privacyguides.org/docs/mobile-browsers.md

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Privacy Respecting Web Browsers for Android and iOS - Privacy Guides	Mobile Browsers	material/cellphone-information	These browsers are what we currently recommend for standard/non-anonymous internet browsing on your phone.	mobile-browsers.webp	@context @type name url relatedLink http://schema.org WebPage Private Mobile Browser Recommendations ./ ../desktop-browsers/ @context @type name image url applicationCategory operatingSystem subjectOf http://schema.org MobileApplication Brave /assets/img/browsers/brave.svg https://brave.com Web Browser Android iOS @type url WebPage ./ @context @type name image url applicationCategory operatingSystem subjectOf http://schema.org MobileApplication Safari /assets/img/browsers/safari.svg https://apple.com/safari Web Browser iOS @type url WebPage ./

Protects against the following threat(s):

• :material-account-cash: Surveillance Capitalism{ .pg-brown }

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 instead.

Brave

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Brave Browser includes a built-in content blocker and privacy features, many of which are enabled by default.

Brave is built upon the Chromium web browser project, so it should feel familiar and have minimal website compatibility issues.

:octicons-home-16: Homepage{ .md-button .md-button--primary } :simple-torbrowser:{ .card-link title="Onion Service" } :octicons-eye-16:{ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" } :octicons-info-16:{ .card-link title=Documentation} :octicons-code-16:{ .card-link title="Source Code" }

Downloads

• :simple-googleplay: Google Play
• :simple-appstore: App Store
• :simple-github: GitHub

Recommended Brave Configuration

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 will be traceable by somebody in some regard or another.

=== "Android"

These options can be found in :material-menu: → **Settings** → **Brave Shields & privacy**.

=== "iOS"

These options can be found in :fontawesome-solid-ellipsis: → **Settings** → **Shields & Privacy**.

Brave shields global defaults

Brave includes some anti-fingerprinting measures in its Shields feature. We suggest configuring these options globally across all pages that you visit.

Shields' options can be downgraded on a per-site basis as needed, but by default we recommend setting the following:

=== "Android"

<div class="annotate" markdown>

- [x] Select **Aggressive** under *Block trackers & ads*
- [x] Select **Auto-redirect AMP pages**
- [x] Select **Auto-redirect tracking URLs**
- [x] Select **Require all connections to use HTTPS (strict)** under *Upgrade connections to HTTPS*
- [x] (Optional) Select **Block Scripts** (1)
- [x] Select **Block third-party cookies** under *Block Cookies*
- [x] Select **Block Fingerprinting**
- [x] Select **Prevent fingerprinting via language settings**

<details class="warning" markdown>
<summary>Use default filter lists</summary>

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.

</details>

- [x] Select **Forget me when I close this site**

</div>

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*.

=== "iOS"

<div class="annotate" markdown>

- [x] Select **Aggressive** under *Trackers & Ads Blocking*
- [x] Select **Strict** under *Upgrade Connections to HTTPS*
- [x] Select **Auto-Redirect AMP pages**
- [x] Select **Auto-Redirect Tracking URLs**
- [x] (Optional) Select **Block Scripts** (1)
- [x] Select **Block Fingerprinting**

<details class="warning" markdown>
<summary>Use default filter lists</summary>

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.

</details>

</div>

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*.

Clear browsing data (Android only)

• Select Clear data on exit

Social Media Blocking (Android only)

• Uncheck all social media components

Other privacy settings

=== "Android"

<div class="annotate" markdown>

- [x] Select **Disable non-proxied UDP** under [*WebRTC IP handling policy*](https://support.brave.com/hc/articles/360017989132-How-do-I-change-my-Privacy-Settings#webrtc)
- [x] (Optional) Select **No protection** under *Safe Browsing* (1)
- [ ] Uncheck **Allow sites to check if you have payment methods saved**
- [x] Select **Close tabs on exit**
- [ ] Uncheck **Allow privacy-preserving product analytics (P3A)**
- [ ] Uncheck **Automatically send diagnostic reports**
- [ ] Uncheck **Automatically send daily usage ping to Brave**

</div>

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.

=== "iOS"

- [ ] Uncheck **Allow Privacy-Preserving Product Analytics (P3A)**
- [ ] Uncheck **Automatically send daily usage ping to Brave**

Leo

These options can be found in :material-menu: → Settings → Leo.

• Uncheck Show autocomplete suggestions in address bar (1)

1. This option is not present in Brave's iOS app.

Brave Sync

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.

Mull (Android)

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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.

:octicons-home-16: Homepage{ .md-button .md-button--primary } :octicons-eye-16:{ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" } :octicons-info-16:{ .card-link title=Documentation } :octicons-code-16:{ .card-link title="Source Code" }

Downloads

• :simple-fdroid: F-Droid

Danger

Firefox (Gecko)-based browsers on Android lack site isolation,¹ a powerful security feature that protects against a malicious site performing a Spectre-like attack to gain access to the memory of another website you have open.² Chromium-based browsers like Brave will provide more robust protection against malicious websites.

Enable DivestOS's F-Droid repository 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 using preferences from Arkenfox. Proprietary blobs are removed from Mozilla's code using the scripts developed for Fennec F-Droid.

Recommended Mull Configuration

We would suggest installing 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 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.

Safari (iOS)

On iOS, any app that can browse the web is restricted to using an Apple-provided WebKit framework, so there is little reason to use a third-party web browser.

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Safari is the default browser in iOS. It includes privacy features such as 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.

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Recommended Safari Configuration

We would suggest installing AdGuard if you want a content blocker in Safari.

The following privacy/security-related options can be found in ⚙️ Settings → Apps → Safari.

Profiles

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.

Privacy & Security

• Enable Prevent Cross-Site Tracking

This enables WebKit's Intelligent Tracking Protection. 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.

• Enable Require Face ID/Touch ID to Unlock Private Browsing

This setting allows you to lock your private tabs behind biometrics/PIN when not in use.

Other Privacy Settings

These options can be found in ⚙️ Settings → Apps → Safari → Advanced.

Fingerprinting Mitigations

The Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection setting will randomize certain values so that it's more difficult to fingerprint you:

• Select All Browsing or Private Browsing

Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement

• Disable Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement

Ad click measurement has traditionally used tracking technology that infringes on user privacy. Private Click Measurement 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.

Always-on Private Browsing

Open Safari and tap the Tabs button, located in the bottom right. Then, expand the :material-format-list-bulleted: Tab Groups list.

• Select Private

Safari's Private Browsing mode offers additional privacy protections. Private Browsing uses a new 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.

iCloud Sync

Synchronization of Safari History, Tab Groups, iCloud Tabs and saved passwords are E2EE. However, by default, bookmarks are not. Apple can decrypt and access them in accordance with their privacy policy.

You can enable E2EE for your Safari bookmarks and downloads by enabling Advanced Data Protection. Go to ⚙️ Settings → iCloud → Advanced Data Protection.

• Turn on 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 ⚙️ Settings → Apps → Safari → General → Downloads.

Criteria

Please note we are not affiliated with any of the projects we recommend. In addition to our standard criteria, 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.

Minimum Requirements

• Must support automatic updates.
• Must receive engine updates from upstream releases quickly.
• Must support content blocking.
• Any changes required to make the browser more privacy-respecting should not negatively impact user experience.

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1. This should not be mistaken for state partitioning (or dynamic first party isolation), 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 take advantage of Android's native process sandboxing by using the isolatedProcess flag, which normally allows an app to safely run less trusted code in a separate process that has no permissions of its own. ↩︎