These are our currently recommended **mobile web browsers** and configurations for standard/non-anonymous internet browsing. If you need to browse the internet anonymously, you should use [Tor](tor.md) instead.
**Brave Browser** includes a built-in content blocker and [privacy features](https://brave.com/privacy-features), many of which are enabled by default.
Tor Browser is the only way to truly browse the internet anonymously. When you use Brave, we recommend changing the following settings to protect your privacy from certain parties, but all browsers other than the [Tor Browser](tor.md#tor-browser) will be traceable by *somebody* in some regard or another.
Brave includes some anti-fingerprinting measures in its [Shields](https://support.brave.com/hc/articles/360022973471-What-is-Shields) feature. We suggest configuring these options [globally](https://support.brave.com/hc/articles/360023646212-How-do-I-configure-global-and-site-specific-Shields-settings) across all pages that you visit.
Brave allows you to select additional content filters within the **Content Filtering** menu or the internal `brave://adblock` page. We advise against using this feature; instead, keep the default filter lists. Using extra lists will make you stand out from other Brave users and may also increase attack surface if there is an exploit in Brave and a malicious rule is added to one of the lists you use.
1. This option disables JavaScript, which will break a lot of sites. To unbreak them, you can set exceptions on a per-site basis by tapping on the Shield icon in the address bar and unchecking this setting under *Advanced controls*.
Brave allows you to select additional content filters within the **Content Filtering** menu. We advise against using this feature; instead, keep the default filter lists. Using extra lists will make you stand out from other Brave users and may also increase attack surface if there is an exploit in Brave and a malicious rule is added to one of the lists you use.
1. This option disables JavaScript, which will break a lot of sites. To unbreak them, you can set exceptions on a per-site basis by tapping on the Shield icon in the address bar and unchecking this setting under *Advanced controls*.
1. Brave's [implementation of Safe Browsing](https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/15222663599629-Safe-Browsing-in-Brave) on Android **does not** proxy [Safe Browsing network requests](https://developers.google.com/safe-browsing/v4/update-api#checking-urls) like its desktop counterpart. This means that your IP address may be seen (and logged) by Google. Note that Safe Browsing is not available for Android devices without Google Play Services.
[Brave Sync](https://support.brave.com/hc/articles/360059793111-Understanding-Brave-Sync) allows your browsing data (history, bookmarks, etc.) to be accessible on all your devices without requiring an account and protects it with E2EE.
**Cromite** is a Chromium-based browser with built-in ad blocking, fingerprinting protections, and other [privacy and security enhancements](https://github.com/uazo/cromite/blob/master/docs/FEATURES.md). It is a fork of the discontinued **Bromite** browser.
These options can be found in :material-menu: → :gear: **Settings** → **Privacy and security**.
#### Browsing data
- [x] Select **Close all open tabs on exit**
#### Incognito mode
- [x] Select **Open external links in incognito**
#### Security
- [x] Select **Always use secure connections**
This prevents you from unintentionally connecting to a website in plain-text HTTP. HTTP is extremely uncommon nowadays, so this should have little to no impact on your day-to-day browsing.
#### Adblock Plus settings
These options can be found in :material-menu: → :gear: **Settings** → **Adblock Plus settings**.
Cromite contains a customized version of Adblock Plus with EasyList enabled by default, as well as options to select more filter lists within the **FIlter lists** menu.
Using extra lists will make you stand out from other Cromite users and may also increase attack surface if a malicious rule is added to one of the lists you use.
- [x] (Optional) Select **Enable anti-circumvention and snippets**
This setting adds an additional Adblock Plus list that may increase the effectiveness of Cromite's content blocking. The warnings about standing out and potentially increasing attack surface apply.
#### Legacy Adblock settings
These options can be found in :material-menu: → :gear: **Settings** → **Legacy Adblock settings**.
- [ ] Uncheck the autoupdate setting
This disables update checks for the unmaintained Bromite adblock filter.
**Mull** is a privacy oriented and deblobbed Android browser based on Firefox. Compared to Firefox, it offers much greater fingerprinting protection out of the box, and disables JavaScript Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation for enhanced security. It also removes all proprietary elements from Firefox, such as replacing Google Play Services references.
Firefox (Gecko)-based browsers on Android [lack](https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1610822) [site isolation](https://wiki.mozilla.org/Project_Fission),[^1] a powerful security feature that protects against a malicious site performing a [Spectre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectre_(security_vulnerability))-like attack to gain access to the memory of another website you have open.[^2] Chromium-based browsers like [Brave](#brave) will provide more robust protection against malicious websites.
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[^1]: This should not be mistaken for [state partitioning](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Privacy/State_Partitioning) (or dynamic [first party isolation](https://2019.www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser/design/#identifier-linkability)), where website data such as cookies and cache is restricted so that a third-party embedded in one top-level site cannot access data stored under another top-level site. This is an important privacy feature to prevent cross-site tracking and **is** supported by Firefox on Android.
[^2]: GeckoView also [does not](https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1565196) take advantage of Android's native process sandboxing by using the [isolatedProcess](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/service-element#isolated) flag, which normally allows an app to safely run less trusted code in a separate process that has no permissions of its own.
Enable DivestOS's [F-Droid repository](https://divestos.org/fdroid/official) to receive updates directly from the developer. Downloading Mull from the default F-Droid repo will mean your updates could be delayed by a few days or longer.
Mull enables many features upstreamed by the [Tor uplift project](https://wiki.mozilla.org/Security/Tor_Uplift) using preferences from [Arkenfox](desktop-browsers.md#arkenfox-advanced). Proprietary blobs are removed from Mozilla's code using the scripts developed for Fennec F-Droid.
We would suggest installing [uBlock Origin](browser-extensions.md#ublock-origin) as a content blocker if you want to block trackers within Mull.
Mull comes with privacy protecting settings configured by default. You might consider configuring the **Delete browsing data on quit** options in Mull's settings if you want to close all your open tabs when quitting the app automatically, or clear other data such as browsing history and cookies automatically.
Because Mull has more advanced and strict privacy protections enabled by default compared to most browsers, some websites may not load or work properly unless you adjust those settings. You can consult this [list of known issues and workarounds](https://divestos.org/pages/broken#mull) for advice on a potential fix if you do encounter a broken site. Adjusting a setting in order to fix a website could impact your privacy/security, so make sure you fully understand any instructions you follow.
On iOS, any app that can browse the web is [restricted](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines) to using an Apple-provided [WebKit framework](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/webkit), so a browser like [Brave](#brave) does not use the Chromium engine like its counterparts on other operating systems.
**Safari** is the default browser in iOS. It includes [privacy features](https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/browse-the-web-privately-iphb01fc3c85/ios) such as [Intelligent Tracking Prevention](https://webkit.org/blog/7675/intelligent-tracking-prevention), isolated and ephemeral Private Browsing tabs, fingerprinting protection (by presenting a simplified version of the system configuration to websites so more devices look identical), and fingerprint randomization, as well as Private Relay for those with a paid iCloud+ subscription.
This prevents Siri from using content from Safari for Siri suggestions.
#### Search
- [ ] Disable **Search Engine Suggestions**
This setting sends whatever you type in the address bar to the search engine set in Safari. Disabling search suggestions allows you to more precisely control what data you send to your search engine provider.
Safari allows you to separate your browsing with different profiles. All of your cookies, history, and website data are separate for each profile. You should use different profiles for different purposes e.g. Shopping, Work, or School.
This enables WebKit's [Intelligent Tracking Protection](https://webkit.org/tracking-prevention/#intelligent-tracking-prevention-itp). The feature helps protect against unwanted tracking by using on-device machine learning to stop trackers. ITP protects against many common threats, but does not block all tracking avenues because it is designed to not interfere with website usability.
This setting uses Google Safe Browsing (or Tencent Safe Browsing for users in mainland China or Hong Kong) to protect you while you browse. As such, your IP address may be logged by your Safe Browsing provider. Disabling this setting will disable this logging, but you might be more vulnerable to known phishing sites.
- [ ] Disable **Highlights**
Apple's privacy policy for Safari states:
> When visiting a webpage, Safari may send information calculated from the webpage address to Apple over OHTTP to determine if relevant highlights are available.
#### Settings for Websites
Under **Camera**
- [x] Select **Ask**
Under **Microphone**
- [x] Select **Ask**
Under **Location**
- [x] Select **Ask**
These settings ensure that websites can only access your camera, microphone, or location after you explicitly grant them access.
Ad click measurement has traditionally used tracking technology that infringes on user privacy. [Private Click Measurement](https://webkit.org/blog/11529/introducing-private-click-measurement-pcm) is a WebKit feature and proposed web standard aimed towards allowing advertisers to measure the effectiveness of web campaigns without compromising on user privacy.
The feature has little privacy concerns on its own, so while you can choose to leave it on, we consider the fact that it's automatically disabled in Private Browsing to be an indicator for disabling the feature.
Safari's Private Browsing mode offers additional privacy protections. Private Browsing uses a new [ephemeral](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/foundation/urlsessionconfiguration/1410529-ephemeral) session for each tab, meaning tabs are isolated from one another. There are also other smaller privacy benefits with Private Browsing, such as not sending a webpage’s address to Apple when using Safari's translation feature.
Do note that Private Browsing does not save cookies and website data, so it won't be possible to remain signed in to sites. This may be an inconvenience.
Synchronization of Safari History, Tab Groups, iCloud Tabs and saved passwords are E2EE. However, by default, bookmarks are [not](https://support.apple.com/HT202303). Apple can decrypt and access them in accordance with their [privacy policy](https://apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww).
You can enable E2EE for your Safari bookmarks and downloads by enabling [Advanced Data Protection](https://support.apple.com/HT212520). Go to :gear: **Settings** → **iCloud** → **Advanced Data Protection**.
If you use iCloud with Advanced Data Protection disabled, we also recommend setting Safari's default download location to a local folder on your device. This option can be found in :gear: **Settings** → **Apps** → **Safari** → **General** → **Downloads**.
**Please note we are not affiliated with any of the projects we recommend.** In addition to [our standard criteria](about/criteria.md), we have developed a clear set of requirements to allow us to provide objective recommendations. We suggest you familiarize yourself with this list before choosing to use a project, and conduct your own research to ensure it's the right choice for you.
