Brave is a free web browser built for people who want stronger privacy controls without installing a separate ad blocker first. It uses Chromium, the same browser engine that powers Chrome and Edge, so most websites feel familiar and many Chrome extensions work normally.
Does this affect you?
Use this guide if you are considering Brave on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, or iPad and want to understand what changes after switching. Brave blocks many ads, trackers, and third-party cookies by default. It also includes optional Brave Rewards and a crypto wallet, but you do not have to use either one to use Brave as a regular private browser.
Download and set up Brave
Installing Brave is straightforward and takes about as long as installing any other browser.
- Go to brave.com and choose the Brave download for your device.
- Run the installer and approve the normal setup prompts.
- Open Brave after installation finishes.
- When Brave offers to import data, choose the browser you currently use if you want to bring over bookmarks, passwords, browsing history, or saved settings.
- Visit a few normal websites so you can see the Shields control in the address bar.
Importing is optional. If you want a clean start, skip import and add bookmarks or extensions later.
Understand Brave Shields
Brave Shields is the built-in blocking system that handles most of the privacy work.
- Open any website in Brave.
- Click the lion icon in the address bar.
- Review what Brave blocked on that page, such as ads, trackers, cookies, or scripts.
- If a trusted page is broken, switch Shields down for that site only.
- Use Advanced Controls if you need stricter blocking, such as blocking scripts, or looser blocking for a site that needs extra compatibility.
The per-site Shields switch is important. A checkout page, embedded video, sign-in form, or comments area may need something Brave blocked. Turning Shields off only for that trusted page is better than weakening protection everywhere.
More control
Brave Rewards is optional
Brave can show privacy-focused ads and reward users with BAT. This is opt-in. Open Settings > Brave Rewards if you want it, or leave it off if you do not want cryptocurrency features involved in your browser.
Chrome extensions usually work
Because Brave is Chromium-based, you can install many extensions from the Chrome Web Store. Visit the store, pick an extension, and use Add to Chrome. The wording still says Chrome, but the extension can install in Brave.
Expect speed gains and occasional site fixes
Pages often load faster because Brave downloads fewer ads and trackers. The tradeoff is that a few sites may need Shields adjusted so payment forms, media players, or embedded tools work correctly.
Change Brave Search if you prefer
Brave Search is the default search engine in a fresh Brave install. If you prefer Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing, or another provider, open Settings > Search engine and choose a different default.
Sources
- Brave Support – What is Brave? (2025)
- Brave Support – Brave Shields (2025)
- Brave Support – Brave Rewards and BAT (2025)