarden and LastPass have a standard auto-fill as well as an inline auto-fill option. The difference being that standard autofill uses a pop-up window while inline autofill lets you choose a password from the space above your keyboard when trying to log in.

Both password managers make it easy to auto-fill your passwords on websites from your browser and when using mobile apps on your smartphone.

Winner: Tie

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Security

Bitwarden and LastPass both store your passwords using AES-256 encryption inside your vault and they can only be unencrypted once you enter your master password. However, once you’ve logged in and set up a two-step method like your fingerprint, you don’t need to type out your master password each time you want to access one of your stored passwords.

Although both companies undergo regular security audits, Bitwarden’s code is open source while LastPass’ isn’t. This means that anyone can review Bitwarden’s code for security flaws which will then be patched by the company. Another interesting thing about Bitwarden being open source is that you can download its code and host it on your own server instead of in the cloud.

With LastPass, all of your credentials are stored on the company’s cloud servers. Back in December of last year, the company revealed that attackers used information stolen from a previous data breach that took place in August to steal customer data, including backups of their encrypted vaults. We’re still learning more about the LastPass hack but the security implications of the incident are reason enough to choose a different password manager.

Winner: Bitwarden

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Two-factor authentication 

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is available with both Bitwarden and LastPass. While the free version of Bitwarden allows you to use 2FA through authenticator apps like Authy or Google Authenticator as well as email, the paid version supports SMS, phone calls and security keys. However, LastPass has its own authenticator app but you can also use both Google and Microsoft’s authenticator apps. It also supports biometric (face and fingerprint) authentication, voice recognition, SMS and one-time passwords for 2FA.

Winner: LastPass

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Customer support

As using a password manager for the first time can be difficult, Bitwarden and LastPass both have plenty of self-help resources available online in their FAQs and you can also reach out to either company’s community forum for answers to common problems from other users.

While Bitwarden only offers email as a way to directly contact someone at the company for support, LastPass offers 24/7 phone support to its paid customers as well as 24/7 email support to its business customers. 

Winner: LastPass

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Bottom line

Bitwarden and LastPass both provide a convenient way to store, generate and auto-fill passwords on desktop and mobile. They also support all of the main platforms and have extensions available for all of the main browsers.

When it comes to their free offerings, both password managers have some limitations, like fewer 2FA options and only being able to share vault items with one other user. However, LastPass’ free plan is worse than Bitwarden’s since you can only use the service with either your mobile devices or on desktop — not with both. 

Bitwarden is surprisingly cheap for individuals at just $10 per year and its annual family plan costs just a few dollars more than LastPass’ individual plan. Still though, LastPass throws in a few nice extras like dark web monitoring and 24/7 phone support, so it might be a better choice if you’re less tech savvy.

LastPass’ recent security issues are hard to ignore as one of the main reasons to get a password manager in the first place is to keep your credentials out of the hands of hackers. Fortunately, 1Password is on a par with LastPass in terms of features and pricing, but Bitwarden’s open source nature and the fact that you can host your own server help set it apart from the competition.

Ready to be blown away? A new report says that Apple is working to open up the iPhone and iPad to third-party app stores, after more than a decade of iOS App Store exclusivity.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman broke the news. In response to the EU's new Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple is already allegedly planning to comply with the new law. The Cupertino company has long resisted the call to open up its mobile devices to third-party app stores, with many criticizing the phone maker for the App Store's stranglehold.

Several large entities, including Epic, have claimed that Apple's policy of taking up to 30% of a purchase with the App Store is anti-competitive and harmful. Apple's response since the iPhone's inception has always been that sideloading — the act of installing software outside of the official software center — is unsafe and could harm the user's privacy.

To a certain extent, that is true. If you don't know what you're doing, you can easily install malware on an Android device, since Google's operating system permits sideloading. (That said, malware exists in the Play Store, too.) Nevertheless, Apple's walled garden stance has drawn a lot of criticism from open software advocates. 

Gurman said his sources mentioned that this will be a Europe-first change. But we would be very disappointed if more open access to iOS apps didn't reach North America as well.

Bloomberg says that Apple has already devoted a lot of resources to this change, which goes into effect in 2024. He states that people familiar with the matter have said the company plans to have it all ready for iOS 17 when that software update arrives in fall 2023.

The Bloomberg report further states that Apple will continue to consider privacy and safety in this effort — i's not going to just open the floodgates. To combat unsafe apps, Apple is considering requiring basic security restrictions. One consideration according to Gurman is that all third-party apps stores will still need Apple validation, which might carry a fee. 

The Digital Markets Act mandates that companies like Apple allow users to easily change the default settings to suit their preferences, which might also impact third-party browsers and keyboards. (Alternative browsers like Chrome and Firefox on iOS still have to use Apple's WebKit browser engine.) This could also mean that Apple opens up key portions of the iPhone and iPad systems.

The DMA also requires allowance for third-payment payment processing within apps. Bloomberg's report said Apple has not determined if it will comply with this. However, the law also states that affected companies need to open their messaging services, including Apple's iMessage. What that would look like, however, Gurman's sources do not know.

Those sources have said that Apple still does not plan to incorporate RCS despite pressure from Google and others. The Bloomberg report says that Apple engineers are worried about the impact on iMessage's end-to-end encryption with the new law.

Finally, Apple has apparently discussed further opening up the Find My network to other services like Tile. The latter company has previously said Apple holds an unfair advantage and pushes people toward AirTags, though other key finders do work with Apple's Find My service.

This would all be huge news for the iPhone and iPad, though with some caveats. The dominance of the App Store is likely to remain, and Gurman said it's planned for just Europe for now, so don't jump for joy just yet. As stated previously, this change could be ready for iOS 17 when it and the iPhone 15 launch next year.

Founded in 2012 as a subsidiary of Malaysia-based eVenture Ltd, Hide.me positions itself as a privacy-focused VPN that aims to combine robust security with extensive configuration options. Recent updates to the service’s feature set include the verification of no-logging claims via a Securitum audit (a leading European network penetration testing company), along with infrastructure upgrades across multiple locations.

Overall, our updated Hide.me testing reveals some improvements, along with a few challenges. While interface updates adding distance-based server sorting and Startpage integration show an improvement in usability, the Windows client remains notably complex compared to leading competitors. Connection speeds have slightly dropped – although it's by no means slow – and the service's total number of server locations has dropped from 88 to 80.

As for standout features, Hide.me distinguishes itself through strong privacy credentials, with Malaysian jurisdiction outside surveillance alliances. It also serves up a comprehensive feature set that includes advanced options like custom DNS and multihop connections (routing your connection through two different servers for extra privacy).

Hide.me on paper

Hide.me recent updates

Hide.me's recent developments include verification of its no-logs policy through a Securitum audit, along with interface improvements for location sorting by distance.

The Windows app also now features a minimap widget with Startpage private search integration. Additionally, the service has expanded its network while upgrading infrastructure, though its overall network size has slightly decreased from 88 to 80 locations.

Download speeds have dropped slightly, but this is down to a change in our testing procedure that saw a slight reduction is results for most VPNs tested.

Hide.me features

Hide.me delivers a comprehensive suite of VPN capabilities that will satisfy most users. Core security features include: IP leak protection, which will prevent your real location from being exposed; port forwarding, which creates optimized connections for gaming or file sharing; and a kill switch, which stops your internet if the VPN disconnects, protecting your privacy.

There are also advanced options like split tunneling (branded as StealthGuard), which lets you choose which apps use the VPN and the previously mentioned multihop routing with user-selectable entry and exit points.

Recent additions also demonstrate Hide.me's commitment to expanding beyond basic VPN functionality. The SmartGuard feature, newly available across both mobile and desktop platforms, aims to block ads, trackers, and malicious websites. While this marks a welcome expansion into security tools, testing reveals inconsistent effectiveness across different platforms and websites. The service has also extended its tracker-blocking capabilities to both mobile and desktop apps, though again, its effectiveness varies.

Elsewhere, the service's full IPv6 support stands out in a market where many competitors simply block these connections. This future-proofs the service as IPv6 adoption grows, though immediate benefits remain limited for most users. Dynamic port forwarding also enhances P2P performance, offering a security-conscious alternative to static port forwarding, which Hide.me avoids due to security concerns.

The Windows client features BOLT technology, which is designed to optimize OpenVPN performance. Our testing confirmed significant speed improvements, with OpenVPN speeds reaching 393 Mbps compared to previous 260 Mbps results. However, this Windows exclusivity limits the feature's broader appeal.

Hide.me's streaming optimization now covers 18 countries, with dedicated servers proving particularly effective for British and American content.

Additional features include extensive protocol selection (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2), custom DNS options, and granular split tunneling controls. While that’s an impressive roster of features, a more streamlined organization would improve usability for less technical users and those new to VPNs. Recent updates include integration with Startpage for private search capabilities.

Score: 8/10

Hide.me server infrastructure

Hide.me's server infrastructure underwent significant changes throughout 2024, with the network notably contracting from 88 to 80 locations across 66 countries. European coverage continues to be strong with 34 locations, while North America also maintains a solid presence with 21 servers. Asian coverage, however, remains relatively limited, with just 13 locations, potentially impacting performance for users in this region.

A negative we found in our recent testing were some transparency issues regarding virtual locations. Several servers, including those marked as Saudi Arabian locations, actually route through France - information that isn't clearly disclosed to users. This can significantly impact performance expectations, particularly for users requiring low-latency connections to specific regions.

While this isn't a privacy concern – many top VPNs do the same – we would appreciate this being clearly outlined to the user.

The service offers city-level selection in eight countries, with the US featuring 16 distinct locations. But while Hide.me has upgraded numerous servers to 10 Gbps capacity to improve performance, the reduction in total locations raises questions about network development strategy. The service would benefit from greater transparency regarding virtual server implementations and physical infrastructure locations.

Score: 6/10

Hide.me price and payment

Hide.me structures its pricing around three main subscription tiers, with the monthly plan starting at $9.95. The six-month subscription reduces costs to $6.65 monthly, while the extended 26-month plan offers the best value at $2.39 monthly with consistent renewal pricing.

While these rates exceed those of the best cheap VPNs like Surfshark and Private Internet Access, they remain competitive given the feature set. However, unlike these providers, Hide.me does not increase prices after your first term is up. This is great news if you don't want to worry about surpise price hikes in the future.

The service's billing structure requires particular attention though, as the 26-month plan at $69.95 offers better value than the 12-month option at $54.95. This makes the annual plan difficult to recommend unless users are certain they won't need extended coverage. Hide.me accepts standard payment methods including credit cards and PayPal, along with cryptocurrency for an added dash of privacy.

A standout differentiator is Hide.me's unlimited data free plan, though it restricts users to servers in eight countries and doesn't include streaming capabilities. Despite these restrictions, it still represents one of the best free VPNs available.

Score: 8/10

How easy to use is Hide.me?

One of the main positives for Hide.me in this area is that it offers one-click connection so you can get started in the push of a button.

However, Hide.me's apps are quite cluttered with features. This is because it offers a lot of configuration, but the likelihood is that the average user probably won't use these features.

Part of this configuration is having specific servers for various functions, for example streaming. While this can be helpful for those looking for a specific use for their VPN, again this overall adds to the cluttered feel of the app.

Overall, Hide.me may be overwhelming to those new to VPNs due to all the noise and clutter, although its one-click connection may help cut through this.

Score: 6/10

How good are Hide.me's apps?

Hide.me's Windows client is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it showcases the platform’s comprehensive feature set. On the other, its complexity can be overwhelming for newer users, meaning if you are searching for the best Windows VPN you’ll want to keep this in mind.

The layout features a tile-based system where each function appears as a movable widget, which includes everything from the connection button to location lists and favorites. While this offers generous customisation options that will appeal to power users, it’s also rather cluttered, which makes it confusing for casual users – especially as many tiles contain rarely-used functions like social media shortcuts.

It would be great to have the option to toggle between an advanced and simple view, letting users choose which they’d prefer, based on their needs and experience.

Hide.me's mobile offerings thankfully demonstrate a more refined interface design compared to their desktop counterparts – though feature implementation varies significantly between platforms.

The iOS app particularly impressed by including kill switch functionality – a feature often omitted in iOS VPNs due to platform restrictions, making if one of the best iPhone VPNs.

Both mobile versions maintain robust security standards by supporting a comprehensive range of connection protocols. The apps intelligently select the best protocol based on network conditions, though users can still manually override these choices if desired.

In addition, Android users looking for the best Android VPN will benefit from additional capabilities thanks to the platform's more open nature. The app includes split tunneling functionality, enabling users to select which apps route through the VPN and which maintain direct connections – particularly useful for banking apps that might block VPN connections or streaming apps that work better without them.

Score: 8/10

How good is Hide.me for streaming?

Hide.me's streaming performance demonstrated both improvements and some notable regressions in our recent tests. The service successfully unblocked major platforms including US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, ITV, Channel 4, and 9Now, as well as multiple regional Netflix libraries. However, our tests did note that Hide.me failed to unlock Amazon Prime Video during our testing, meaning if you're looking for the best streaming VPN, you'd be better off with one that can unblock all sites (for example, Proton VPN or NordVPN).

The service maintains streaming-optimized servers across 18 countries, with particularly strong performance for British and American content. These specialized servers generally deliver reliable performance, though initial connection times can occasionally prove slower than ideal. Standard servers sometimes work for streaming as well, though the results vary significantly by platform and location.

Additionally, dedicated streaming servers now operate in countries including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. While occasional loading delays occur, Hide.me consistently provides reliable access to geo-restricted content, though free users remain blocked from streaming features.

Score: 7/10

How fast is Hide.me?

Our updated speed testing has revealed minor changes in Hide.me's performance. Using the WireGuard protocol, we saw peak speeds of around 817 Mbps – a small decrease from our previous measurements of 950 Mbps. However, this may in part be due to our new, more accurate speed testing process, which saw many VPNs drop marginally in peak speed.

The service's proprietary BOLT technology (available exclusively on Windows), has also enhanced its OpenVPN performance considerably, pushing speeds up to 393 Mbps from previous measurements of 260 Mbps.

Long-distance connections maintain respectable throughput, with our UK-US connection tests achieving 342 Mbps download speeds – more than adequate for streaming, large file transfers, and most demanding online activities.

Overall, Hide.me’s speeds are good. However, if you are looking for the fastest VPN on the market, then you’ll probably want to go for another provider. With speeds of 817 Mbps, it’s still faster than providers like Private Internet Access and IPVanish, but slower than NordVPN and Surfshark, both of which achieved top speeds of 950 Mbps in testing. Plus, while the service claims to be the fastest no-logs VPN, its top speeds puts it behind other no-logs providers like NordVPN.

Latency testing revealed mixed results, with ping times varying significantly across locations. In fact, even nearby servers occasionally showed higher than expected latency – we recorded averages of 22.8ms for local connections and 110ms for international routes. These variations could impact real-time applications like gaming or video calls, though our extended 24-hour stability testing showed consistent performance with minimal fluctuation.

Overall, to put these speeds in a practical context, even Hide.me's lowest measured speeds far exceed what's needed for most online activities - 4K video streaming requires only 25Mbps, while typical web browsing needs just 5-10Mbps.

Score: 7/10

How private is Hide.me?

Hide.me's Malaysian jurisdiction represents a significant privacy advantage, placing it outside the reach of the "Fourteen eyes" surveillance network – an alliance of countries including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and nine European nations that share intelligence data – something that most, if not all, of the most secure VPNs share.

This means that Hide.me cannot be legally compelled to share user information through these intelligence-sharing frameworks, unlike VPNs based in member countries.

The service's transparency reports consistently demonstrate this advantage in practice, showing that when law enforcement agencies request user data, Hide.me has no information to provide due to its verified no-logs policy. Its parent company's recent ISO 27001 certification – an internationally recognized standard for information security management – adds further credibility to its security practices.

However, while the December 2024 Securitum audit validates their current privacy claims, establishing a more regular schedule of third-party audits would further strengthen user trust, particularly given the rapidly evolving nature of online privacy threats.

Hide.me's security infrastructure also combines industry-standard protections with some unique implementations, though testing reveals both strengths and areas for improvement. The service employs AES-256 encryption across all protocols, as well as Perfect Forward Secrecy ensuring regular key rotation every 15 minutes.

The kill switch has proved reliable during standard connection drops too, but showed inconsistency during server switches – a potential vulnerability that needs addressing.

Our testing also revealed no DNS leaks (where your browser might accidentally reveal your real location through domain name requests), or WebRTC leaks (a browser feature that can expose your true IP address during video calls) across multiple server locations, with Hide.me's proprietary DNS servers handling all queries securely.

Additionally, the service fully supports IPv6, distinguishing it from competitors who simply block these connections.

Score: 9/10

Hide.me's track record

Hide.me's 12-year history as a VPN provider has shown steady developments and improvements in its core services. The December 2024 Securitum audit successfully verified its no-logs policy, though we still feel that more frequent third-party verification would strengthen confidence even further. The fact that previous transparency reports have shown that no user information has been provided for data requests, however, is very reassuring for users with privacy as a priority.

Elsewhere, while the service claims to be the "fastest no-logs VPN," our testing shows its 817 Mbps speeds, while impressive, fall behind a few other no-log VPN's measured speeds, such as Surfshark and NordVPN. Having said that, Hide.me has maintained consistent infrastructure upgrades, including 10 Gbps server rollouts, though this may be countered for some by its decrease from 88 to 80 locations.

Overall though, the service's history, steady improvements, customer support, and focus on privacy, provide a reliable track record – even if the speeds aren't quite the fastest around.

Score: 8/10

How good is Hide.me's support?

Hide.me provides comprehensive support for its users through multiple channels, including 24/7 live chat, email tickets, extensive documentation, and community forums. Response times consistently impress, with live chat agents typically responding within minutes. The service also extends full support access to free users, distinguishing it from many competitors.

The knowledge base offers detailed setup guides and troubleshooting information, though some articles need updating to reflect recent interface changes. Documentation thoroughly covers technical features and manual configurations, with particularly strong guides present for router setup and protocol optimization. Support can also be accessed directly through the apps, streamlining the troubleshooting process.

The community forum provides an additional resource for user discussions and problem-solving, though response times vary. While the support system generally works well, the knowledge base's organization could be improved to help users more easily locate specific topics. The quality of responses remains consistently high across all support channels.

Score: 8/10

Hide.me VPN review: Final verdict

Subscribe if:

✅ You want highly customizable VPN settings. Hide.me allows you to configure your VPN to your heart's desire.
✅ You need reliable streaming platform access. In our testing, Hide.me unblocked every streaming service we tried it with.
✅ You're looking for a trustworthy free VPN option. While it may not have as many features as it's premium offering, Hide.me's free VPN is a great option if you want to try it out before committing to a paid subscription.

Don't subscribe if:

❌ You prefer simple, streamlined interfaces. Hide.me's apps are quite cluttered which can make it more difficult to use for beginners.
❌ You want the absolute lowest prices. Hide.me is pretty cheap but it's not the cheapest VPN on the market.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

LastPass and 1Password are two of the best password managers available today. They are also comparable in price, features and compatibility, especially since 1Password released a full-fledged Linux version.

However, LastPass does have a leg up with its free tier. While it has most of the basic functionality you could want, it now limits syncing across device types (computers, smartphones and tablets) to its premium plan. Still though, 1Password’s user experience on Apple devices and its design improvements on other platforms put it in close proximity to the competition.

So which password manager should you get and should you use a password manager? This LastPass vs. 1Password face-off is here to help you decide between these two top password managers. 

LastPass vs. 1Password: Specs

LastPass vs. 1Password: Price

LastPass and 1Password cost essentially the same amount per year — about $36 — for individuals who are looking for all the premium features each password manager has to offer. 

A family plan will set you back a little more with 1Password, which charges $59.88 per year for up to five people (and $12 for each additional login after that). That's compared to $48 per year for up to six users with LastPass.

What's more, you can save on those monthly fees with our LastPass coupon codes.

Where LastPass has a real edge, though, is with its free tier. Unfortunately, that free tier isn't quite the deal it used to be, as customers on this plan are now limited to syncing data only among computers or only among mobile devices. 

But the value of LastPass's free tier is still high for users looking for password management basics at no cost. It includes unlimited password storage, one-to-one sharing, a password generator, automatic password saves, automatic form filling, secure note storage, multi-factor authentication and the LastPass Authenticator mobile app.  

1Password does not have a free option, but it does have a trial period of two weeks. LastPass' free tier lets you use the premium functions for a month.

Winner: LastPass

LastPass vs. 1Password: Platform compatibility

With the addition of 1Password's full support for Linux on desktop, the two password managers are roughly comparable in terms of compatibility with major platforms. 

To use the LastPass browser extensions, as LastPass recommends, you must be running Windows 8.1 and above, "the two most recent major macOS versions" (currently includes 10.15 Catalina and later), Chrome OS or one of the most common distributions of Linux.

Supported browsers include Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari and Opera. You can also download a Windows or Linux "universal installer" mini-app that will put the extension on every browser you have installed.

There are two types of LastPass browser extensions. The first is the regular kind you can find in your browser's extensions library. (Brave and Vivaldi can use this Chrome extension and SeaMonkey the Firefox one.)

The second type of extension, available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Opera, has a "binary component" that can log you in (and out of) LastPass on other desktop browsers and supports Windows fingerprint login. 

To get the "binary" extensions on Windows and Linux, use the universal installer. On Mac, the desktop app gives you the Safari binary extension, but there's a separate installer for the Chrome one.

Chrome OS can use either the regular LastPass Chrome browser extension or the LastPass Android app. The "binary" Chrome browser extension is not supported in Chrome OS.

On mobile, LastPass is available for iOS 13 and up. Full support with automatic form-filling requires Android 8.0 Oreo or later, but the app will run on Android 5.0 Lollipop and later.

The LastPass desktop app works on supported versions of Windows and macOS, although LastPass would rather you stick to the browser extensions. The Windows desktop app is only available in the Microsoft Windows Store.

1Password's options are a little less complicated, but just as robust. Its desktop app works best on the most up-to-date operating systems. It currently requires 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11. On macOS, you will need 10.13 High Sierra or later.

In May 2021, the 1Password Linux desktop app officially moved out of beta; it supports most major Linux distributions. Chrome OS uses the 1Password Chrome extension.

There's also 1Password X, aka 1Password in the Browser, a browser extension that does not require the companion desktop app. It works on Brave, Edge, Google Chrome (including Chrome OS) and Mozilla Firefox as well as Safari on Mac. 

It's not as full-featured as the 1Password desktop apps, but it does have Dark Mode and biometric-login support for Windows Hello, Touch ID on Macs and comparable Linux biometric-login systems.

There are also 1Password command-line interfaces for Windows, Linux, macOS/Darwin, FreeBSD and OpenBSD. 

The "classic" 1Password browser extensions for Brave, Chrome, Edge and Firefox that require a 1Password desktop app are also still available. On mobile, 1Password requires iOS 12.2 or later and Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Winner: Draw

LastPass vs. 1Password: Software

While both password managers offer full functionality via their websites and browser extensions (especially with the updated 1Password X), users have the option to download desktop apps as well. 

1Password's desktop version is minimal, but in a good way — it's unlikely to overwhelm you with options. The current app has just four main sections in the left toolbar to help you manage your account: Vault, Watchtower, Categories and Tags.

The Mac version installs a dropdown menu directly into the Mac menu bar, a third way to access your 1Password vault along with the desktop app and the browser extensions. A more modern design, similar to the look of the new Linux desktop app, has now arrived on Windows and Mac.

On the LastPass side, the desktop app has six primary and five secondary sections, making it a bit more like the web experience. While the macOS version is fairly robust, the Windows desktop app is no longer being developed and has some significant limitations. 

In our experience, the pairing of the LastPass browser extension with the web app is almost all you'll ever need.

Importing passwords from other password managers, both stand-alone and browser-based, is a breeze in LastPass, which supports imports from nearly 30 different platforms. Meanwhile, 1Password imports passwords directly from only a few other password managers, including LastPass and Dashlane.

If LastPass or 1Password doesn't support direct imports from a particular platform, then you have to export your password list from the other platform to a comma-separated-values (CSV) file (i.e., a spreadsheet's data table), which 1Password or LastPass can then take in.

Winner: Draw

LastPass vs. 1Password: Form filling

Both LastPass and 1Password offer robust form-filling — including logins, addresses and credit card information — on both desktop and mobile. 

LastPass' form-filling function on mobile devices works via a Safari browser extension for iOS 8 and above and as a built-in app feature for Android 8.0 Oreo or later. 

1Password users can turn on autofill for mobile browsers and apps in their iOS or Android settings. Full support for autofill requires the latest version of iOS and Android 8.0 or later. 

Winner: Draw

LastPass vs. 1Password: Cool features

LastPass previously had a handful of unique features that are no longer available, but one handy function that still exists is the ability to recover your account if you lose your master password. (With 1Password and many other password managers, you're out of luck.) 

There are several ways to do this, but the most secure is to generate a one-time recovery password on a device on which you already have LastPass installed. 

1Password's cool feature is Travel Mode, which is especially useful and potentially a lifesaver for frequent travelers who often face border controls. Travel Mode lets you denote Vaults as "Safe for travel" or "Remove for travel."

Once you toggle Travel Mode on, your "Remove for travel" vaults are deleted from your device until you turn Travel Mode off. This prevents anyone with access to your device — such as a border guard — from discovering your sensitive data when the device is powered on. 

Travel Mode requires the full 1Password desktop client app for Windows, Mac or Linux. The 1Password X/1Password in the Browser stand-alone extensions haven't gained it yet.

1Password also offers "masked" email addresses through a partnership with webmail provider Fastmail. You can sign up with a website using a "masked" address that will then redirect to your real address, but all the website will have is the masked one. The catch is that you have to subscribe to Fastmail as well as to 1Password.

1Password has a secure sharing service called Psst! as well. You can select any item you've already saved in 1Password — a password, credit-card number, passport information, etc. — and create a secure link where that information will be temporarily displayed. 

You can share that link with anyone you like, or with specific people, but none of them have to be 1Password subscribers. The link expires after a time of your choosing, ranging from after the first view to as long as 30 days.

LastPass also has a secure sharing service for items saved in its Vault, but the recipients need to be LastPass users as well.

Winner: 1Password

LastPass vs. 1Password: Security

Most password managers, including LastPass and 1Password, use powerful 256-bit AES encryption, and both password managers' vaults are unlocked on your device only after you've entered your master password. 1Password adds an extra layer of security with a 34-character Secret Key that works alongside your master password. 

LastPass paying users get to use the Security Dashboard, which analyzes all your stored passwords for weakness and whether any have been compromised in data breaches. There's a very similar feature in 1Password called Watchtower.

Both LastPass and 1Password have built-in password generators, offer 1GB of secure online storage and let you securely share passwords with others.

Both platforms are Service Organization Controls (SOC 2) compliant, meaning they have carefully documented security policies and undergo regular audits. (Here are our tips on how to protect your online passwords.)

However, LastPass recently suffered a data breach during which time, hackers stole customers' backups which is why many users of the service have begun to look at 1Password and other password managers as an alternative to the service. 1Password on the other hand, has never experienced a data breach.

Winner: 1Password

LastPass vs. 1Password: Two-factor authentication 

Both LastPass and 1Password support two-factor authentication via authenticator apps (which use time-based one-time passwords, or TOTPs) and physical security keys. Neither sends 2FA codes via text message; trust us, that's a good thing.

LastPass' free plan works with authenticator apps like LastPass Authenticator, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Duo Security or Transakt. Those with a LastPass premium subscription can also use hardware authenticators such as Yubico's YubiKey, a fingerprint sensor or a smart-card reader. 

The platform also offers a multifactor authentication feature called Grid, a chart you can print out to generate security codes manually. 

1Password's options are a bit more limited, perhaps because this layer of security wasn't originally built in. Currently, its 2FA function is compatible with Authy and Microsoft Authenticator as well as physical U2F security keys like YubiKey and Google's Titan key. 

Winner: LastPass

LastPass vs. 1Password: Bottom line

LastPass still has a slight price advantage over 1Password with its free tier, though that option's limitations when compared to Bitwarden's unlimited free tier makes LastPass' value proposition a bit less attractive. 

LastPass has a leg up when it comes to importing passwords from other platforms, although few customers will use that function more than once. Meanwhile, 1Password still offers the most convenience for Mac users.

Because LastPass and 1Password now cost the same for all premium features, it's hard to ding 1Password's pricing. LastPass does have the edge when it comes to 2FA options, as well as the ability to recover your account if you lost your password. But it's hard to beat 1Password's unique Travel Mode, which could make 1Password essential for frequent international travelers.

Plus, with LastPass having lost a lot of its unique functionality and 1Password having caught up on design and compatibility, the two platforms are now much more similar than they are different. LastPass still has a slight edge, especially for Windows users, but 1Password is closing the gap quickly.

Following LastPass' recent security issues though, 1Password appears to be the better choice for now.

The best ad blockers are unfortunately very necessary to survive on the modern internet. It doesn't matter which sites you browse, there's the risk of being harassed by pop-ups, tracker cookies, malvertising and countless other digital nasties hell-bent on ruining your online experience.

Thankfully there's no shortage of apps and browser extensions that can block ads and keep you safer when you're online. Combined with the best antivirus software and the best VPNs, a good ad-blocker gives you a perfect arsenal of tools to offer as much protection as possible. Even the FBI recommends using an ad-blocker for protection.

The only thing you need to figure out is which ad-blocker is right for what you need. There are so many to choose from, so we've got a thorough list of the best ad blockers and privacy tools — with options for different browsers and platforms.

The best ad blockers you can get today

1. uBlock Origin (Firefox, Edge)

uBlock Origin is a browser-based ad blocker that focuses on simple, efficient blocking with a low resource overhead. The extension comes loaded with a number of filter lists for known advertising and malware sources, with extra filter lists available and the option to read and create your own custom filters from hosts files.

The best part about uBlock Origin is that it's been designed to be easy on your computer's CPU and memory. Meaning it shouldn't cause a drain on your system like other ad-blockers might be prone to doing. It's also open-source, with the goal of preserving user privacy, and trends to stay up to date to get around some of the more irritating anti-ad-block techniques employed around the web.

Unfortunately Google has removed uBlock Origin from the Chrome store because "it doesn't follow best practices for Chrome extensions.". The extension still works for those that already had it, but new users are out of luck. Thankfully the developers have filled the gap with UBlock Origin Lite. They claim it's not as capable as the original, but the differences aren't that noticeable to the user.

Download uBlock Origin: Firefox, Edge, Opera
Download uBlock Origin Lite: Chrome

2. AdBlock Plus (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Android, iOS)

AdBlock Plus (ABP) is among the most popular ad blockers, with extensions available for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge and Opera. ABP features a quick setup, loading preset filter lists that allow users to quickly block most ads, as well as the option to filter malware and social media buttons.

Savvy users can chose additional block lists as well as set custom filters or whitelist their favorite sites to keep their ad revenue in the black. AdBlock Plus allows what it calls "non-intrusive advertising" through filters; that may irk some users, though this feature can be disabled in settings.

On Android, the AdBlock Browser provides a Firefox-based browser that blocks incoming advertising, while on iOS, the AdBlock Plus app integrates with the content blocker system to seamlessly block advertising on Safari with minimal setup.

Download AdBlock Plus: Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, Edge

3. AdBlock (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

AdBlock (no relation to AdBlock Plus) is the other great ad-blocking browser extension of note, available for users of Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. AdBlock uses a series of filter lists to automatically block ad content coming from known ad servers and providers. Users can stick with the default block lists, subscribe to additional ones, or even create their own, as well as whitelist their favorite websites.

As one of the most downloaded Chrome and Safari extensions, AdBlock has the trust of many users worldwide.

Download AdBlock: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge

4. Poper Blocker (Chrome)

Rather than be an all-in one blocking solution, Poper Blocker (aka Pop Up Blocker For Chrome), is designed to complement other adblockers.

In this case, Poper Blocker focuses on blocking pop-ups, pop-unders, overlays, timed and scroll pop-ups, and other varieties that might slip past other ad-blocking extensions. Small notifications tell you when pop-ups are blocked. You also can view your blocking stats, but otherwise, you can generally just keep Poper Blocker running in the background with minimal impact alongside other adblocker extensions.

Download Poper Blocker: Chrome

5. Stands Free Adblocker (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)

For a fast and light ad-blocking plugin, Chrome users can turn to Stands Free AdBlocker. The extension does precisely what it promises, blocking ads and pop-ups from cluttering up your browser view while also preventing any tracking from going on.

Stand's Free AdBlocker gives you control over the type of ads you can block, specifying everything from autoplay video ads, YouTube ads, expanding ads and more. It can even block Facebook ads if you want.

Stands also gives you the ability to allow certain types of ads or even whitelist ad-supported websites you don't want to shortchange when it comes to badly needed revenue. This is one ad blocker that doesn't take a scorched earth approach to its stated purpose.

Download Stands Free AdBlocker: Chrome, Firefox, Edge

6. Ghostery (Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge)

Like the other extensions on our list of the best ad blockers, Ghostery can remove ads from webpages, so you can focus on content and browse more efficiently. But the real value in Ghostery lies in its privacy protection features.

You can use Ghostery to view trackers, which lets you see who's trying to collect data on you. With Ghostery, you can also stop that tracking from taking place. If you really want to safeguard your privacy, you can turn to Ghostery's Enhanced Anti Tracking to anonymize your data.

Ghostery's a free download that offers basic web protection. More advanced protection starts at $4.99 a month and the $11.99 monthly tier comes with a built-in VPN. There are also versions of Ghostery that work with Android and iOS devices.

Download Ghostery: Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge

7. Adblocker for YouTube (Chrome, Firefox)

YouTube has gotten more aggressive with ads, so the makers of ad-blocking extensions have followed suit. Adblocker for YouTube is a Chrome extension that promises to automatically block YouTube ads, whether we're talking about the pre-roll ad appearing before your video or any text and banner ads that appear on the video itself.

If you prefer Firefox to Chrome, there's also an AdBlocker for YouTube extension that works on that browser. Same name, different developer apparently, but the functionality of stripping out video and display ads remains. This version works on Android devices too.

Download Adblocker for YouTube: Chrome, Firefox

7. AdGuard (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)

Uses looking for a more robust experience can try out the subscription-based AdGuard, which provides desktop and mobile options to reduce the ads you see when surfing online.

AdGuard on Windows and Mac covers popular browsers, with highly configurable options for ads, content, and tracker blocking, as well as a parental controls module for restricting adult content. AdGuard for Android is a no-root ad-blocker that blocks advertising on apps and games, though you’ll have to install it from AdGuard’s site instead of through Google Play. AdGuard for iOS works with Safari to effectively filter ads on the default browser.

Download AdGuard: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

8. AdLock (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS; $3.50 a month)

AdLock avoids the browser-based route, instead opting to run as a separate program to be able to block not only browser-based ads, but also advertising in other programs like Skype or games. Pricing plans start at $3.50 per month.

The app runs in the background, using filters to block ads, popups, and autoplaying videos, speeding up loading times and applying Safe Browsing features to automatically block sites that are known to be unsafe.

For obvious reasons, the mobile version is unavailable on the Google Play Store, so you'll need to sideload the app if you want to get AdLock into your Android device. iOS users can download AdLock directly from Apple's App Store.

Download AdLock: Windows, Chrome, Android, Mac, iOS

9. Wipr (macOS, iOS; $1.99)

If you’re a Safari fan, Wipr may be the best ad blocker for both your Mac and iPhone. The app is available for both iOS and macOS — costing $1.99 from either Apple App Store — and it promises to work with Safari as well as apps that use Safari for displaying web pages.

You’ll find a full array of features with Wipr, which not only blocks apps and trackers, but cryptocurrency miners, EU cookie and GDPR notices and anything else that gets in your way of surfing the web. Its blocklist gets updated twice a week, and there’s little configuration; the idea is that you load Wipr and forget that it’s there while it does its job in the background.

With Wipr, pages should load faster in Safari, which will be particularly welcome if you’re surfing from an iPhone, where ads and trackers can bog down your browser’s speed.

Download Wipr: macOS, iOS

FAQs: How to choose the best ad blocker

What the benefit of using an ad blocker?

You'll struggle to go anywhere online without seeing some kind of advertising. Whether it's a YouTube video for making soup, or an article schooling you on how to clean your earbuds. Advertising brings money in for sites and videos hosting them, so they're a pretty common sight.

An ad blocker, as the name suggests will block those ads from loading, letting you go about your online business uninterrupted. While some ad blockers do give you the option to allow non-intrusive ads, this typically means you'll be free of static ad blocks, banner ads, and commercials interrupting whatever video you're trying to enjoy.

Why are ads so prevalent?

Online advertising is not something any of us like, but it also plays an important role in keeping the internet going. The fact that you're able to access sites like Tom's Guide, or watch content from your favorite creators, is because advertising is there to keep the lights on. Without it, huge sections of the internet would be stuck behind paywalls — assuming they existed at all.

What's the difference between an ad blocker and tracker blocker?

An ad blocker is designed to stop you stop you from seeing ads online. Tracker blockers on the other hand are more privacy focussed, and are built to stop you being tracked by cookies across the internet.

Because ads and trackers often come together, a tracker blocker will also stop you seeing a lot of advertising by default. Likewise an ad blocker won't stop companies and websites tracking you. Some software can do both, but that's not guaranteed. So bear that in mind when choosing an ad blocker.

Should we not use ad blockers?

Yes and no. For all the good advertising revenue can offer, there is a dark side to advertising as well. At the low end of that spectrum are the intrusive ads, the pop-ups and the takeovers that are difficult to get rid of. But the other end is a lot more sinister.

Ads designed to infect your machine with malware, or direct you to phishing scams, and all kinds of other ways to trick you or steal your information. It's for this very reason that the FBI has recommended people do use an ad blocker to better protect themselves and their machines.

So what should we do?

Our advice is to always use an ad blockers on sites you're unfamiliar with or don't trust. But consider whitelisting trustworthy sites and creators you like, so they can bring in whatever advertising money they can, and you can keep enjoying their work long into the future.

Should I get a desktop app or browser extension?

The majority of the best ad-blockers are browser extensions, blocking ads from showing up in your browser — without touching the rest of your machine. Meanwhile ad blocking apps can block apps across your entire device, including general browsing and other apps. But which is right for you?

Browser extensions are limited, but are also simple and very good at what they do. Ad blocking apps offer more, with some offering better security without the limitations browsers can impose. But they typically need a lot more power and resources to make it happen — which could slow down your machine or drain your battery faster.

There's no wrong answer here, and both options are good ones. It just depends on what your needs are, and whether you only care about seeing ads online or not.

Are ad blockers available on mobile?

Yes, there are plenty of ad blocking apps and extensions available on mobile. However, since Google isn't a fan of ad blockers, it's much harder for Android users to get them from official channels like Google Play. However Apple and the App Store don't have nearly as many qualms.

Some of our favorite options include 1Blocker (iOS), Firefox Focus (Android, iOS) and AdClear (Android, iOS)

How we test the best ad blockers

Our ad blocker testing process involves downloading and installing a number of ad blocking browser extensions and apps. Once installed we go through the setup process to see how easy they are to get going, followed by a trip into the settings menu to see how easy they are to customize.

From there we took ourselves to the internet, checking though various different major website that are often loaded with ads. We specifically looked for how well ads are blocked, and how they impacted the browser experience.

We also took into consideration 4 different criteria to make our decision. These include:

Cost: Figuring out how much value these ad blockers have, in the event that they're not free to use. On top of that, figuring out whether the free options are the best ones, and whether paying a bit of money would offer a noticeably better features and experiences.

Performance: Did the ad blockers actually block all the ads on page? Was there a noticeably slower loading time? All of these things matter when comparing different ad blockers.

Use: No good ad blocker gatekeeps its abilities, and the best options should be working seamlessly in the background with minimal setup required. However we also need to take into consideration customization options in the settings, and how much you can tweak things to personalize your ad blocking experience.

Availability: Pretty simple, some ad blockers are available just about everywhere. Others are limited to a handful of platforms or browsers. Obviously the more widespread an ad blocker is, the better.

If you’ve just purchased a new Windows laptop, you may be wondering if you need to buy third-party antivirus software for your new machine because of the threats posed by malware and other viruses.

Fortunately, you may not need to as both Windows 10 and Windows 11 now come with their own antivirus software called Microsoft Defender Antivirus, aka Windows Defender. While it used to be terrible, over the past few years, Microsoft has really turned it around and Defender is now one of the best antivirus software solutions at detecting, blocking and neutralizing malware.

Several of the other features found in paid antivirus products are also available for free in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Parental controls can be activated in the “Family Options” section of the Windows Security dashboard and there’s a password manager hidden in the company’s Microsoft Edge browser that will sync your passwords with the Microsoft Authenticator app for Android and iOS. Meanwhile, an Edge feature called “SmartScreen” can block known malicious websites and downloads. 

The downside of Windows Defender

The catch with Windows Defender and the other built-in security tools and features in Windows is that you have to stick to Microsoft products. This means using Edge instead of Chrome or Firefox as your default browser, Microsoft Office 365 instead of Google Workspace or LibreOffice and Microsoft Teams instead of Slack or Zoom.

As a result, if your Chrome or Firefox browser is used to visit a malicious website, you’ll have to rely on the browser’s own protection, not Microsoft’s. To be fair though, the protection offered by Chrome and Firefox is pretty good on its own.

Microsoft does have browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox but they’re limited to machines running the Pro, Enterprise or Education versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Likewise, for the parental controls to work properly, your kids have to use Edge and no other browser on Windows. You can also put Microsoft Family Safety apps on your children’s Android and iOS devices but this requires a paid subscription to Microsoft Office 365. 

Making your final decision

If you're comfortable with all this — and in our experience, Edge is lighter and faster than Chrome — then Microsoft Defender Antivirus and the related protections built into Windows 10 and 11 should absolutely be good enough to protect you from malware and give you a few useful extra security features as well.

But if you'd rather use Chrome or Firefox, Slack or Zoom, Google Workspace or LibreOffice instead of the corresponding Microsoft products, then it would be best to get one of the best Windows 10 (and 11) antivirus programs. 

These third-party antivirus programs protect all browsers equally well, and detect threats in all kinds of applications, not just Microsoft's. You don't need to spend a lot, or even anything at all — one of the most impressive antivirus programs we've seen is Kaspersky Security Cloud Free.

If you have a multi-platform household and are willing to spend a bit more, you can shell out for one of the best internet security suites, which bundle in antivirus software for Mac and Android devices and generally come with parental controls and password managers as well. Some also toss in identity theft protection services, VPNs, backup software and cloud storage.

Ultimately, deciding on whether Microsoft Defender Antivirus is good enough depends on you. That seems like an evasive answer, but it's not. Choosing any antivirus software first involves figuring out what you need. The upside is that, unlike a few years ago, Defender is now a serious option that's well worth considering. 

If you are tired of companies tracking whether or not you opened an email, DuckDuckGo has a tool you’re going to love.

Back in July 2021, DuckDuckGo announced that it was launching Email Protection, an email forwarding service aimed at removing email trackers. This service initially required users to sign up for a private beta, but as of today, DuckDuckGo has opened the beta to all users. Great news since DuckDuckGo’s beta testing has shown that 85% of emails contain hidden email trackers.

This service is totally free and you can sign up either in the DuckDuckGo mobile app (iOS/Android) or by adding the DuckDuckGo browser extension on your computer. The service works on Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Brave. On Mac, there is also a DuckDuckgo browser app that is currently in beta that can be used to access the email forwarding service. 

How does Email Protection work? 

Email Protection is not an email client. It does not replace your existing email address but instead gives you a new email address to use when interacting with third parties, particularly businesses. You then provide this new @duck.com email address and your emails will be sent to that email address and then forwarded to your already existing email address.

Still a bit confused? Think of when you go shopping in-store and online, and how you are always asked for an email address to unlock a discount. Instead of providing your normal email address (for example, imaperson@gmail.com), you can provide your Personal Duck Address (imaperson@duck.com). 

Then, when the store you shopped at inevitably sends you marketing emails — emails loaded with trackers — these emails will be sent to your Personal Duck Address. The trackers will then be removed (if possible) and you receive a tracker-free email in your normal inbox. You can even respond back through your normal email address and it will get routed through your Personal Duck Address as long as the original email came through Email Protection. 

Another feature of Email Protection is that you can create “Unique Private Duck Addresses.” These can be created for use with specific websites, and make it harder for companies to track you through emails. You can also deactivate each Unique Private Duck Address in case you start getting spammed.

The best part is since there is no DuckDuckGo email client, DuckDuckGo will not save your emails. As soon as DuckDuckGo receives an email sent to one of your Duck Addresses, it immediately removes the trackers (if possible) and then forwards it to you. At no point is it saved in its system.

DuckDuckGo Email Protection: How to sign up 

To sign up, log into the DuckDuckGo mobile app on iOS or Android. Make sure you are upgraded to the latest version, then open Settings and select Email Protection. For those using a computer, navigate to duckduckgo.com/email while using a DuckDuckGo browser extension. The extensions exist on Firefox, Chrome, Edge and Brave, so the most popular internet browsers are covered. DuckDuckGo users on Mac can try the Mac-only browser app that is currently in beta.

Keep in mind that despite using Email Protection you still have to be careful online, even on a privacy-focused service like DuckDuckGo. Since DuckDuckGo doesn't create the emails they cannot guarantee that it will not include your forwarding address (your normal email address) or other potentially identifying data. Also, the DuckDuckGo mobile browser has been found in the past to block some trackers and not others, so take these promises of internet security with a grain of salt. 

Knowing how to download YouTube videos in Chrome saves you from having to install a separate desktop program to grab copyright-free videos and those you have permission to download for personal use. 

For example, if you're a content creator, there's a YouTube channel called "Video library - No copyright Footage" that offers copyright-free videos, for free. To check a video's license type, click the "Show More" button in its description and look for License to see if reuse is allowed.

The problem is that Google doesn’t allow YouTube downloaders in the Chrome Web Store. There are lots of Chrome extensions for downloading videos from other sites, such as Vimeo, but they don’t work on YouTube.

You can download videos on your mobile device by subscribing to YouTube Premium. And we've previously explained how to download YouTube videos on iOS, Android, Mac and PC. But in Chrome and other browsers, you’re restricted to watching them on the website, even if they're licensed for reuse. Or are you?

• How to download YouTube videos on iPhone, Android, Mac and PC
• How to download Vimeo videos even if they don't have a button
• How to download Facebook videos on desktop and mobile
• How to export bookmarks in Chrome
• How to download music from YouTube

There is a workaround that lets you download copyright-free YouTube videos in Chrome, using the popular script manager Tampermonkey. This extension lets you install thousands of user-created scripts that perform lots of useful web tasks.

One of these scripts, called Local YouTube Downloader, can (as its name suggests) download YouTube videos in Chrome, without redirecting you to another site. It also works in Edge and Firefox, if you install Tampermonkey in those browsers.

Here we’ll explain how to use Tampermonkey to download YouTube videos in Chrome. After that, we'll explain how to properly use a website that offers similar features. But first, we'll look at the legal side of downloading to ensure you don't land yourself in trouble. 

Is downloading YouTube videos legal? What you need to know 

YouTube states in its Terms of Service that you’re not allowed to download any content, unless “specifically permitted by the Service,” or have prior written permission from YouTube or the respective rights holder. 

You can download videos through the YouTube app for Android and iOS by paying $11.99 per month for YouTube Premium, but to prevent piracy and copyright infringement, this option isn’t offered on the YouTube website.

Video downloaders aren’t illegal, but making copies of copyrighted content is. At the very least, your YouTube account could be terminated if you repeatedly violate the site's terms of service, and you may even face legal action. 

However, there’s lots of content on YouTube that is permissible to download, such as public domain videos that aren't copyrighted, clips covered by a Creative Commons license, and homemade videos that friends and family have shared with you (and have permitted you to download). 

Make sure you’re sensible about what you download, and definitely don’t redistribute videos from YouTube without permission.

How to download YouTube videos in Chrome: Install Local YouTube Downloader 

Although you won’t find YouTube video downloaders in the Chrome Web Store, you will find the Tampermonkey extension, which lets you install Local YouTube Downloader. Here’s how to set it up. 

1. Open the Chrome Web Store and search for “TamperMonkey” or go straight to the Tampermonkey Chrome extension page. Click "Add to Chrome" in the top-right corner.

2. Click "Add extension" to install Tampermonkey. For easy access, you can pin the add-on to Chrome’s toolbar. Click the Extensions button (the one that looks like a jigsaw piece) and select the ‘“Pin” option next to Tampermonkey.

3. The Tampermonkey website will open in a new tab and tell you the extension has been successfully installed.  

You should now head to a userscripts site called Greasy Fork, where you’ll find the Local YouTube Downloader script. Click the “Install this script” button. 

4. This will take you to Local YouTube Downloader’s page on the Tampermonkey website. Click the Install button here to add the script to Tampermonkey. 

5. To check that the script installed correctly, click the Tampermonkey extension button and choose Dashboard. Here you should see Local YouTube Downloader listed as “Enabled." 

How to download YouTube videos in Chrome: Download a YouTube video 

Now that you’ve installed Local YouTube Downloader, it’s time to put it to the test with an uncopyrighted video, or one you have permission to download. 

Here’s how to use the script to download videos from YouTube directly in Chrome, or by using Tampermonkey in another browser.  

1. Visit the YouTube website in Chrome and find a video that's free of copyright or which you have permission to download. 

You can filter your search results to show only videos with a Creative Commons license. Click the Filters button at the top of the page and choose Creative Commons.

Click to play the video as usual. 

2. If you have an ad blocker installed, you’ll be prompted to copy a new “rule” to it, so the Local YouTube Downloader script can work. If you don’t know how to do this - or can’t be bothered - just disable your ad blocker instead. 

3. Once your ad blocker, or lack of ad blocker, allows the script to run, you should see a new option below the YouTube video player labelled “Download high resolution MP4 in one click.”

Click this and Local YouTube Downloader will convert the video to a hi-res MP4 file, and let you download it to your PC or Mac. Note that the script may not work on videos of more than 1080p resolution. 

4. To save the video at a different resolution and in a different format, click Show/Hide Links. This will open a range of download options, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. 

5. Click one of the Stream options on the left (we found those on the right didn’t capture audio) and the adjusted video player will open in a new Chrome tab. 

Right-click the video and choose "Save video as" to download it to your computer. 

How to download YouTube videos in Chrome: Use a YouTube downloader website (carefully)

What if, say, the above all sounds too complicated? Well, then, there's the wide and wild world of websites you can open in Chrome that let you download from YouTube. 

Notorious for being filled with pop-ups, these sites can still let you download a YouTube video in Chrome. And if you're smart about how you use them, clicking your cursor like Indiana Jones avoiding traps, you should be OK.

The site we've tested today is yt5s.com. Unfortunately, you may have to deal with a pop-up overlay menu. This doesn't always happen. Click the Close button, then close the new window that just popped up. 

1. Paste the address of the YouTube video in question into the URL field 

2. Hover your cursor over Start until the color changes (it may go 'dark' as seen here), and click Start. This is how you avoid a pop-up. Try scrolling up and down or closing a pop-over if your cursor doesn't change the button's color.

3. If 720p isn't high-res enough, you'll want to click this menu. If it is good enough, click Get link to get to downloading!

4. Select a video quality option, here, I'm going with 1080p. 

5. Click Get link.

6. Click Download.

Your video will download!

How to download YouTube videos in Chrome: Pay for the best YouTube downloader

Or, you could spend a little now, and save a lot of time and effort. We love Downie, the easiest and safest YouTube Downloader. It even has a Chrome extension. The only problem is that it costs $19.99.

If you'd like more Chrome tutorials, make sure you check out how to block ads on Chrome, how to install Chrome extensions, how to block a website on Chrome and how to set Chrome flags. For more YouTube tutorials, read how to upload and publish a video on YouTube, how to edit videos on YouTube and how to use YouTube picture-in-picture mode.

Microsoft officially ends support for Internet Explorer June 15, 2022 at midnight. This marks the end of an era for the Redmond-based company, but it also has very real implications for those still using the 27-year-old web browser.

IE Explorer is dead: what this means for users 

At this point, many users have likely shifted away from Internet Explorer. The news that Internet Explorer would be retiring on June 15, 2022, was reported over a year ago. For many people that signaled that it was time to move on.

But for those who were not ready to leave, or simply did not want to stop using the familiar browser, starting at midnight they will not have a choice. At that point, any attempt to open the Internet Explorer desktop app will automatically redirect you to Microsoft Edge. 

Can anyone still use Internet Explorer after June 15?

Microsoft has stated that “This retirement does not affect in-market Windows 10 LTSC or Server Internet Explorer 11 desktop applications.” This largely applies to enterprise users of the software only, and most consumers will be unable to use the application. However, Microsoft Edge will continue to offer an in-browser legacy mode for websites that still require Internet Explorer. 

What users need to do before Internet Explorer retires 

The main thing users need to worry about is the bookmarks. The desktop application is being disabled, so users will not have access to any browser data going forward. 

Microsoft Edge offers the easiest solution for this problem. All users have to do is enter the Microsoft Edge Settings menu, click on the Profiles section, and select “Import browser data.” Then it is as simple as selecting “Microsoft Internet Explorer” and clicking “Import.”

If you do not want to use Microsoft Edge, many other browsers also offer the ability to import bookmarks.

Internet Explorer alternatives 

Microsoft Edge 

The successor to Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge has been the default browser for Windows since the debut of Windows 10.  Because of that, it is also the most optimized for use with Windows OS. This contributes to small, but nice advantages over other browsers, such as improved Xbox Cloud Gaming performance. Plus, Edge is more memory-efficient than the competition. 

Chrome

Chrome is incredibly popular. In fact, it is the most popular web browser on Earth. Google’s web browser is quick, is available on numerous platforms and is very easy to install. Plus, if you use a Chromebook or Android phone the ability to have a unified experience across devices may make this your preferred choice to Microsoft Edge as a web browser. 

Firefox 

Firefox is the one browser here that is not Chromium-based, though for most users that fact will not impact their user experience one way or the other. What will make an impact though is the recent refresh that Firefox underwent in 2021. This update improved tabs functionality, media autoplay and privacy protections. 

Keep following Tom’s Guide on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates on Windows 11. 

Update: Anyone can sign up for DuckDuckGo’s email privacy service — here’s how.

DuckDuckGo is taking flak online after a security researcher discovered its mobile browser allows Microsoft trackers on third-party sites.

In addition to its privacy-focused search engine, the company also makes a mobile browser for Android and iOS that features HTTPS-always encryption, third-party cookie blocking and tracker blocking.

According to BleepingComputer, security researcher Zach Edwards discovered that DuckDuckGo’s mobile browser allows Microsoft trackers while blocking those from Google and Facebook. Additional tests revealed that the company’s mobile browser allows trackers from both Bing and LinkedIn while blocking trackers from other sites.

Private search but less private browsing

DuckDuckGo founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg responded to Edwards’ thread on Twitter by confirming that its browser only allows Microsoft trackers on third-party sites due to a search syndication agreement with the software giant. Weinberg provided further details on the matter in a tweet, saying:

“For non-search tracker blocking (e.g. in our browser), we block most third-party trackers. Unfortunately our Microsoft search syndication agreement prevents us from doing more to Microsoft-owned properties. However, we have been continually pushing and expect to be doing more soon.”

While DuckDuckGo’s mobile browser allows trackers from Microsoft, the same can’t be said about its search engine, which makes money from private ads based on search results pages viewed by its users.

The news that its mobile browser features trackers from Microsoft comes at an especially bad time for DuckDuckGo, as the company recently called out Google over its new Topics and FLEDGE tracking methods in a recent tweet. The company also suggested that users install its Privacy Essentials Chrome extension to block Topics and Fledge when using Google Chrome, as DuckDuckGo’s desktop browser is currently only available for Mac.

Modified search syndication agreement

Weinberg reached out to BleepingComputer and explained in a statement to the publication that DuckDuckGo still provides “significantly more privacy protection” than Safari, Firefox and other browsers.

To fix the issue regarding Microsoft’s trackers in its mobile browser, the company is working with the software giant in an attempt to modify its search syndication agreement. At the same time, DuckDuckGo plans to update its app store descriptions to be more transparent about the use of Microsoft trackers for third-party sites.

DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser alternatives worth considering

If you want a private browser for Android and iOS but are put off by DuckDuckGo allowing Microsoft trackers in its mobile browser, there are several other alternatives worth considering among the best Android browsers.

Mozilla Firefox for mobile can block more than 2000 trackers and its default private browsing mode deletes your history and cookies automatically after you close all windows. It can also sync your passwords, tabs, history and bookmarks across devices.

Brave is another privacy-focused browser which is capable of blocking trackers and unnecessary ads while enabling anonymous browsing using Tor. However, you can also earn rewards by watching Brave’s privacy-respecting ads.

If DuckDuckGo has become your search engine of choice, it’s worth remembering that you can use the company’s private search engine on any browser as it isn’t limited to DuckDuckGo Private Browser.

Sometimes you shouldn't use a password manager — if that password manager happens to be the one built into your desktop web browser.

That's because desktop web browsers, despite their best efforts, tend to do a lousy job of safeguarding your passwords, credit-card numbers and personal details, such as your name and address. 

Web browsers are fairly easy to break into, and lots of malware, browser extensions and even honest software can extract sensitive information from them.

Instead, you should save passwords in a stand-alone password manager, or even just write them down in a book. You should then purge at least all your passwords for sensitive accounts — anything to do with money, shopping, webmail or social media — from your web browsers. We'll show you how below.

Top password managers

Crossing a red line

For the past couple of years, for example, a particularly nasty piece of malware has been making the rounds. It's called RedLine and it steals passwords and other sensitive data from most browsers on Windows, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera and Brave.

As security firm Proofpoint observed in its initial writeup of RedLine in March 2020, the malware "steals information from browsers such as login, autocomplete, passwords, and credit cards." 

"It also collects information about the user and their system such as the username, their location, hardware configuration, and installed security software," the report added. "A recent update to RedLine Stealer also added the ability to steal cryptocurrency cold wallets."

Most recently, RedLine has been spotted posing as a bogus Windows program that tracks the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. Like earlier versions of RedLine, this strain is likely being distributed via email.

Password stealers are not uncommon

RedLine runs on Windows, but Mac browsers aren't immune to password stealers. Cross-platform malware called XLoader steals passwords from Macs and PCs alike. Hacks exist for Apple's Keychain password manager, which is used by Apple's Safari browser if you log into Keychain across multiple Macs. 

Because Chromium-based browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Brave and Opera share the same underpinnings, you can download and run free software to get information from them on macOS, Windows or Linux. Free software to extract passwords from Windows browsers has been around for at least a decade.

You don't even need to have malware or a malicious browser extension running to have your passwords stolen. If your desktop web browser automatically fills in form fields with saved passwords — and several do by default — then websites can read those auto-filled passwords without having to do anything devious to your machine.

How to deal with passwords saved in your web browser

So what should you do with all those passwords and other information you've been letting your browser remember and save? 

The most obvious step is to use a stand-alone password manager. You have to pay for some of the best password managers, but others are free to use. They're not totally immune to malware, but they're a lot safer to use than web browsers for saving your passwords. 

Like web browsers, most stand-alone password managers will offer to save passwords as you enter them. They also let you save credit-card numbers and address information as well as passwords. It's also easy to export passwords saved on your browser in a form that can be imported by a password manager.

You could also write down passwords and other sensitive information on a piece of paper or in a notebook and keep that locked up at home. There's no shame or harm in taking that route, and there's no risk of malware stealing the pages.

How to stop your web browser from saving your passwords

Following are further steps you need to take to purge your passwords from your web browser. 

In most cases, the Settings menu is found by clicking on the three dots or lines in the top right corner of the browser window. In Opera, you access Settings by clicking the Opera icon in the top left. As for Safari, it does things its own way.

Brave: Settings > Advanced > Autofill. Toggle off "Offer to save passwords."

Chrome: Settings > Autofill. Toggle off "Offer to save passwords."

Edge: Settings > Profiles > Passwords. Toggle off "Offer to save passwords."

Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security. Scroll down to Logins and Passwords and uncheck "Ask to save logins and passwords for websites."

Firefox also gives you the option of designating websites for which the passwords will never be saved.

Opera: Settings > Advanced Settings > Autofill > Passwords. Toggle off "Offer to save passwords."

Safari doesn't have a specific setting to stop password saving, but it will stop asking if you take the steps below to stop auto-filling passwords.

How to make sure your web browser doesn't autofill your passwords

Brave: Settings > Advanced > Autofill. Toggle off "Auto Sign-in."

Chrome: Settings > Autofill. Toggle off "Auto Sign-in."

Edge: Settings > Profiles > Passwords. Edge won't let you turn off autofill, but it lets you choose whether to automatically fill in passwords or to first prompt you for the device password (your Windows account login) before autofilling. If you select the latter option, you can further choose whether to always ask for the device password or to ask only once per browsing session.

Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security. Scroll down to Logins and Passwords and uncheck "Autofill logins and passwords."

Opera: Settings > Advanced Settings > Autofill > Passwords. Toggle off "Auto Sign-in."

Safari: Safari (in menu bar) > Preferences > select Autofill tab. Uncheck "User names and passwords" and "Credit cards." You can also go to Preferences > select Passwords tab and uncheck "AutoFill usernames and passwords," but that won't affect saved credit-card numbers.

How to export your browser passwords

Your browser can export a list of saved passwords as a comma-separated-values (CSV) file, which you can open with Excel or another spreadsheet program. Stand-alone password managers can also import CSV files.

Brave: Settings > Advanced > Autofill. Click the three stacked dots opposite "Saved Passwords," then select "Export passwords."

Chrome: Settings > Autofill. Click the three stacked dots opposite "Saved Passwords," then select "Export passwords."

Edge: Settings > Profiles > Passwords. Click the three horizontal dots opposite "Saved passwords," then select "Export passwords."

Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security. Scroll down to Logins and Passwords and click "Saved Logins." You'll be taken to a new tab entitled "Firefox Lockwise" that will list all your saved passwords. In the upper right of the tab, click the three horizontal dots and select "Export Logins."

Opera: Settings > Advanced Settings > Autofill > Passwords. Click the three horizontal dots opposite "Saved passwords," then select "Export passwords."

Safari: File > Export > Passwords, then click "Export Passwords." You'll have to enter the password you use to log into the Mac to save the CSV file. (Note: This works only on macOS Catalina 10.15 and later.)

How to delete your browser's saved passwords

Finally, you'll want to delete the passwords saved in your web browser. 

Brave: Settings > Advanced > Autofill. Click the three stacked dots next to each password entry, then select "Remove."

Chrome: Settings > Autofill. Click the three stacked dots next to each password entry, then select "Remove."

Edge: Settings > Profiles > Passwords. Click the three stacked dots next to each password entry, then select "Remove."

Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security. Scroll down to Logins and Passwords and click "Saved Logins." You'll be taken to a new tab entitled "Firefox Lockwise" that will list all your saved passwords. In the upper right of the tab, click the three horizontal dots and select "Remove All Logins." 

If you'd rather remove only some passwords in Firefox and keep others, you can select each entry individually in the left-hand navigation column on the Firefox Lockwise page, then click "Remove" in the upper-right part of the entry displayed in the main part of the page.

Opera: Settings > Advanced Settings > Autofill > Passwords. Click the three stacked dots next to each password entry, then select "Remove."

Safari: Safari (in menu bar) > Preferences > select Passwords tab. You'll have to enter your macOS password or use Touch ID to see the contents of the tab. Once you do, you can select each password entry individually, or shift-click to select multiple entries. Then click "Remove" at the bottom left of the window.

Which passwords to delete, and one more crucial step

It might be OK to let your browser remember passwords that don't really matter — for example, those that get you access to websites in which no financial transactions are involved. After all, some websites just want you to register your name and email address so they can send you spam later on. 

But if there's a credit-card number tied to the account, or anything that involves money, be it an online store or a bank account, then get that password out of your web browser. The same goes for passwords for social-media and webmail accounts.

Whatever you do, don't reuse your passwords. If you do, then you expose yourself to credential-stuffing attacks. That's when crooks take passwords exposed in data breaches, phishing attacks or browser hacks and try using them on other accounts that you may have signed up for. 

Put it this way: If one account gets hacked or otherwise compromised, then all the other accounts on which you've used the same password should be considered compromised as well.

When you're researching what you can do to better protect your personal information online, you'll see some stock advice, such as creating stronger passwords, using multi-factor authentication and keeping your browsers and software up to date.

Another tip you'll often get: Use a virtual private network, or VPN, service to hide your internet activity from prying eyes, whether those eyes belong to your internet service provider (ISP), to government agencies, or to hackers and trackers.

Yet the conventional wisdom that touts the importance of paying for one of the best VPNs may be outdated — unless you know you're being personally targeted by hackers, stalkers or government agents and need to stay anonymous online.

"For most day-to-day browsing, a VPN isn't needed, and may make things worse," said Jacob Hoffman-Andrews, a senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Here's why you may not need to invest your time, effort or money into paying for a VPN — and when using a commercial VPN still makes sense.

Internet snooping is harder than it used to be

In the not-too-distant past, it was relatively easy for your ISP (or your employer, or indeed anyone with the know-how to snoop on public Wi-Fi networks) to see the details of your internet browsing activity.

That's because only a relatively small percentage of web traffic was encrypted. Using a VPN would provide that encryption, give you more privacy and prevent your ISP from collecting data about your browsing habits that it could sell to marketers and advertisers.

However, today upwards of 90% of web connections are encrypted. This means that your ISP can get only a limited look at the specifics of your browsing behavior, and coffee-shop hacking over public Wi-Fi has become a high-risk, low-reward activity.

Most of the web traffic that remains unencrypted involves marketing and ad trackers. Trackers often collect data you may not want out there, but using a VPN cannot always protect against that.

"If you're worried about people selling your data, worry about Facebook and Google Ads," said Chester Wisniewski, principal research scientist with security firm Sophos. "No amount of VPN helps you with that."

What about the websites you visit?

Operators of commercial VPN services point out that even with encrypted web connections, your ISP can often still see which websites you visit, although it can't tell exactly what you're viewing on those sites. That's because the ISP can log which sites your browser looks up in a DNS server, sort of an internet phone book for web browsers.

"You're telling third parties — including your ISPs, their partners, and/or the operators of Wi-Fi networks that you're connected to — what websites and apps you use," ExpressVPN Vice President Harold Li said.

However, new technology called DNS-over-HTTPS can put a stop to that — and you don't need a VPN to use it. DNS-over-HTTPS is the default for Mozilla's Firefox browser, and here's how to make sure it's on. 

This feature can also be enabled in Chrome, Edge, Brave and related browsers by going to Settings > Security and Privacy > Use secure DNS.

Yet not every website is encrypted, NordVPN security expert Daniel Markuson pointed out, which means you're still running a risk of being snooped on sometimes.

"[The] argument against VPN services because 99% of websites are encrypted (although they aren't) is similar to the argument against safety belts, because 99% of your road trips do not end up in an accident," said Markuson.

Who do you trust more — your VPN or your ISP?

Wisniewski likened entrusting your activity to a commercial VPN provider so you can avoid ISP snooping to "trading the devil you know for the devil you don't."

Like an ISP, a VPN provider can see which websites you visit, unless you turn on encrypted DNS. 

While we may not love the fact that our ISP has information about our browsing behavior, we generally know more about the ISP's ownership and its practices than we do about commercial VPN services, which are subject to far less regulation and oversight and are often based in overseas tax havens. Some prominent VPNs have begun to urge greater transparency within the industry.

"Some [VPN providers] make big promises about privacy and not logging data (like what sites you visit), but those are hard to verify and sometimes turn out to be false," said Hoffman-Andrews. "Also, some VPNs ask you to install their custom VPN client [application]. That process may also install other, unwanted software."

The choice for you is to balance the risk of using a little-known VPN service with the reward of gaining potentially greater privacy, as well as how much of a hassle a particular VPN service may be to use.

This is especially true when it comes to VPNs that are entirely free to use. If a free VPN isn't charging you, then it may be selling your personal information or bandwidth. It's safer to use the free tiers of paid VPN services despite their data limits.

Of course, VPN service providers, and many security experts, say that their tools are safe and crucial for protecting privacy online. As an example, both ExpressVPN's Li and NordVPN's Markuson pointed out that it's hard for the user to tell whether a mobile app on a smartphone or tablet is properly encrypting its internet communications.

"Most of us don't have the slightest clue how mobile apps are transporting our sensitive data," said Markuson. "The end user has no way to determine whether their app is following best practices or not. VPN solves that."

Meanwhile, Mullvad CEO Jan Jonsson stressed the privacy angle of VPNs.

"The main argument for using a VPN, from Mullvad's standpoint, is privacy and control of your data and yourself," Jonsson told Tom's Guide. "The amount of power you give to the big tech [companies] ... is stunning."

So what (or who) is a VPN good for?

None of this is to say that commercial VPNs are obsolete or that they can't serve an important function for some internet users. For the average person, one potential perk is the ability to get around geofences that prohibit you from accessing certain sites, services or content at your current location.

For example, a VPN might be good for connecting to Netflix when you travel, using YouTube at school or circumventing government censorship in certain countries. Using a VPN may also be helpful, or even required, when connecting to company networks remotely, although most large companies will set up their own VPN servers.

A VPN can also serve as protection for anyone who has what Wisniewski called a "determined adversary" that puts one's physical or digital safety at risk.

Journalists, politicians, and dissidents, as well as celebrities and those who are victims of abuse or stalking, may benefit from obfuscating their online traffic.

How to protect yourself without a VPN

Those who are worried about privacy but don't fall into the above categories can use other tools besides a consumer VPN to protect themselves:

• Use Tor, a free browser protocol that "anonymizes" your online activities and makes it difficult to track you
• Enable DNS-over-HTTPS in your browser to foil tracking logs
• Use your mobile data connection instead of public Wi-Fi by using your phone as a hotspot for other devices 
• Set up a private VPN server on your high-end or gaming router, or "flash" a cheap router with free firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato, so laptops and mobile devices can use your secure home broadband connection while out of the house

"Some of the issues discussed could also be addressed without relying on a VPN service," admitted Markuson, but added that "commercial VPN services make it easy."

"Anyone, without having any technical knowledge, can add a layer of security and privacy with a single click," Markuson added.

Ultimately, though, for the average consumer, VPNs may be a solution to a problem that isn't much of a problem anymore.

"How much is really secure, how much is mostly secure, and how much should I really be worried about?" said Wisniewski. "I don't think you need to worry about this."

Wondering how to see YouTube dislikes after they were removed by Google earlier this year? Don’t worry — a helpful developer has created a simple way to restore YouTube dislikes just by following a few simple steps.

There are many reasons why being able to see YouTube dislikes is handy for users. Mainly, it lets us avoid clickbait or low-quality videos. By seeing dislikes, or thumbs down, on YouTube videos, it lets us judge their quality right, away without having to watch the whole video ourselves.

This is why many people were upset when Google removed the ability to see dislikes on YouTube videos earlier this year. But thankfully, a workaround has been created by way of a desktop browser extension. It only takes a few clicks to restore dislikes on YouTube videos, so follow our guide to find out how to get thumbs down back on YouTube.

How to see YouTube dislikes again on Chrome or Edge

1. Head to the Chrome Web Store on your desktop Chrome or Edge browser to find the Return YouTube Dislike extension.  

2. Click Add to Chrome, then “Add extension.” If you're using Edge, you may need to click "Allow extensions from other stores" at the top of the page first.

Reload (or load) your YouTube page and you'll now see the newly restored dislike count on videos.

3. To remove the extension, simply click the jigsaw icon in the top right corner by the address bar. Then, click the three dots next to “Return YouTube Dislike” and click “Remove from Chrome...” or "Remove from Edge." Click “Remove” once more to confirm. 

This handy extension to restore YouTube dislikes is also available for Firefox, Opera, and other browsers. Simply visit the developer's website to download and install it.

Like this guide on how to restore dislikes on YouTube? You may also be interested in our guide to how to download YouTube videos on iOS, Android, Mac and PC. And if you're thinking of giving content creation a go, you can check out our pages on how to upload and publish a video on YouTube and how to edit videos on YouTube.

Windows 11 is officially rolling out, and with it Microsoft has implemented a host of changes to how we use Windows. One of the more frustrating differences is how much more work it now takes to make anything other than Microsoft Edge your default web browser.

So if you don't want to use Edge on your new Windows 11 PC, get ready to dig through menus to change a bunch of finicky settings, because whereas you could simply change your default browser in Windows 10 by swapping out Edge for whatever you wanted, Windows 11 requires you to change the default application for each file type.

• Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Edge: Which gobbles the most RAM?
• Check if your PC can run it: Windows 11 system requirements
• How to install Windows 11: Through the Windows Insider Program

Here we'll walk you through the process of reconfiguring Windows 11 so Microsoft Edge isn't the default browser for every web-related link and application you try to launch. And after you've read this guide, check out our Windows 11 review to see if we recommend downloading it right now ... or waiting.

How to change your default browser in Windows 11

1. Open the "default apps" section of your Windows 11 Settings menu. You can get there by opening the Settings menu, clicking the Apps section and then selecting Default apps, but it's faster to just hit the Start key to open the Start menu and start typing "default apps", then clicking on the link to the Default apps menu when it appears.

2. Scroll down the list of apps until you find the browser you want to set as your default, then select it. For the purposes of this how-to I'll be showing you how to set Google Chrome as your default browser, but you could select any competing browser here: Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc.

3. Scroll down to the HTTPS section and click on it to change the default app from Microsoft Edge to your browser of choice. As you can see, once you click on an app in the Default apps menu you're presented with a list of relevant file types, each of which has an app listed as the default one to open it.

The first time you do this, everything web-related should default to Microsoft Edge. To start changing that, scroll down to the HTTPS section and click the icon below it (which should be Edge) to select a new default app. 

Windows 11 may pop up a window urging you to check out Edge before you stop using it -- feel free to hit "Switch anyway" and ignore that warning. Pick the browser you want to be your default, and that should change both HTTPS and HTTP defaults to your browser of choice.

4. Repeat step 3 for .htm, .html, and any other web-related file types you use. Now comes the laborious part -- you'll have to do the same reassignment for every file type you want your browser of choice to open. 

For starters, make sure both HTTP and HTTPS did in fact change from Edge to the browser you chose. If the default app for opening HTTP links didn't change automatically, you'll have to do it manually. 

We also recommend you change your default app for opening .HTM, .HTML, .PDF, .SHTML, and .XHTML. These last two are pretty obscure so it's rare that you'll ever click on one, but when you do you'll be greeted by your browser of choice instead of Edge.

And that's it, you've done it! Now that you know how you can also follow the same process to set your own default apps for other file types in Windows 11, from video files to music. 

For more Windows 11 tips, check out our guides on how to customize the Windows 11 Start menu, how to enable Dark Mode in Windows 11, how to see your Wi-Fi password in Windows 11, how to boot into Windows 11 safe mode, how to set up multiple desktops in Windows 11, and how to enable God Mode in Windows 11 or 10.

UPDATED to add that some devices were already starting to see connection issues on the evening of Sept. 29, and list of services with issues on Sept. 30.

Old Macs, iPhones, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles, an unknown number of smart TVs, set-top boxes and other "smart" devices, and even some PlayStation 4s may lose some internet connectivity this week.

That's because a widely used digital certificate used to verify secure internet connections expires on Sept. 30, and millions of older devices won't be able to update to install newer certificates. 

• Windows 11: What it means for gamers
• The best Mac antivirus software you can get
• Plus: 10 million Android users hit by money-stealing malware — what to do

As a result, many activities that requires a secure internet connection — from watching Netflix to checking your email to reading regular websites — may not work on older devices.

If this sounds familiar, it's because we got a heads-up back in June 2020 when security researcher and consultant Scott Helme warned of it on his blog. Later in 2020, it was estimated that one-third of all Android phones  could be knocked offline.

"You may or may not need to do anything about this," Helme wrote on his blog in an update last week,  "but I'm betting a few things will probably break on that day [Sept. 30]."

What you can do to keep your older devices online

Fortunately for those older Android devices, a workaround has been devised to keep them up and running until September 2024 as long as they've got Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread or later. (After 2024, you'll need at least Nougat 7.1.1.)

But that doesn't help Macs running macOS 10.12.0 or earlier, iPhones and iPads running iOS 9 or earlier, PlayStation 4 consoles running firmware versions earlier than 5.00 and old PCs running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or earlier. All are likely to be affected, according to this list of affected devices  posted by the digital certificate authority Let's Encrypt.

If you have one of these devices and can upgrade the OS or firmware, do so this week. For example, any PC running Windows XP SP2 can be upgraded to XP SP3, which will fix the issue. Macs need only upgrade to 10.13 High Sierra, and any iPhone 5 or later can install iOS 10. PS4s are already up to version 9.00, released just a few days ago.

PlayStation 3 consoles may or may not be able to be upgraded. Sony released PS3 firmware update 4.88  for the PS3 in June 2021, nearly 15 years after the console was first made available. We don't know what's in the firmware update — Sony just said it brought "additional features, improved usability and enhanced security" — but it's possible it fixes this certificate issue. [Update: Our fully updated PS3 worked just fine on the afternoon of Sept. 30, after the certificate expiration passed.]

If you can't upgrade your Mac, PC or iPhone, then you can install the Firefox web browser to maintain some level of internet access, although standalone apps may not work. Unlike other browsers, Firefox isn't dependent on the device's OS for its security certificates — it brings its own.

As for smart TV, smart refrigerators, smart-home hubs, home Wi-Fi routers and so on, it's hard to tell. Odds are that many devices released before 2017 may be affected, especially if they've never received a firmware update. 

So if you can, open up or download the instruction manuals that came with your devices and try to upgrade the firmware or operating system. 

What the heck is going on here?

This is complicated, but all those billions of secure internet connections that take place worldwide every second depend on what's generally referred to as a "chain of trust." 

When a server — say a website — connects with a client like your PC, each presents digital certificates affirming identity. Because of this, your browser knows that it's connecting to Chase Bank and not some hacker farm in Russia. 

But how do you know these digital certificates are valid? Well, certificates depend on public-private key cryptography to prove there's no forgery taking place, but that's another issue. What also matters is that a higher authority affirms if that certificate was indeed issued to Chase Bank. And another authority vouches for that authority, and so on.

Eventually, you reach the end of the line and get to what's called a root certificate. These are the backbone of encrypted web connections. Root certificate issuers have no one higher to vouch for, because it's the ultimate trust authority, and root certificates can be valid for many years.

Okay, so....

But like all certificates, root certificates eventually expire. And one very important one, called DST Root CA X3, expires Sept. 30, 2021. This root certificate is doubly significant because it "cross-signs" or validates another root certificate that's even more widely used and called ISRG Root X1.

ISRG Root X1 is cross-signed because the authority issuing it, Let's Encrypt, was brand-new in 2015 and as such, wasn't widely trusted by browsers and devices. So it got the older, more widely accepted DST Root CA X3 to vouch for it and essentially tell devices that, "if you trust me, you can trust this one too." 

Technically speaking, ISRG Root X1 was functioning as an "intermediate" certificate while DST Root CA X3 was acting as the root certificate. For more on all how this works, Let's Encrypt has a handy explainer, and here's a possibly baffling diagram.

Since 2015, Let's Encrypt has rapidly grown to become the largest certificate authority in the world. One big reason is because it's free to use. Since 2015, most web connections have also become fully encrypted, and Let's Encypt is a big reason for that.

Hence, the very first root certificate Let's Encrypt issued, ISRG Root X1, is very widely used to vouch for thousands, perhaps millions, of shorter-term certificates used by websites and servers. 

In fact, until the release of ISRG Root X2 in September 2020, it was the only root certificate Let's Encrypt had issued (and it even cross-signs the newer certificate). Many newer devices have received updates that let them trust the ISRG Root X1 root certificate by itself, which is good because it's valid until June 2035. 

But a lot of older devices still rely on the cross-signing root certificate, DST Root CA X3, to vouch for ISRG Root X1. And that's a problem because when DST Root CA X3 expires Sept. 30, 2021, then those devices will no longer trust ISRG Root X1 or the jillions of downstream certificates that depend on it either.

Will I lose all internet connections?

It's hard to say what this will mean for devices that haven't been upgraded to trust ISRG Root X1. There are a couple of hundred valid root certificates in existence, and most devices and web browsers will support at least a few dozen. 

So many older devices may still be able to make at least some web connections if those individual server certificates don't lead back to ISRG Root X1 or DST Root CA X3.

However, ISRG Root X1 also backs version 1.02 of OpenSSL, a widely used (because it's free) software library that establishes secure web connections. OpenSSL version 1.02 was issued in early 2015, and a lot of devices and operating systems released in 2015 and 2016 — such as iOS 9 and macOS 10.12 Sierra — rely on it.

Again, we won't really know what's going to happen until it starts to happen on Sept. 30. But Scott Helme thinks something definitely will.

"I don't know what's floating around out there on the web, and I don't know what depends on those things [each certificate] either," Helme wrote on his blog. "One thing that I do know, though, is that at least something, somewhere is going to break."

Update 1: Windows servers may also be affected

On Sept. 21, Helme updated his blog post to note that "I've added IIS to the 'unsure' list as some reports suggest manual intervention is required for a smooth transition."

IIS is Internet Information Services, MIcrosoft's widely used web-server software. Although IIS, which debuted in 1995, gets regular updates and upgrades, some of Helme's Twitter followers pointed out that Windows servers that have been running for many years will continue to use the same certificate "stores" even if they get software updates.

So an IIS-based server that's been running since, say, 2010, might still have the same certificates it did then, even if it's been updated several times. If so, then it's going to have problems connecting to some client devices (such PCs and smartphones) on Sept. 30.

One poster helpfully posted instructions on GitHub on how to clear out the old certificates.

None of this is information that should directly concern the average internet user, but if some of your favorite sites or online services go dark on Sept. 30, this might be why.

Update 2: Some outages occurring already

Helme tweeted on Wednesday evening UK time (Sept. 29) that some outages were already beginning to occur because an older Let's Encrypt intermediate certificate expired about 20 hours before the DST Root CA X3 root certificate that anchored it. 

Helme said he'd heard that some proxy services run by Blue Coat, Cisco and Palo Alto networks were having trouble connecting. 

He had also apparently received "many reports of iOS and macOS versions newer than expected seeing issues on sites serving the expired R3 intermediate. I've seen errors on iOS 11, 13 and 14 along with several macOS version only a few minor releases behind current."

As a couple of other Twitter users predicted a few days ago, Windows servers were indeed having issues, as indicated in the most recent posts on this Let's Encrypt discussion thread.

This story was first posted Sept. 22.

Update 3: Behind-scenes outages

The DST Root CA X3 certificate expired at about 3 p.m. London time, 10 a.m. New York time, on Thursday. 

Four hours later, most of the reports of problems are coming from website operators, networking providers and even e-commerce and email providers, including Cloudflare, OVH, Netflify and Fortinet, as chronicled by Helme in a series of threaded tweets.

Some other issues were reported on the Let's Encrypt discussion forum, especially from some Mac users. Even users of Big Sur reported problems.

Want to know how to share files between Android and iPhone? As most Apple users know, AirDrop is an amazing feature that lets you use Bluetooth to quickly send files and photos between iPhones, iPads and Macs. 

Unfortunately, that's where the easy part stops: you can't use AirDrop to share from Apple devices to Android, for instance, or use the feature to send things the other way.

Instead, you can use a free third-party service called Snapdrop, which works with desktop and mobile browers including Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari (there is also a Snapdrop app for Android). Once you're on the website, it lets you speedily share files, images and videos between any device —even Windows and Linux computers — without you even needing to sign in. 

• The best unlocked Android phones you can buy now
• And the best unlocked iPhones currently available
• Discover how to clean an iPhone’s charging port without breaking it

One of the great things about Snapdrop is that it isn't bogged down by unnecessary features. There's an option to activate a dark mode, but otherwise it's all about moving those files from one device to another.

Here, we're going to concentrate on sharing between Android and iPhone. For this, you'll need to use Safari on the Apple device and be running at least iOS 13.

How to share files between Android and iPhone using Snapdrop

1. First, grab the Android device containing the files you want to share. Make sure you connect it to a Wi-Fi network and launch a mobile web browser such as Chrome. Now go to https://snapdrop.net. 

2. As soon as the Snapdrop website loads, note the name assigned to your device. 

In our case, our Android device has been named Rose Slug. Snapdrop's assigned names simply allow you to identify the devices that you will be sharing files between. 

3. Grab the iPhone that you want to use to receive a file. Ensure you connect the device to the same Wi-Fi network. 

Again, launch a mobile browser such as Safari and go to https://snapdrop.net. This device will also be assigned a name – our iPhone has been called Tan Tiger. 

4. Now it's time to share a file. Each device should be displaying the name of the other device, indicating that a connection has been made. 

On the device containing the file, tap the name of the device that you want to share a file with. So on our Android phone, we are tapping Tan Tiger. 

5. You will now see a few options. Depending on the device you are using to send files from, you will note some slight differences here. But in general, you can browse saved files or else capture a new photo or video.

On Android, tap Files to browse your device then look for and select the file you want to share. Otherwise, tap Camera to take a photo or tap "Camera Video" to record a video – tap the blue tick to confirm you're happy with the image or video.

6. On iPhone, tap Choose Files to browse your device then look for and select the file you want to share. Tap "Take Photo or Video" to capture a new image or video and tap "Use Photo."

The iPhone version of Snapdrop also has an option to tap "Photo Library" to quickly browse your saved images. Choose an image to send and tap Add.

7. In an instant, the file you have chosen (or the photo or video you have just taken) will be sent to the other device. You can now tap Save to download it. Tap Ignore if you have made a mistake. 

To avoid this step and have a file download immediately, untick the box next to "Ask to save each file before downloading."

If you're after more sharing-themed guides, we have you covered. Next up, why not learn about how to transfer photos from Android to a computer and how to transfer data from Android to Android. Apple user too? Check out how to use AirDrop on iPhone and iPad, how to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone and how to FaceTime in the dark with Memoji. If you're an Android user but fancy watching a bit of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+, make sure you learn how to watch Apple TV+ on Android.

There are lots of reasons why it's useful to know how to block a website in Chrome. 

Perhaps you often find yourself distracted from work by Facebook and Twitter, or you're trying to resist a purchase on Amazon or Best Buy. There may even be a site that you sometimes stumble across but don't like, because of offensive or poor quality content, and want to avoid visiting in future.

Equally, if you share your computer with family, you might want to prevent them from accessing certain websites, either because of unsuitability or just to annoy them!

• The best parental control apps for Android and iOS
• How to set a homepage in Chrome
• How to turn on Chrome dark mode

Although Chrome doesn't offer an built-in option for blocking websites, there are several browser extensions that do the job. Our favorite is BlockSite, which is also available for Firefox and Edge, and as an app for Android and iOS. 

BlockSite recently moved to a "freemium" business model, which means you now need to pay for some of its premium features. However, the free version still lets you block any website of your choice, as well as sites that contain specific words in their URLs.

In our guide below, we'll explain how to block websites in Chrome using BlockSite, whether temporarily or permanently. 

How to block a website in Chrome using BlockSite

1. Go to the Chrome Web Store and install the extension BlockSite: Block Websites & Stay Focused, by clicking “Add to Chrome” in the top-right corner of its listing page.

The extension requires the permission to “Read and change all your data on the sites you visit,” which might sound worrying, but is necessary for it to effectively block websites. 

Click “Add extension” to complete the installation. 

2. BlockSite will now ask for permission to collect your data, so it can “provide you insights on your web browsing habits as well as detect and block pages with adult and other content.”

Click the link to read the extension's “Privacy Policy,” and if you’re happy with the terms click “I Accept.” 

If you're not, acceptance isn’t essential for BlockSite to work, so you can choose to skip this step and just click “Maybe Later.”

3. Click Continue on the next page, which lists all the features you get with BlockSite. You’ll now be asked to choose a BlockSite subscription plan to get even more features, with prices starting at $3.99 per month if you pay annually.

However, you can use the extension’s main blocking tools for free, so click “Skip” in the top-right corner to avoid paying for a plan. 

4. With that business out of the way, you can start blocking websites in Chrome. On the “Block Sites” page, type or copy and paste the web address of a site you want to block, then click the green plus-sign button.

The free version of BlockSite lets you block up to six websites. If you need to block more, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.

5. Alternatively, while visiting a website you want to block, click the BlockSite icon in the extensions area of Chrome's toolbar. If you don’t see this icon, click the jigsaw piece and choose “Pin” next to BlockSite. 

6. Click “Maybe Later” if you get a prompt to upgrade to a paid BlockSite plan, then choose “Block this site.” 

You’ll now see a confirmation message that “This site is currently blocked.” 

7. When you refresh the web page or try to visit the site again, BlockSite will display a block page saying “Nice try” or “Forget about it,” and tell you that you probably blocked the site for a reason.

To review and edit your list of blocked sites, either click “Edit your list” in the top-right corner of the block page, or right-click BlockSite’s toolbar icon and choose Options.

8. Back on the Block Sites page, you can unblock sites by clicking the red minus-sign button next to their entries.

Rather than show a block page, you can make BlockSite redirect you to another site when you try to access a blocked one. Click the Redirect button, enter the web address of the site you want to be redirected to, then click OK.

9. Additionally, you can choose to only block websites between certain times and on specific days. Click the Schedule button, enter the time interval during which you want to block sites, and click “Add interval.”

Below this, you can specify days on which to disable blocking, such as on weekends. Click “Set Schedule” to confirm your choices.

10. The free version of BlockSite also lets you block websites that contain specific words in their URLs, names and descriptions. Click the “Block by Words” option in the left-hand menu and enter the words that you want to block. 

As with blocked websites, you can choose to redirect URLs containing blocked words to another site. But unlike blocked sites, BlockSite places no limit on the number of words you can block for free.

For more Chrome-related tutorials, make sure you check out how to block ads on Chrome, how to install Chrome extensions, how to block a website on Chrome, how to hack the Chrome dinosaur game and how to set Chrome flags.

Ever stumbled across an amazing video on X (formerly Twitter) that you just had to save? We've all been there. Knowing how to download videos from Twitter is essential if you want to keep that content for later. While X started as just a way of sharing quick updates, it's now as media-rich as Facebook. 

Grabbing a photo is easy enough, but X doesn't make it simple to download videos. Don't worry, though – it's totally possible with a few extra steps. Whether you're on a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, we've got you covered. 

Once you've mastered this, you might want to learn how to download from SoundCloud, how to download videos from Facebook, or even how to download Instagram Reels videos. In this guide we'll walk you through how to download videos from X. Ready to become a video-saving pro? Let's see how it's done. 

How to download videos from Twitter in your desktop browser

1. First, you need to find a Twitter video to download, so head to X in your browser of choice, be it Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari or another option.

2. Find a video to download. Note that people sometimes embed YouTube videos on X and downloading them is a different process. (Check out our guide for how to download videos from YouTube here.) 

You should only try the steps below on clips without a YouTube logo, such as this one of us engaging the Motorola Razr’s retro mode.

3. Click on the date below the video, and you’ll be taken to the URL of the tweet in question. Copy it from your address bar. 

4. Our pick of the myriad X video download sites is SaveTweetVid because, unlike some of its rivals, it doesn’t bombard you with popups. So head to www.savetweetvid.io in your browser.

5. Paste the URL into the white text box, and click "Download."

6. Pick the video quality you want. But remember that the higher the quality, the larger the file size.

7. The video will appear on the next page. Right click it, and select “Save video as” to download the video to your computer.

How to download videos from X/Twitter to an iPhone or iPad

Downloading videos on iOS is a bit more fiddly than using your desktop browser, but it’s still pretty straightforward when you know how.

1. First you need to download a free app from the Apple App Store. It’s called Documents: Files, PDF, Browser and it’s made by a company called Readdle Inc.

2. With that downloaded, open the X app and find the video you want to save.

3. Along the bottom of the tweet, there will be four icons. Tap the one on the far right — it has an arrow pointing upwards out of a tray.

4. Select “Copy Link."

5. Now leave X and open your new Documents app. Press the blue compass logo to open the browser — it’s in the bottom right on iPhone, or in the panel on the left on iPad.

6. In the browser, type or copy and paste the URL www.twdown.net into the address bar.

7. Paste the URL of the tweet you copied earlier into the box on site, and then pick the video quality you want.

8. Give the file a more memorable name, and then press “Done."

How to download videos from X/Twitter to an Android phone or tablet

Thankfully, the way to download videos on Android is far more streamlined.

1. Install the Download Twitter Videos app on your Android phone or tablet.

2. Open the video you want to download in the official Twitter app, and press the "Share" button. 

3. Press “Share via” and then scroll down the apps until you see the Download Twitter Videos icon. Tap it.

4. Tap the video quality you want, and the clip will be saved. And that's it — you’re done.

If you'd like some more guides on how to use Twitter then check out our articles on how to see who unfollowed you on Twitter, how to use audio Tweets on Twitter and how to turn iOS Live Photos into Twitter GIFs. 

In a surprise move, Apple released a password manager for Windows , though it's really something that's best for people who have an iPhone and use Windows only once in a while or at work.

The password manager is buried in the latest update of iCloud for Windows, version 12.5. Windows 10 users can download iCloud for Windows from the Microsoft Store.

• Apple should copy these Windows 11 features for macOS
• The best Mac antivirus software
• Plus: How to enable God Mode in Windows

Once you install or update iCloud for Windows, you'll see an entry on the iCloud dashboard marked "Passwords." Click on that, and a bare-bones password manager will pop up. It will display all the passwords saved in your iCloud Keychain, and you can add more passwords to the Keychain through this interface.

Ars Technica's Samuel Axon described the password manager as "bare-bones," and that's pretty accurate. As Axon put it, "it does the minimum and nothing else." There's no password generator and no option to store anything but usernames and passwords, such as credit-card numbers or personal information.

Double the browser extensions

You do, however, get the option of installing an Apple Passwords extension for Microsoft Edge. This complements the extension for Google Chrome, which came with iCloud for Windows 12.0. 

The extensions will let you autofill password form fields in both browsers. If you're using Firefox, you'll have to copy-and-paste from the Passwords desktop interface.

"When you enable the iCloud Passwords browser extension, the browser's built-in password-saving feature is turned off," Apple's release notes state. That's a good thing because browsers often don't do a great job of protecting your passwords.

There are more instructions for installing and using iCloud Passwords for PC scattered over the Apple support site, such as here, here and here.

Apple's iCloud Password on a PC is best thought of as a companion app for Apple-first people who have to use a PC at work, or for anyone who has an iPhone but uses Windows as their primary desktop OS. 

iCloud Passwords setup: What you'll need

To use Passwords as part of iCloud for Windows, you'll need to have an active Apple ID that was set up on an Apple device and have two-factor authentication (2FA) set up on your Apple account. You also have to have Windows Hello set up on your PC, whether you sign in with your face, your fingerprint or just a locally stored device PIN.

You'll also need an iOS device or a Mac running Big Sur or later. (We had only a 10-year-old Mac with High Sierra, so we were out of luck). As part of the setup process, Apple's 2FA will send a one-time code to your iPhone or iPad, which is secure. But the backup option is to send an SMS text message to your phone, which is the worst kind of 2FA. If only Apple would allow the use of authenticator apps.

After that, you should be all set. However, Apple's password manager is pretty limited in what it offers. Many stand-alone password managers (some of them are free) will still give you many more features, such as the ability to save other kinds of sensitive information and generate passwords.

Why would you want to know how to disable the pop-up blocker in your browser? After all, pop-ups are the scourge of the web: displaying annoying ads, fake security messages and other irritations that distract you from your browsing, and may even contain malicious code.

All the main desktop browsers now block pop-ups by default, so why on Earth would you unblock these pests? Well, the truth is that sometimes a pop-up is essential to the way a website works. 

It may open a link or button you need to click to verify your account, the site's terms and conditions that you need to agree to, or a live-chat window for speaking to customer service. But if your browser is set to block all pop-ups, then you won't be able to access these important options.

• Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Microsoft Edge: Which browser uses the most RAM?
• How to run a Safety Check in Google Chrome
• How to change your default browser on desktop and mobile

Fortunately, it's not difficult to disable the pop-up blocker in your browser, and not as dangerous as you'd think. While we certainly wouldn't advise turning it off altogether, you can choose to only allow pop-ups for the site you're currently viewing, and only for as long as you need to.

In our guide below, we'll explain how to disable the pop-up blocker in three different desktop browsers on your Windows PC: Chrome, Firefox and Edge. 

How to disable the pop-up blocker in Chrome 

When a site requires you to disable Chrome’s pop-up blocker, you’ll either see a message to that effect or you'll figure it out yourself when an important option doesn’t appear. Fortunately, this problem is very easy to fix. 

1. Click the padlock icon at the start of Chrome’s address bar to open the browser’s information panel for the current site.  

2. If you see a “Pop-ups & redirects” option, click the menu next to it and select Allow from the drop-down menu. Refresh the page and your pop-up blocker will now be disabled on the site you’re viewing — until you choose to re-enable it again. 

3. If you don’t see that option, click “Site settings” instead to open that page in Chrome’s Settings. 

Scroll down to “Pop-ups and redirects” in the Permissions section, click the drop-down menu next to it and choose Allow. This will disable your pop-up blocker on that site. 

4. If you want to allow pop-ups on more than one website, click the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner of the Chrome window and choose Settings.  

When the Settings page opens, either click “Privacy and security” in the left-hand menu or scroll down to that section in the center of the page. Select “Site settings.”

5. In the Content section, click the “Pop-ups & redirects” option. If you want to allow pop-ups on all websites, select “Sites can send pop-ups and use redirects.” However, for your sanity’s sake, we strongly wouldn’t recommend this!

Alternatively, leave the “Don't allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects” option selected and scroll down to the “Customized behaviors” section. Click the Add button next to “Allowed to send pop-ups and use redirects.” 

6. Type or copy and paste the URL of a site you want to allow to display pop-ups, then click Add.

Repeat this for each site on which you want to disable your pop-up blocker. You can revoke the permission later by following steps 1-3 above.

How to disable the pop-up blocker in Firefox

Like Chrome, Firefox lets you disable your pop-up blocker either only for the current site, for specific websites of your choice, or (if you really insist) for all sites. Here’s how to use all three methods. 

1. To disable your pop-up blocker on the website you're currently viewing in Firefox, click the padlock icon in the address bar and select "Connection secure" (or "Connection not secure" if you're visiting an HTTP site.)

Click "More Information" in the information panel that opens.

2. When the Page Info box opens, click the Permissions tab. Uncheck the "Use default" box for "Open pop-up windows," and select Allow. 

Firefox will now disable its pop-up blocker by default for the current website.

3. To disable Firefox's pop-up blocker on more than one site, click the three-line menu button in the top-right corner of the browser and choose Settings.

When the Settings page opens, click "Privacy and security" in the left-hand menu. 

4. Scroll down to the Permissions section. Here you can disable your pop-up blocker completely by unchecking the "Block pop-up windows" option. 

More sensibly, you can turn it off when viewing specific websites, by clicking the Exceptions button. 

5. Type or copy and paste the URL of a website on which you want to disable your pop-up blocker and click Allow. Repeat this for all the sites that you want to make exceptions, then click "Save Changes." 

You can re-enable pop-up blocking on a site by clicking the "Remove Website" button, or for every site by clicking "Remove All Websites."

How to disable the pop-up blocker in Edge

Microsoft Edge also lets you disable its pop-up blocker on a site-by-site basis, or for all web sites or just sites you specify. Here's where to find the relevant options.

1. To allow pop-ups on the site you're viewing in Edge, click the padlock icon in the address bar and choose "Permissions for this site."

2. Click the drop-down menu next to "Pop-ups and redirects," and choose Allow.

This will disable your pop-up blocker only for the current site (shown at the top of the page.).

3. To disable Edge's pop-up blocker for additional or all sites, click the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner of the browser and choose Settings.

Click "Cookies and site permissions" in the left-hand menu. 

4. Scroll down and click "Pop-ups and redirects." As with Chrome and Firefox, you can now disable your pop-up blocker completely (not recommended) by switching off the Block option. 

Otherwise, click the Add button next to Allow, and type or copy and paste the URLs of websites on which you want to permit pop-ups.

• More: How to uninstall Microsoft Edge
• How to change the default browser in Windows 11
• How to block a website in Chrome

If you're wondering how to disable the new Twitter font, you're not alone. The social network has now switched to its new "Chirp" font on its website and in its mobile app.

According to a Twitter blog post, "Chirp strikes the balance between messy and sharp to amplify the fun and irreverence of a Tweet, but can also carry the weight of seriousness when needed." 

That's all very well, and the new font does look more modern and, some might say, easier to read. However, not everyone likes change  — at least not at first — especially when it's foisted on them.

• How to download videos from Twitter
• How to delete a Twitter account

Although there's not much you can do to change the Chirp font in the Twitter app for Android and iOS (where it feels more at home), there is a workaround, shared by Twitter user Twilight Sparkle, that lets you restore the traditional font on the Twitter website.

Below, we'll explain how to get back the old Twitter font, until you're ready to switch to the new one.

How to disable the new Twitter font 

1. First, visit the Twitter website in your desktop web browser. It doesn’t matter which page is displayed. Don't like that new font? Don't worry!

2. You’ll now need to open your browser’s “Developer tools” Console panel.

In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+J on a Windows PC or Cmd+Opt+J on a Mac.

In Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+K in Windows or Cmd+Opt+K in macOS.

In Microsoft Edge on a Windows PC, you can either press Ctrl+Shift+I or just hit F12 to open Developer Tools.

In Safari on a Mac, go to Preferences, click Advanced, then select “Show Develop menu in menu bar.” Now press Cmd+Opt+C.

3. When the “Developer tools” panel opens in the right-hand side of your browser, click the Console tab if it isn’t already displayed.

4. Copy and paste the following code into the text entry field at the bottom of the Console, where you see a right-pointing arrow and a flashing cursor:

document.cookie="ab_decider=responsive_web_chirp_font_enabled=false&responsive_web_nav_visual_refresh_enabled=false"

5. Press Enter and refresh Twitter. You can either do this by clicking the Refresh or Reload button on your browser’s toolbar, or by pressing F5 on your Windows keyboard or Cmd+R on a Mac. 

6. The Twitter font will now be changed from the new style to the old one. 

Close the “Developer tools” panel and enjoy Twitter like you used to!

How to re-enable the new Twitter font 

If you change your mind and decide to give the new Twitter font a chance, you can go back to the future by disabling the old one. Here's how.

1. Follow steps 1 to 3 above to open the “Developer tools” Console panel in your browser, while viewing Twitter.

2. Copy and paste the following code into the Console in the same place as before:

document.cookie="ab_decider=responsive_web_chirp_font_enabled=true&responsive_web_nav_visual_refresh_enabled=true"

3. Press Enter and refresh/reload the page. The new Twitter font will now be reapplied. We’re sure you’ll get used to it, and even learn to like it!

• More: How to hide likes on Facebook

Learning how to save a web page as a PDF is extremely worthwhile. Maybe you’re downloading information for when you’re out and about without a reliable internet connection or perhaps you want to download a research paper so you can mark it up. 

Whatever the reason, being able to view a web page offline as PDF can be very convenient. Sure, you could just bookmark a web page or copy and paste the link, but that would require you to have a constant internet connection and that’s not always a guarantee. If you know you’re going to need access to a web page in the future, it’s best to have it saved as a PDF. 

• How to save a Word document as a PDF
• Best PDF editors in 2021
• How to combine PDF files

Logically you might assume that the “Save page as” function found in most browsers is the best way to go about saving a web page as a PDF. However, that option will actually save a page in HTML format. This isn't ideal for offline viewing, so it's better to save as a PDF instead. 

Don’t worry if you’re unsure how to save a web page as a PDF, as you’ve come to the right place. Below you’ll find easy-to-follow instructions for how to save a web page as a PDF in every major browser on desktop and mobile. 

How to save a web page as a PDF in Chrome 

1. Click the three-dot button in the top-right corner of the Chrome browser and select the Print option in the menu. Alternatively, press Ctrl+P to skip this step.
2. In the Print window, click the down arrow to the right of the Destination heading to bring up a drop-down menu. From this submenu, select "Save as PDF."
3. You can click "More settings" if you want to set additional requirements like page size and scaling. Once you’re happy with your PDF, click Save at the bottom of the window.
4. You’ll now be asked to select where on your PC you want the PDF saved. Select a location, and then click Save.  

How to save a web page as a PDF in Microsoft Edge 

1. Click the three-dot button in the top right corner of the Microsoft Edge browser and select the Print option. You can also press Ctrl+P to skip straight to step 2.
2. In the Print pop-up window click the down arrow underneath Printer and select "Save as PDF."
3. You can use the Layout and Pages options located in the Print pop-up window to make formatting changes, as well as clicking "More settings" for options such as the number of pages and scaling.
4. Click the Save button and you’ll be asked to choose where on your PC the PDF will be saved. Select a location and click Save again to complete the process.  

How to save a web page as a PDF in Firefox 

1. Click the three line button located in the top-right corner of the Firefox browser, and select the "Print…" option.
2. In the resulting window click Print in the top-left corner.
3. When the next window opens, select "Microsoft Print to PDF" from the printer options and then click the Print button.
4. You’ll be asked to pick a file name and save location. After doing, this click Save.  

How to save a web page as a PDF in Safari 

1. Click File in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Choose "Export as PDF…" from the menu.
2. A new window will open. From here, you can enter a file name and select a save location.
3. Once you’ve done that, click the Save button. Safari really does make it easy.  

How to save a web page as a PDF on iOS  

1. Open the web page you want to save as a PDF in the Safari app for iOS and press the Share button. It's the one with an arrow pointing up from a square box.
2. Press the Options button that will appear under the web page title.
3. Select PDF from the list of options, then press Done.
4. Next, press "Save to Files."
5. You’ll be asked to select a destination on your device where the PDF will be saved. Press Save to finish.  

How to save a web page as a PDF on Android 

1. Open the web page you want to save as a PDF in the Chrome app for Android. Tap the three-dot button located in the top-right corner and select Share.
2. A pop-up menu will appear on your screen, from here press Print.
3. Tap the down arrow on the top-right corner of your screen and choose "Save as PDF" from the options menu.
4. You can use the down arrow under Paper Size to choose several options such as the number of pages and scaling if required.
5. Once you’re ready to save your PDF, press the blue PDF button, which should be on the right of your screen.   

For more file format guides, make sure you check out how to convert JPG to PDF on Windows PC and Mac, how to convert HEIC to JPG on Windows and how to change HEIC to JPG on iPhone, how to open HEIC files on Windows.

Mozilla’s Firefox, the once prevalent internet browser, has reportedly lost 46 million users over the past three years. The likely culprits are  the lack of significant updates and the overwhelming popularity of browsers like Google Chrome. Even Microsoft was making this challenging for Mozilla, coercing users to use Edge, before changing its mind after much public outcry.

The website Itsfoss.com was first to break the news after examining Firefox’s Pubic Date Report. In the report, it shows a steady decline that spanned the course of three years. At the end of 2018, Firefox had over 244 million active users. Fast forward to 2021 and there’s only 198 million active users left. That’s a significant drop in a short amount of time. 

• Firefox vs Chrome: Which browser is best
• How to clear the cache in Firefox
• Plus: MacBook Pro 2021 reportedly enters mass production — it could be this big

Firefox wasn’t always struggling to maintain users. At one point, it competed with the likes of Internet Explorer, which was king in the early 2000s. Back in 2008, Firefox accounted for around 30% of all browser usage. That was of course before Google’s Chrome was on solid footing.

Nowadays, Chrome towers over other desktop and mobile browsers with its 65% market share. This is partly because of Google's constant updates and dominance on Android devices. It’s also because both Firefox and Microsoft's new Edge browser can’t seem to evolve quickly enough to compete. Although, Edge is now Chromium based, so it's closer to Chrome.

Mozilla’s Firefox won’t disappear overnight. It still has a large number of users, and it's the default browser for Linux users. And of course, not all users are pleased with Chrome, which is still a memory hog. That said, if this downward spiral continues, it could spell trouble for Firefox, which makes 94% of its revenue from royalties earned through web browser search partnerships.

Essentially, the more users Firefox loses, the less money it makes. Earlier this year, Mozilla did see a radical redesign, and has doubled-down on password security and VPN features. Mozilla is still a light browser overall, and the addition of features could help it better compete with Google Chrome, but if this downward trend continues it could spell doom for Firefox. 

• More: Best Android browsers

If you want to learn how to uninstall Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, you wouldn’t be alone. Despite the current Chromium-based version of Microsoft’s browser being a much better browser than previous iterations of Edge, it’s still an unpopular browser.

Although you need a pre-installed browser on your PC in order to, y’know, install other browsers, many people take exception to having Edge forced upon them and not being able to get rid of it after they’ve used it to install Chrome, Firefox, Opera or other browsers.

And Edge is forced upon you by Microsoft. You see, Edge is now firmly integrated within Windows 10 and seemingly can’t be removed. It also opens automatically as the default app for certain tasks. So you’re stuck with it, right?

Wrong. It is in fact possible to remove Edge by using Command Prompt, and we’re going to show you the steps. If you’re a Windows 11 user, be warned: this process may throw up some issues as Microsoft is determined to push its Edge browser in its latest operating system.

To get started, we’ll look at the easiest way to uninstall Microsoft Edge, just in case it works for you. 

How to uninstall Microsoft Edge through Windows 10 Settings 

If you installed Microsoft Edge by downloading the browser manually, rather than it installing automatically through Windows Update, you should be able to uninstall it using the following simple method. 

1. Open the Settings app in Windows 10 by clicking the Start button and selecting the gear icon. When the Settings window opens, click Apps. 

2. In the “Apps & features” window, scroll down to “Microsoft Edge.” Select that item and click the Uninstall button. If this button is greyed out, sadly you’re out of luck and will need to use an alternative method.  

3. If you’ve installed the Beta, Developer, or Canary version of Edge, you'll be able to click Uninstall to remove the program. However, you’ll still be stuck with the latest stable version of Edge.

How to uninstall Microsoft Edge with Command Prompt 

You can forcibly uninstall Edge from Windows 10 through Command Prompt, using the commands we’ll provide below. But first, you'll need to find out exactly which version of Edge is installed on your PC.

1. Open Edge and click the three-line button in the top-right corner of the browser. Select “Help & feedback,” then “About Microsoft Edge.” 

Make a note of the version number below the browser name at the top of the page, or copy and paste it somewhere for reference.

2. Next, open Command Prompt as an administrator. To do this, type "cmd" in the Windows search box and select “Run as administrator” next to Command Prompt at the top of the results list. 

3. When Command Prompt opens, type (or copy and paste) the following command, but replace the “xxx” with the Edge version number from step 1, for example “92.0.902.62."

cd %PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Microsoft\Edge\Application\xxx\Installer 

Press Enter and Command Prompt will switch to Edge’s Installer folder. Now type (or copy and paste) the following command:

setup.exe --uninstall --system-level --verbose-logging --force-uninstall

4. Press Enter and Edge will instantly be uninstalled from Windows 10, without you needing to restart your PC. 

The browser's shortcut icon will disappear from your taskbar, though you may still see an Edge entry in the Start menu. However, this won’t do anything when clicked. 

How to uninstall Microsoft Edge: Stop Edge reinstalling 

Even after you’ve successfully uninstalled Microsoft Edge, there’s still a chance it could come back when you install future Windows updates. You can stop this happening using a simple registry tweak.

1. Type "regedit" in the Windows search box and click “Run as administrator” next to Registry Editor.  

2. When the Registry Editor opens, navigate to the following key, or just copy and paste it into the Registry Editor address bar:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft

3. Right-click the Microsoft folder, and select New, then Key. Name the key “EdgeUpdate” and then right-click it. Select New, then “DWORD (32-bit) Value” and call it “DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium.” 

4. Once you’ve created the new DWORD Value, double-click it to open it and change its value to “1.” Click OK to confirm, then exit the Registry Editor. 

Your Windows 10 PC should now be completely free of Microsoft Edge. If you decide you want the browser after all, just change the value you created to “0” and download Edge from Microsoft. 

For more Windows themed tutorials, make sure you read our guides on how to uninstall a Windows update, how to install Windows 11 and how to turn off Windows Defender. If you've just upgraded to Windows 11, you might be interested in learning how to change the Windows 11 Start Menu back to Windows 10. If you're a Chrome user, read our guide on how to set Chrome flags to test out some cool, experimental features.

You should turn off autofill in your password manager, and stop using some browser password managers altogether, argues a Czech security researcher.

"Most password managers have the autofill feature enabled by default, even though it reduces the security of the stored password," said Marek Toth, a penetration tester at Avast, in a recent blog post.

• Microsoft now lets you log in without any password at all
• The best password managers you can get
• Plus: How to download YouTube videos in Chrome

Autofilling is when your password manager fills in the username and password fields in a website's login page with your saved credentials without you actively prompting the password manager. 

The characters pasted into the field can then be "read" by scripts present in the login page — such as might be preset in an online ad that has nothing to do with the page itself — and those scripts will be able to copy and send your username and password anywhere. 

Of course, those scripts could also read your username and password when you actively fill in the fields when logging in, but at least you have control over when that happens. 

Autofilling tries to fill those fields all the time. Malicious scripts can and sometimes do create invisible login fields that you can't see to catch those credentials without your knowledge, as three researchers discovered in 2017.

Toth found that most major web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, Opera and Vivaldi automatically filled in usernames and passwords by default, as did the stand-alone password managers LastPass, Dashlane and Sticky Password. 

The Safari and Brave browsers did not autofill passwords, Toth said, nor did the 1Password, RoboForm and Bitwarden password managers. Another password manager, Keeper, will autofill passwords on a site-by-site basis with user permission.

"By activating autofill by default, our users perceive the value of a password manager sooner," Dashlane Chief Technology Officer Frédéric Rivain told us. "This ultimately increases their chances to continue using a password manager and thus become more and more secure."

"The autofill also provides an anti-phishing protection as Dashlane only suggests users' information on the specific website linked to their password," Rivain added. "The only vulnerability identified is when an attacker has modified the website you're logging into, in which case they can steal your password whether or not you have autofill enabled."

"We are constantly evaluating ways to improve the autofill flow to protect our users while still offering a convenient login experience," said Dan DeMichele, vice president of product management at LastPass. "we always recommend users only visit sites and click on links that they trust to prevent against potential attempts to steal login information."

"If the user wants to be in control of the credential filling, this option is available as an extension preference setting and, for Business users, as a policy," DeMichele added. "Delivering a secure service for our users remains our top priority."

We've got instructions below on how to disable autofill in Dashlane, LastPass and the browsers in which it's possible.

See what happens for yourself

You can see what Toth is talking about by using his online demonstration. Enter a fake username and password into the login fields on this page, and let your browser or password manager save the credentials:

https://websecurity.dev/password-managers/login/

Then go in the same browser to this page. You may have to click somewhere on the page or click on the "Allow Notifications" box for this work:

https://websecurity.dev/password-managers/autofill/

If your browser or password manager automatically fills in passwords, you'll see the username and password you typed in displayed on the page. 

That's a major security risk because not only you can see those credentials, but a malicious script embedded in the web page might be able to as well. 

Modern websites are full of third-party tracking scripts, embedded frames and dynamic ads that often have nothing to do with the company running the website, and any one of those elements might be able to steal your username and password.

This isn't a new discovery, to be sure. We found several older blog posts by different researchers advocating against letting browsers and password managers autofill passwords. Here's a demo, related to the 2017 study mentioned earlier, that tests whether browsers are autofilling:

https://senglehardt.com/demo/no_boundaries/loginmanager/index.html

And here are the results:

How to disable autofilling

So how do you get around this? 

Well, first of all, stop using browsers to save your passwords, or at least sensitive passwords such as those for social media, email and anything that involves credit cards or financial transactions, including banking and shopping sites. It's already too easy to steal saved passwords from web browsers in other ways.

You can't even disable autofilling in many Chromium-based browsers, including Chrome, Opera and Vivaldi. Brave is an exception because it doesn't autofill to begin with, and Edge has a special Microsoft-only setting. 

How to disable autofilling in Firefox

1. Open a new tab.

2. Click the gear icon at the top right of the page.

3. Scroll down to and click Manage more settings.

4. Click Privacy and Security in the left-hand navigation bar.

5. Scroll down to Logins and Passwords and deselect "Autofill logins and password".

How to disable autofilling in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft gets around Chromium's limitations by adding a Windows security check if you disable autofill. You'll have to input your Windows user password if you want the browser to fill in your passwords.

1. Click the three horizontal dots at the top right of the browser window.

2. Scroll down to and click Settings.

3. In the Personal profile window that appears, select Passwords.

4. Under "Offer to save passwords/Sign in", select "With device password."

5. Enter your Windows user password.

How to disable autofilling in LastPass

Instead of using a browser to save your passwords, use a password manager. LastPass is our top choice among best password managers, but it's one of the main offenders in autofilling. 

The option is turned on by default, even though if you turn autofilling off and then turn it back on again, you get a big fat warning pop-up telling you it's a security risk. 

Here's how to turn off autofilling in LastPass:

1. Click the LastPass extension icon in your web browser.

2. Scroll down to and click Account Options.

3. Click Extension Preferences.

4. Under General, deselect "Automatically fill login information".

LastPass will still work fine after you make this change. To log into websites for which LastPass has saved the credentials, you'll just have to click the LastPass icon that displays in each login form field.

How to disable autofilling in Dashlane

The other big password manager that autofills by default is Dashlane. You'll have to disable autofill on a site-by-site basis.

1. Open the Dashlane web interface, mobile app or desktop application.

2. Select the credential you want to edit.

3. Under Autofill options, deselect "Automatically log me into this website".

• How to change the default browser in Windows 11

Knowing how to export Chrome bookmarks is important if you're switching from Chrome to another browser. Otherwise, you'll have to visit all those saved sites in your new browser and bookmark them all over again, which can be frustrating.

Thankfully, it's not difficult to export your Chrome bookmarks to another web browser, such as Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge. You can have all your saved sites transferred and ready to access whenever you need them.

In our guide below, we'll show you the easiest way to export all your Chrome bookmarks and import them into Firefox or Edge. If you're planning to go the other way, and switch from one of those browsers to Chrome (or back to Chrome), we'll also explain how to import bookmarks to Chrome.

Keep in mind that you can only export Chrome bookmarks in the desktop version of the browser and not in the mobile app for Android and iOS.

How to export Chrome bookmarks to Firefox and Edge 

1. Open the Chrome desktop browser and click the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner. Move your mouse down to Bookmarks and select “Bookmark manager” from the side menu.

You can also open the Chrome Bookmark manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+O on your keyboard.

2. When the Bookmark manager opens, click the three-dot button in the top-right corner and choose “Export bookmarks.” 

3. This will open a Save As box that lets you export your Chrome bookmarks as an HTML file. By default, this is named “bookmarks [today’s date],” but you can rename it if you want.

Choose a folder to export your bookmarks file to, and click Save.

4. To import your Chrome bookmarks into Firefox, click the three-line menu button in the top-right corner of that browser and choose Bookmarks, then “Manage Bookmarks.” 

5. Click the “Import & Backup” button and choose “Import Bookmarks from HTML.” Locate and select the HTML file you saved in step 3 and click Open to import your Chrome bookmarks.

These will appear in a new bookmarks folder called “From Google Chrome.”

6. To import your Chrome bookmarks into Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner of that browser, move your mouse down to Favorites and select Import from the side menu.  

7. When the Import box opens, choose Google Chrome in the “Import from” drop-down menu and select the correct profile. 

Uncheck all the boxes except “Favorites or bookmarks” (unless you want to import other Chrome data) and click Import. 

How to export Chrome bookmarks: Import bookmarks into Chrome 

If you want to switch from another browser to Chrome, it’s easy to take your bookmarks or “favorites” with you. You don’t even need to export them as an HTML file. Here’s how to do it.

1. Click the three-line menu button in Chrome and choose “Import bookmarks and settings” in the Bookmarks menu.

2. Select the browser you want to import from in the drop-down menu and ensure that the “Favourites/bookmarks” option is ticked (deselect any data you don’t want to import.)

Click Import to continue.

3. Chrome will now import your bookmarks and display a message saying that they’re ready. Click Done to close this box and return to the browser. 

• More: How to change your default browser on desktop and mobile
• How to hack the Chrome dinosaur game
• How to enable Google package tracking 

Knowing how to clear the cache in Firefox helps you speed up the browser when its performance is noticeably lagging.

As in other web browsers, the Firefox cache stores temporary files such as images from the sites you visit, such as images, style sheets, and multimedia content. This means that when you revisit those sites, Firefox is able to load their pages more quickly.

The trouble is that all these locally stored elements take up valuable space on your hard drive and mobile device, and can actually slow down your browser over time.

• How to reset Mozilla Firefox
• How to clear the cache in Chrome
• How to clear Android cache

Fortunately, it's very easy to clear the cache in Firefox, both in the desktop version of the browser and the mobile app. You can do so without losing important site data, such as the cookies that store your login details for websites, and your browsing history.

Here's how to clear the cache in Firefox on your PC, Mac, phone, and tablet.

How to clear the cache in Firefox: In the desktop browser

1. Click the three-line menu button in the top-right corner of the Firefox desktop browser and choose Settings. When the Settings page opens, click “Privacy & Security” on the left-hand side. 

2. Scroll down to the “Cookies and Site Data” section. This will tell you how much disk space your stored cookies, site data, and cache are currently using: more than one gigabyte in our case! 

Click “Clear Data” to continue. 

3. When the Clear Data box opens, check the box to clear “Cached Web Content.” You can also delete “Cookies and Site Data” but, as doing so signs you out of websites, it's better to uncheck this option. 

Click Clear to perform the deletion. 

4. Another way to clear the cache in Firefox is to click the three-line menu button, choose History, and select “Clear Recent History.” 

5. When the Clear Recent History box opens, uncheck all the boxes in the History section except Cache. You can optionally choose to clear "Browsing history and site data" too.

Select Everything from the “Time range to clear” drop-down menu and click OK. 

How to clear the cache in Firefox: In the Android browser

1. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the corner of the Firefox app for Android (this will either be top-right or bottom-right depending on where you’ve placed your toolbar) and select Settings. 

Swipe down to the “Privacy and security” section and choose “Delete browsing data.”  

2. Uncheck all the options except “Cached images and files” and press “Delete browsing data.” Confirm that you want Firefox to delete the selected browsing data by tapping Delete. 

A “Browsing data deleted” message will appear at the bottom of your screen.

3. You can also set the Firefox mobile browser to clear your cache automatically when you close the app. Go back to the Settings screen and choose “Delete browsing data on quit.” 

Switch on that option and again choose “Cached images and files” from the options below. Firefox will now delete this data every time you exit the browser.

How to clear the cache in Firefox: in the iOS browser

1. Tap the three-line menu button in the top-corner of the Firefox app for iPhone and iPad. Select Settings, swipe down to the Privacy section and choose Data Management.

2. On the Data Management screen, select Cache and "Offline Web Site Data," but switch off the other options unless you want to clear your browsing history, cookies, and downloads too. 

Tap Clear Private Data, then press OK to perform the deletion and speed up Firefox on your iPhone or iPad. 

• More: Chrome vs Firefox vs Microsoft Edge: Which browser gobbles up the most RAM?
• How to clear cache on iPhone

It's more important than ever to know how to scan a QR code on Android, with the coronavirus pandemic having given these pixelated squares a new lease of life.

QR codes provide a speedy means of sharing and receiving information, and post-Covid many businesses are now asking customers to scan QR codes to check into their venues, download their apps and place their orders.

• How to scan a QR code on an iPhone or iPad
• How to delete apps on Android
• How to take a screenshot on Android

There are hundreds of QR code scanners for Android devices in the Google Play store, but many are stuffed with ads or have dubious privacy policies. Besides, your phone should be able to scan QR codes without you needing to install an app. (But beware scam QR codes, which do exist and are easily to stick anywhere.)

Here are the best methods to use to scan a QR code on your Android device.

How to scan a QR code on Android: Use your Android camera app

Most Android phones now let you scan QR codes using the built-in camera app, to save you installing a third-party QR code reader. If your phone is running Android 9 (Pie) or later, its camera will offer this feature through integration with Google Lens.

Simply open the camera app and point it at a QR code for a few seconds, until it comes into focus — there’s no need to take a photo. Google Lens will automatically detect and decipher the code and display a link, usually to a web page. Tap this link to open and view the code’s contents.

If nothing happens when you scan a QR code with your camera, you may need to activate Google Lens manually. Go into your camera app’s settings and switch on Google Lens there. 

On Samsung phones, which use their own technology for scanning QR codes, ensure that "Scan QR codes" is turned on in the Camera app’s settings. You can also access the "Scan QR code" option by swiping down from the top of your screen to open the Quick Settings tray.

How to scan a QR code on older Android phones

If your phone is running Android 8 (Oreo), you can scan QR codes with Google Lens via Google Assistant. Either long-press the Home button or say “Hey Google” to open Assistant, then tap the Google Lens icon. Alternatively, install the Google Lens app to add a shortcut to your home screen.

On older phones that run Android 7 (Nougat) or earlier, you’ll need to install a third-party app to scan QR codes. We recommend QR Code & Barcode Scanner, which works quickly even when you’re some distance from a code and doesn’t require an internet connection. Also, unlike many free QR code scanners, it’s completely free of ads.

How to scan a QR code with your Android browser

Rather than scan a QR code with your camera app and then open its link separately in your browser, some Android browsers let you scan and open codes directly.

On Samsung phones, you can activate this option in the Samsung Internet browser. Tap the three-line button in the bottom-right corner of the screen, choose Settings and select "Useful features." Switch on "QR code scanner," then tap your address bar and select "QR code icon" to add a scanning shortcut to the browser.

In Firefox for Android, you can scan a QR code simply by tapping the address bar and pressing Scan. Similarly, in the Edge app for Android, just tap the camera icon in the search box and choose Barcode. 

Oddly, Google offers a QR-code scanning feature in the iOS version of Chrome, but not in its Android browser, although Chrome for Android does let you generate your own QR codes.

• More: How to backup and restore text messages on Android

Mozilla has rolled out a new version of Firefox complete with an overhauled design that makes it look fresher — and simpler — than ever.

One of the biggest changes in Firefox 89 concerns tabs; these are now visibly bigger, with the one you’re focusing on floating above the toolbar at the top of the browser. It’s a neat little design quirk and one that sets it apart from Chrome, where individual tabs are attached to the toolbar and can be difficult to make out if you have lots open. 

• Google Chrome vs Firefox vs Edge: Which browser uses the most resources?
• These are the best Google Chrome extensions you can download right now
• How to clear the cache in Firefox

The changes were revealed in a blog post yesterday, with Mozilla’s MJ Kelly explaining that “Firefox sports a fresh new design that gets you where you’re going online, fast and distraction-free."

Other design changes include new icons and typography, while menus have been decluttered and consolidated to make it easier to find the settings users are looking for.

That simplification is evident with notifications, too: alerts are now less intrusive thanks to a size reduction and Firefox 89 also removes non-essential alerts and messages altogether. Best of all, the new version of Firefox has some clever tweaks to avoid annoying autoplay videos: media autoplay is now turned off by default and you can easily mute a noisy tab by clicking on it. 

Users will be pleased to know that the improvements extend beyond just Firefox's fresh new looks; it's also delivered a bunch of improved privacy protections which help it keep pace with Chrome 91's recent round of security fixes.

Chief among them is the Total Cookie Protection feature, which has been switched from an optional strict setting to always-on in private browsing. As Kelly explains, “Any time a site deposits a cookie, Firefox locks it up in its own cookie jar so that it can’t be shared with any other website.”

The new Firefox is being rolled out now for desktop and mobile browsers, although we couldn't yet access it on Android. Expect to see it arrive on your device very soon. 

More: The best Chromebooks 2021

Firefox will soon be a thing of the past on Amazon’s Fire TV and Echo Show devices. Mozilla announced that it’s ending Fire TV support for its browser on April 30, three years after it arrived on Amazon’s streaming devices.

You’ll still be able to use Firefox if you have it installed, but it will no longer receive security updates. As Mozilla is delisting it from the Amazon Appstore, you also won’t be able to perform a fresh install of Firefox, including if you’d previously uninstalled it.

• Check out the best streaming devices right now
• The best streaming services to watch
• Plus: PS5 restocks got you down? Sony bringing ‘popular’ games to phones

Mozilla didn’t state a reason for it ditching Firefox on the Fire TV and Echo Show product lines, though it may sadden users who preferred an alternative to Amazon’s Silk browser. As it stands, after April 30 Silk will be the only browser app that the Fire TV and Echo Show devices will support.

Both Firefox and Silk arrived on Fire TV in late 2017, seemingly in response to Google pulling support for the Echo Show’s YouTube app. The two browsers thus offered a workaround that would let users stream videos from the Google-owned platform, even without the dedicated app.

YouTube later returned to Fire TV in the form of the YouTube TV app, which may have contributed to a fall in browser usage — why use a workaround when the real thing is available again?

Granted, there’s still no YouTube app for the Echo Show range, so a browser is still necessary if you want to watch YouTube videos on your Amazon smart display. If you want to brave the lack of security updates, you can still install Firefox on your Echo Show before April 30, though otherwise you’ll need to use Silk to stream any YouTube content.

Tech-savvy Fire TV owners could also try installing Firefox’s Android TV version, using the APK from APK Mirror.

• More: Why do streaming sites block VPNs?

An app developer was so tired of dealing with RAM hungry Chrome, that he developed an app for Mac to deal with the problem. Called Flotato, the app takes Chrome tabs and turn it into lightweight app windows.

With Flotato, the sites you're using are transformed into web browsers that serve a single app each. You can open a Flotato window for the web version of Twitter, for instance, and that’s all that app will run. 

• These are the best Chrome apps worth downloading
• Keep your laptop secure with the best Mac antivirus software
• Plus: New ThinkPad X13 packs two big upgrades I wish my MacBook Pro had

Flotato's lead developer Morten Just laid out his use case for the intriguing app in a blog post. He initially noticed something was wrong from the constant loud fan noise from his Mac when browsing Chrome. 

After developing the app, he ended up testing several tabs on sites like Twitter and Gmail to see how Flotato could reduce the average RAM in use with Chrome and Safari. On average, using Twitter in a single tab required a taxing 730 MB of memory, while Safari needed 73 MB. Flotato undercut both with just 63 MB. 

In another session, Just opened Twitter and Gmail in Safari, reaching nearly 80 MB of RAM and CPU usage. Flotato was able to reduce that total by about 10MB while running Twitter for mobile. Impressively, in another massive test, Just ran a 54-tab stress test on his Mac. Chrome required 290 MB, while Safari needed 12 MB. These tests tell a story that's all too familiar. 

Using Chrome for a variety of tasks will often result in RAM use skyrocketing. As Just notes in his test, Chrome still works to manage its memory usage to keep performance high. Safari, on the other hand, doesn't consume as much RAM, so the Mac's fans rarely need to spin wildly to keep up. 

Chrome will slow down when inundated with tabs due its high memory usage. With high CPU and RAM usage, your entire computer's performance begins to suffer. And, if you're like Just, you may just be unable to hear your podcast over your fans.

That's where Flotato comes in. If you're routinely using Chrome or another browser that produces the same results, it could save you some time and frustration.

When you decide you want to spawn a new browser with it, Flotato will set an appropriate icon to help keep track. You can even choose a live image of the website if you want to keep an eye on changes. 

Using Mac's WebKit, Flotato then allows you to have all of your "apps" running with significantly less RAM usage. There's no plugins, browser renderer, or other additions on top of Flotato that need memory to run. . 

Flotato is free for use with a few different apps. If you need additional tabs, it costs $14.99 for a pro version with unlimited app support.  

• More: Google Chrome just fixed the worst thing about web browsing — how to get it now 

A few years ago, gaming company Corsair put out an amusing advertisement that quickly went viral. In it, a man wearing a Google Chrome shirt greedily devours a plate of RAM-shaped cookies, while another man in an Adobe Photoshop shirt takes a dainty bite of one, then puts the rest back.

It was a damning indictment of Chrome — even if it was missing some important context. For the record, Google Chrome really does go to town on your computer’s memory, and I had a good laugh along with everyone else. But it also got me thinking: Does Chrome really gobble up more than its fair share of RAM? And, if so, do other popular Internet browsers take a more conservative approach?

• How Chrome, Edge and Firefox protect your privacy
• Try the best Android browsers
• Plus: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti could be coming — but there's a catch

I tested Chrome against Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge, and my findings were quite interesting. Despite its reputation for being a real RAM hog, Chrome did not perform the worst. In fact, Chrome was mostly in the middle, while Firefox used up the most RAM overall. Microsoft Edge used up the least RAM in every single test.

Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Edge: How I tested 

A quick refresher: Random access memory, or RAM, is a place to store data for short-term processing. Your computer needs RAM to render text, images, music, videos — essentially, all the things you find on a website. That's why browsers need a lot of RAM, particularly as you open more tabs.

To see how much RAM each browser required, I shut down every nonessential program on my PC, then booted up one browser at a time. In that browser, I opened 10 tabs that might come up in everyday life: Google, Tom’s Guide, Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, YouTube and so forth. (I also opened up the Corsair homepage, since that company inspired this whole experiment.)

I used Guest profiles in Chrome and Edge, and a “clean” profile in Firefox, in order to prevent extensions or bookmarks from clogging things up. From there, all I had to do was monitor memory usage in Windows Task Manager.

The second step was to see how each browser handled massive amounts of data. When a browser has a ton of tabs open, rather than try to run each one simultaneously, it will often prioritize and optimize data in order to save RAM. This time around, I kept the initial 10 tabs, then added 10 more from equally demanding sites: eBay, Best Buy, the New York Times, Disney Plus and Google Stadia, to name a few. 

Next, to really tax each browser I opened a whopping 60 tabs in Chrome, Firefox and Edge. I opened three copies apiece of each website from the 20-tab test. For the final test, I opened up each browser twice, and launched 20 tabs in each instance. This replicates a user multitasking — writing in one window, and researching in another, for example.

Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Edge: RAM usage results 

Running 10 tabs took up 952 MB of memory in Chrome, while Firefox took up 995 MB. The real surprise, however, was Edge, weighing in at only 873 MB of memory. That Edge made such a great showing is less surprising when you remember that Microsoft’s browser now runs on the same Chromium architecture as Chrome. But to beat Google at its own game is still impressive.

With the 20-tab test, Chrome performed the weakest , eating up 1.8 GB RAM, compared to Firefox at 1.6 GB and Edge at only 1.4 GB.

Edge continued to perform the best when I loaded 60 tabs in a single browser window, taking up 2.9 GB of RAM, versus 3.7 GB for Chrome and 3.9 GB for Firefox. The results here were much starker than the 20-tab test, as Firefox required a whole extra gig of memory, compared to Edge. On the other hand, not every user needs 60 tabs open simultaneously, so consider whether this use-case might apply to you.

On the final test, with 40 tabs open across two instances (20 tabs apiece), Edge required 2.5 GB RAM altogether, while Chrome needed 2.8 GB and Firefox needed 3.0 GB. These figures are roughly double what the 20-tab test required, which is not terribly surprising — except for Chrome, which seems to be a little bit better about optimizing data across two windows.

Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Edge: Observations 

Microsoft has made a big to-do about Edge being a real contender in the Web-browsing space, and my results suggest that the company isn’t just blowing smoke. It really is leaner and meaner than either Chrome or Firefox. The difference isn’t night-and-day, particularly if your system has a lot of RAM to play with, but this could be a big deal for lower-powered PCs — especially lightweight laptops.

It’s important to remember that my tests weren’t highly scientific. RAM usage will vary somewhat depending on your system, and will vary tremendously depending on what kind of websites you visit, and which extensions you use. 

Does this make Edge the “best” Web browser? Not necessarily. A browser should be lightweight, sure, but it should also load your favorite websites without a hitch, run the extensions you want, protect you from malware and so forth. This test didn’t evaluate any of those factors, so you’ll have to decide for yourself whether it’s worth making the switch.

But if nothing else, it’s good to know that Chrome isn’t as bad with RAM as I thought — and that Microsoft Edge beats both Chrome and Firefox.

• How to change the default browser in Windows 11

A stealthy new Windows Trojan steals saved passwords, session cookies, hardware and software information and other valuable items from the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers and from Windows itself. 

The malware — dubbed Jupyter by its finders at Israeli security firm Morphisec — has been active since at least May 2020, but it escaped detection by most antivirus software until last week.

• The best antivirus software to keep your Windows polished
• 350,000 people exposed in Capcom data breach — what to do
• Plus: Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti performance just leaked — and AMD should be worried

That's partly because unlike most malware, Jupyter runs mostly in memory and leaves very little trace on a system's hard drive. Unfortunately, rebooting the machine doesn't get rid of the malware because it adds its setup routine to the Startup folder to reinstall itself when the machine boots.

Unlike many information stealers, Jupyter also has the ability to download and run additional software and creates a backdoor by which its operators — thought to be Russian cybercriminals — can remotely seize control of a Windows machine. (The name comes from an image of the planet, with the file name misspelled, used as the background of the malware's administrative panel.)

"Morphisec has monitored a steady stream of forensic data to trace multiple versions of Jupyter starting in May 2020," state a Morphisec blog post and the full Morphisec report. "While many of the C2s [malware command-and-control servers] are no longer active, they consistently mapped to Russia when we were able to identify them."

This story was first reported by Danny Palmer at ZDNet.

How Jupyter infects your machine

Jupyter arrives in the form of an email attachment purporting to be a Microsoft Word or Excel document regarding routine workplace or academic matters. Morphisec discovered the malware while "assisting a higher-education customer [likely a college or university] in the U.S. with their incident response."

But the attachment is really a program of its own which opens a Windows PowerShell script that triggers a complex series of events that ends up installing at least two different information-stealing functions in system memory. 

One function collects information about the infected machine; the other steals passwords, login session cookies, autocomplete items and digital certificates from Chrome or Firefox. 

Session cookies are what keep you logged into an online service, such as Facebook or Twitter, semi-permanently until you actively log out. Many such cookies are valid for months or even year, and would give anyone who stole them access to your account if you were still logged in using the same cookie.

The crooks would have to make it seem like they were accessing the service from your machine, but they could do so by using the machine profile the first information-stealing function already grabbed.

How to avoid Jupyter infection

As of this writing, most of the best antivirus programs detect at least one of the dozen or so Jupyter components unearthed by Morphisec. 

You can also give Jupyter little to steal if you don't let your browser save your passwords — use one of the best password managers instead — and by logging out of online accounts when you've finished using them for the day. And, of course, you should scan email attachments with your antivirus program before opening them.

But since many of the malware's core functions depend on using administrative-level Windows tools, another way to avoid infection would be to conduct most of your daily Windows work in a limited-user account that doesn't have administration rights. 

If you're logged in as a limited user and a windows pops up requesting an administrative account's password when you're just opening a Word document or an Excel file, then you'll know something is fishy. Deny the request for the admin password and start a full-system malware scan immediately.

 Losing your laptop is a costly inconvenience at best, and a significant threat to your digital security at worst.

While the practical consequences may vary depending on who gets their hands on your device — a petty thief who's just looking to pawn the hardware versus someone with the basic knowledge to hack your passwords (or worse) — there are a number of steps you can and should take to mitigate any possible damage. 

You can also implement preventive measures to minimize the security risk if your laptop is ever lost or stolen. 

• The best antivirus software to keep your laptop clean
• Best laptop bags to tote your Thinkpad

Change your account passwords

This is the first step most security experts recommend if you lose possession of your laptop. If someone else can log into your device, then they'll likely have access to most or all of your online accounts — especially if you use your device's or browser's keychain to autofill your usernames and passwords. 

Start with your email password. Make that password long, strong and unique. Your email account is the key to your other accounts, as a thief can use it to reset login information.

Then enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your email account if you haven't already. You'll also want to prioritize global logins, like those on your Apple ID or Microsoft accounts, that grant access to other data and services. 

Once your email account is secure, start working your way through other accounts, including social media and bank logins. And while you're at it, make all your passwords better and consider using one of the best password managers.

"Changing passwords is important, but it's more important to use a unique strong password for every account and device," says Amir Tarighat, founder of the Los Angeles-based cybersecurity startup Achilleion.

Clear autofill from your browsers 

If you have autofill enabled in your web browsers, all a thief need do to access your accounts is open that browser. Turn off automatic sign-in options and delete your saved passwords. 

To do this in Chrome, go to chrome://settings/passwords and toggle off Auto Sign-in. You can also clear your browsing data to remove saved logins from any devices that sync with your Google account and sign out of Chrome remotely. Firefox and Safari have similar options in their preferences and settings menus. 

You should also remove all saved payment information from your online e-commerce accounts, such as Amazon. 

Deauthorize your device

You may also be able to remotely revoke your laptop's access to online services. Apple has an option to remove devices logged into your Apple ID. You can remove computers from Google's trusted device list, deregister devices from your Amazon account and log out remotely from Facebook.

A quick Google search will bring up instructions for other services — a good bet for those you use to log into other third-party sites. 

You can also turn off any auto-sync features between linked devices, such as your phone and tablet, to prevent your information from being updated on your missing laptop. 

Track your laptop's location and use remote-wipe features

This tip generally only works if your lost device connects to the internet, which makes it more useful for mobile devices. But if your laptop does go online, you can use built-in "find my device" features to locate and control it. 

If "Find My" is enabled in advance through iCloud for your Apple computer, you can see connected devices on a map and take several actions to secure them, including marking them as lost (which locks them and disables Apple Pay) and activating remote erase. 

Windows users have similar options to locate and lock devices from afar. There are also third-party programs like Prey that give you options for remote control. Many of the best antivirus programs also have laptop-tracking features.

Notify your financial institutions 

Just as you would if you lost your physical wallet, contact your bank and credit-card companies about any financial accounts that autofill when you make a purchase or that you have saved on e-commerce sites. You can freeze your debit and credit cards and let your financial institutions know about the possibility of suspicious activity. 

In the meantime, you should also keep track of your account activity by checking it online every couple of days after your laptop goes missing. If personal information such as tax returns, bank account numbers or Social Security numbers are on the stolen laptop, then consider freezing your credit records.

Notify your employer

If you lose your work computer, let your employer know immediately. Your company may have specific protocols to follow, additional options to track or wipe the device, or software installed that can recover your data. Plus, your work laptop is your employer's property — not yours. 

File a police report — and report the loss to the manufacturer

Truthfully, this step may not yield results, but it's possible that your device can be recovered if someone tries to sell it or get tech support. File a report with local law enforcement, who may request your laptop's serial number (more on that in a minute). Both ASUS and Dell will open stolen device cases. 

A police report may also be required if you want to submit an insurance claim.

Steps for prevention

You can't predict whether your laptop will be lost or stolen, but you can take preventive steps to protect it if it ever is. 

• Write down your device's serial number so you have it on hand. 
• Secure your laptop with a password. 
• Enable limits that will lock up your device after a certain number of failed login attempts.
• Use a secure password manager instead of device and browser autofill to keep track of strong, unique logins. 
• Consider a physical security key, like YubiKey or Google Titan, for 2FA. 
• Set up automatic backups from your laptop in case you need to remotely wipe it. 
• Use full-disk encryption to secure your hard drive. 

The goal is to make it difficult for someone to get your valuable information from a lost or stolen laptop, Tarighat says. Putting up as many barriers as possible — requiring a thief to break into your operating system, overcome 2FA, unencrypt your hard drive and break lots of individual unique passwords — can help protect your data. 

Google and Mozilla each upgraded their Chrome and Firefox browsers this week, squashing a number of security issues. Make sure your browsers are up to date.

Several of the flaws allow remote code execution — i.e., hacking — by malicious websites, although the details are being kept under wraps so that actual crooks and spies don't use them until most users have patched their browsers.

• Best antivirus software to keep your system clean
• The best Android browsers for your phone or tablet
• Plus: Google Pixel 5 just fully leaked — here's the final design and specs

The best antivirus software for Windows and for Mac will stop malware from being installed via web browsers, but you can't be too careful. 

Chrome's update to version 85.0.4183.121 on the desktop fixes 10 security flaws, five of which were categorized as "high" severity, according to the official Chrome blog. 

Three of those permit remote hacking by a specially designed malicious website, according to the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Database; the other two make Chrome vulnerable to malicious browser extensions.

How to update Chrome

Your desktop Google Chrome browser will generally update itself in Windows, Mac and Linux as long as you periodically close and relaunch the browser. Updates to version 85.0.4183.121 will be rolled out to all users "over the coming/days weeks," the Chrome blog said. 

To force a Google Chrome browser update, click the three vertical dots at the top right of your Chrome browser window, scroll down to help, and then select About Google Chrome in the fly-out menu that appears. 

A new tab will open that will check to see if you're on the latest version, and update you if you're not. (Some Linux distributions will instead push out updates through their normal software-update channels).

Firefox security flaws

Firefox 81.0, released yesterday (Sept. 22), patches six security flaws and applies to Android as well as the desktop OS's. Three of them are described as having "high" potential impact, all of which involve memory corruption, one of the primary reasons vulnerabilities happen in any form of software.

"We presume that with enough effort some of these could have been exploited to run arbitrary code," Mozilla wrote in its security advisory.

Firefox 81 also adds some new usability features, such as the ability to pause and play audio and video from a keyboard or headphones, save and auto-fill credit-card numbers and fill in PDF forms. It also adds a pink-and-purple "Alpenglow" theme. 

How to update Firefox

Like Chrome, Firefox should automatically update itself when you launch the browser. 

To force a manual update, go to the three stacked lines at the top right of the desktop browser window, then scroll down to and select Help at the bottom of the menu. Select "About Firefox" in the fly-out menu, and a pop-up window will appear that checks to see whether your installation of Firefox is up-to-date.

You can also download full builds of Firefox 81 for all supported desktop platforms from the Firefox FTP website.

The free and open-source password manager KeePass has been around since 2003 and offers a huge number of customization options, as long as you're willing to put up with a bit of a learning curve. 

You probably won't need to worry about it disappearing anytime soon, despite the fact that it is free software. It's the best password manager option if you want to maintain complete control of your data.

KeePass' core version is missing a number of features when compared to the strongest offerings out there like Keeper, LastPass or Dashlane, although the many third-party plug-ins made for the service help fill in the gaps. The question is whether it is worth saving $35 to $60 per year.

As you'll see in our KeePass review, if you want a solution that you can just sign into and basically never have to worry about, then KeePass isn't for you. But if you don't mind spending some time to learn and manage a very powerful application, you can do a lot with KeePass.

KeePass: Costs and what's covered

KeePass is the only password manager I've tested that is completely free to use. It's also open-source software, meaning anyone can volunteer to help develop it. KeePass' lead developer, Dominik Reichl, has a donation link on the official KeePass website to help support continued development, but that won't unlock additional functionality – you've already got access to everything.

The tradeoffs are that KeePass lacks the polished user interface of other password managers, and that you'll need to be comfortable tinkering with plugins and extensions to get the most out of KeePass.

That includes finding an online storage solution, such as Dropbox or Google Drive, to host your password database if you want to sync your KeePass vault between your devices using the internet.

The core KeePass desktop application supports password generation and management, syncing via local hard disks or network shares, auto-type form-filling and auto-type hot-key form filling. To unlock the full power of KeePass, you really need to install plugins and extensions.

I tested the "2.x" version of KeePass, which has a rich set of features and can be installed on platforms beyond Windows. KeePass also still develops the "1.x" version, which is simpler, Windows-only and uses a different codebase.

KeePass 2.x officially supports Windows Vista and later, macOS and Linux. However, if you visit the downloads page for KeePass you will see more than 30 additional versions of KeePass that extend support to Android, iOS, Blackberry, Chrome OS, PocketPC, J2ME and browser-based solutions. Browser extension plug-ins are available for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Apple Safari and Opera.

For this review, I used KeePass on a 2017 MacBook Pro 15 running Windows 10 and macOS 10.14 Mojave, an iPhone 7 Plus, and a Google Pixel 3. Google Chrome was my primary browser across all platforms but testing on macOS and iOS was also done with Safari.

KeePass: Setup

Your first step is a visit to the KeePass downloads page. If you are running Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 or 10, then this will be smooth sailing. Just hit the Download Now link on the Installer for Windows, and you'll have a choice between the 1.x and 2.x development streams.

MacOS and Linux are officially supported, but installing KeePass requires installing the supplemental platforms Mono and XQuartz and a bit more tinkering right off the bat. You'll need to download a KeePass version on the "2.x" development path.

If you are on any other platform, scroll down to the "Contributed/Unofficial" KeePass Ports and KeePass Packages sections to find your OS. You can also opt for KeePass Portable, a version that can be installed on a USB stick and plugged into a PC, Mac or Linux box.

To say that things look sparse when you first launch KeePass is an understatement. It's a basic utility framework with nothing in it. Virtually every option is greyed out until you create your database by clicking File > New, which is when you'll be prompted to create a master password, create a key file or use your Windows user account. If you opt for the key file, you will install the file on a USB drive and will need to plug in the drive when accessing KeePass. 

If you would like a full walkthrough, KeePass does have a pretty solid "First Steps Tutorial." 

Now, return to the File menu to import any passwords you may have stored with another password manager or in your browser. It's a safe bet that KeePass can import whatever you have, as KeePass has the longest list of supported services and browsers for import that I have seen.

If you don't see your service in the built-in import options, it's a safe bet there's a plugin for it. I imported data from the Chrome browser's built-in password manager and it worked perfectly.

If you want KeePass to sync your passwords across your various devices, you'll need to determine which cloud service or personal server you are going to use. Support for a number of cloud-syncing services, including Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft's OneDrive, are available via plugins.

Finally, you will want to install one of the unofficial mobile apps. Check the downloads page or search the iOS and Android app stores for KeePass, and you will find several choices. I opted for Keepass2Android Password Safe on Android and Strongbox on iOS.

KeePass on the desktop

KeePass is functionally solid, but you definitely get what you pay for with the user interface and experience. While some other password managers, such as 1Password, have a bit of a utility feel to them, KeePass feels like a utility from the late '90s. 

The core KeePass application offers just the password-manager basics. I'll cover that here and will address plugins in a later section.

The KeePass desktop interface looks like a standard file-manager window, with your database(s) on the left and the data on the right. 

You can create groups to sort your login information. By default, the application creates General, Windows, Network, Internet, eMail and Homebanking. You can drag and drop any set of credentials into any group and you can create, edit and delete groups. 

To create a new entry, either type "Control + I" or tap the icon of the key with a green download arrow on it. Entries are highly customizable – you can create a title, an icon, custom foreground and background colors, tags, URLs to specify which browser should open them and auto-type settings to handle sites with non-standard forms. You don't need to customize anything, but the fact that you can is just one example of the flexibility of this very simple-looking app.

By default, new entries automatically self-populate with a new password 20 characters in length. Tap on the key with the sun next to it to see additional password options or to jump into the full password generator.

The password generator gives you a ridiculous degree of control, with nine option toggles for different types of characters to include, the ability to exclude any specific characters you like, control over the length with no apparent upper limit and the ability to bring in custom password-generation algorithms.

KeePass doesn't integrate with your browser to capture login credentials as you create or update them. Hopefully, you should be able to import your existing passwords during setup, as adding new credentials must be done manually. You have to open a new entry as you log into an account, and then copy and paste the username and password into the entry form.

KeePass can natively sync your other devices using local network shares or the internet protocols FTP, HTTP and WebDAV. Plug-ins extend support to secure copy protocol (SCP), the FTP secure extensions SFTP and FTPS, and to well-known online storage providers such as Amazon AWS S3, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive and One Drive.

I chose KeeAnywhere, which was both the most recently updated and most comprehensive of the available sync plugins. Once KeeAnywhere was installed, I transferred my database over to a cloud drive and then selected File > Open > Open from Cloud Drive to be up and running with my remote-syncing KeePass database.

To install a KeePass plugin, just open the Tools menu and select Plugins. Click "Get More Plugins" and then download and unzip whatever you wish to install.

Now return to the Plugins menu, click Open Folder and drag-and-drop the extracted folder into the Plugins folder for KeePass. Restart KeePass and your plugin will be operational.

As with most aspects of KeePass, it takes a few steps to achieve this, but everything worked as advertised once I got a handle on it.

KeePass mobile apps

There are no official mobile apps for KeePass, but I'll discuss two unofficial ports for Android and iOS.

Keepass2Android is one of the most popular Android options available and follows Google's Material Design template. I wasn't sure what to expect,  but it actually adds some functionality to the core KeePass experience. Cloud syncing is built-in, with support for most major cloud-storage solutions, and I quickly and easily added my database from Google Drive.

Keepass2Android's main screen presents a very basic list of your login groups. Tapping a group displays the included accounts, with the URL and username for each. Tapping an account brings up a bit more information, and from there you can edit the entry with all the options found in the full app.

One nice touch: Keepass2Android has templates for new entries beyond just logins, such as credit cards, ID cards and secure notes. That's something the core KeePass application lacks, and which would greatly expand its utility and ease of use.

If you are on Android 8.0 or later, Keepass2Android will support form filling if you install a separate plugin from outside the Play Store, which might be a step too far for many users. I did run the plugin, which is written by Keepass2Android's developer, to confirm that it worked.

While Keepass2Android is a completely basic Android app, it looks more modern than some other password managers' apps. Critically, it did what it needed to do.

Turning to iOS, I went with Strongbox, which like Keepass2Android is free. There are quite a few KeePass-compatible options in the App Store, including some paid ones and an interesting option called Keepassium that was just entering beta during my testing, so it's worth looking them all over. 

What I primarily needed was support for cloud syncing, which Strongbox offers. I simply had to indicate that I wanted to access an existing database. Then I selected Google Drive and signed into my Google account, and all of my data was imported and syncing. 

The icons are a bit prettier in Strongbox than in Keepass2Android, but overall Strongbox remains a bare experience. The main screen is just your KeePass database listing your categories and a search box above them. The categories and logins are all in list views; there are no grid or website-logo displays as with some of the nicer password-manager mobile apps.

There isn't a lot of extra functionality baked into Strongbox, but you can access, edit and create new items in your database. The password generator supports up to 88 characters and has nearly as many options as the core KeePass app. While the app claims that form-filling is supported on Safari, I was unable to get that feature to work. 

Strongbox covers the basics in terms of giving you access to your KeePass database on your iOS device, but I would take a look at one of the paid apps or the new Keepassium app to see if one of them delivers a bit more features.

KeePass plugins and extensions

There are more than 100 KeePass plugins and extensions that can add functions and transform the looks of the application. I'm going to highlight only a few, but the plugins and extensions page on the KeePass site has the complete list.

Just be sure to check the dates on plugins before you install them. I ran into a few that hadn't been updated in three or more years, which is a risk you run with open-source software.

The official plugins page breaks things up into 11 categories, which should give you some idea of what can be done with KeePass: I/O & Synchronization, Backup, Utilities, Integration & Transfer, Cryptography & Key Providers, Import, Export, Import & Export, Automation & Scripting, Resources and For Developers.

Some plugins, such as KeeForm, ChromeIPass or PassIFox, enable form-filling of your usernames and passwords -- a must-have feature for paid password managers that is missing from the core KeePass experience.

KeePassWinHello, as you might guess, adds support for Windows Hello biometric logins to unlock your KeePass database. There is also KeeOtp or Tray TOTP which add support for two-factor authentication via time-based one-time passwords (TOTP).

The HaveIBeenPwned plugin checks your saved usernames and passwords against the well-known HaveIBeenPwned database of credentials compromised in data breaches. It's not as extensive as some of the breach-scanning features available with the paid versions of Keeper or Dashlane, but it's free.

KeePass: Security

KeePass relies on AES-256 encryption to secure its password database, like most other password managers. While KeePass defaults to an AES/Rijndael (256-bit key, FIPS 197) algorithm, you can change it to a ChaCha20 (256-bit key, RFC 7539) algorithm in the database settings.

Even if your database should be obtained by someone else, it should remain safe, as your files can be unencrypted only on your device. 

As KeePass makes you responsible for your own database, this flexible security is perhaps even more comforting for those who host their own databases online and sync to multiple devices.

Another option available is to use an AES-KDF or Argon2 key derivation to transform your master key and make it more difficult to crack. This may increase save/load times for your database, however.

KeePass lacks native support for common two-factor-authentication options, but there are plug-in options for 2FA via TOTP, another that supports YubiKey and a couple that offer RFID or NFC support.

KeePass review: Bottom line

KeePass is definitely not for the average user. It simply requires too much work and potential frustration to get everything up and running. Most users want a password manager that does most of the work of managing passwords, and solutions like LastPass or Keeper would be much better fits.

With that said, if you enjoy the process of customizing and working with your software, the core KeePass application is solid. And with the right collection of plugins, you can build it up into a product that gets reasonably close to the features of the high-end options, all without having to pay a dime.

Mozilla, the company behind the popular Firefox web browser, is taking another step toward launching its own virtual private network, or VPN. 

The software firm said it would be officially releasing its first official VPN product over the next few weeks. It’ll be named Mozilla VPN, changing from its original name of Firefox VPN.

• The best antivirus: stay protected when online with the best virus protection
• Best VPN: discover which services are the current best you can download
• Just in: Nearly 80 Chrome extensions caught spying -- how to protect yourself

The firm isn’t exactly new in the VPN space. It’s been conducting a beta test of this VPN service since February, and last year launched a secure browser proxy for its flagship browser called the Firefox Private Network.

The Firefox Private Network only works with the Firefox browser and won't encrypt the traffic of other browsers or internet-facing applications and services. However, Mozilla VPN is a standalone product that will work on an operating-system level. 

In a blog post yesterday (June 18), Mozilla announced: “The VPN will exit Beta phase in the next few weeks, move out of the Firefox Private Network brand, and become a stand-alone product, Mozilla VPN, to serve a larger audience.” 

Highly requested

Mozilla went on to explain that the development of its own VPN was highly requested by users and an important priority for the future. 

“We started working with a small group of you and learned a lot. With the VPN in your hands, we confirmed some of our initial hypotheses and identified important priorities for the future,” it said.

“For example, over 70% of early Beta-testers say that the VPN helps them feel empowered, safe, and independent while being online. In addition, 83% of early Beta-testers found the VPN easy to use.”

A fully fledged VPN from a name you know

Mozilla VPN will come with all the important features an industry-leading VPN offers, including split-tunneling and the ability to be used across different operating systems -- joining the ranks of existing Windows VPNs.

With Mozilla VPN, users will be able to connect up to five devices on Windows, Android and iOS -- and it’ll cost $4.99 per month, so not quite low enough to bother the providers in our best cheap VPN guide.

Mozilla didn't build out its own network of servers, however. Instead, it's using the existing network belonging to the very privacy-oriented Swedish VPN provider Mullvad. And it will be using the new, light and fast VPN protocol WireGuard, which Mullvad was among the first to widely deploy.

To begin with, the service will be made available to those based in the U.S. this summer. (Until now, you've had to join a waiting list to try it out.) But Mozilla explained that it’d arrive in selected regions later this year.

• Read more: Discover today's best iPhone VPN and Android VPN apps