Posts

Why isn't Brave updating automatically on Windows?

Image
We have seen that a small group of Windows users were unable to update automatically to the newest versions of Brave and wanted to provide instructions to fix this situation if you're stuck on an older version of Brave. This appears to be related to users who have downloaded the installer named  brave_installer_x64.exe  or  brave_installer_x86.exe  from Github. Unfortunately this installer was not intended for direct installation without specific configuration parameters included, and for this reason we no longer upload it to our GitHub releases. Users should be installing Brave with the files  BraveBrowserSetup.exe , BraveBrowserSetup32.exe , which will correctly configure Brave to contact our update servers and automatically update to the newest versions when they are released. This is the setup file that gets run when users go to brave.com/download. To fix your install if you are stuck on an older version of Brave, we recommend the following steps: Make ...

How do I fix file download errors?

Image
If you get an error message on Brave when you try to download themes or extensions, or other files, try these fixes. Fix most file download errors If you try to download a file and it doesn’t work, first try to fix the error with these troubleshooting steps: Make sure your internet connection is working normally. Brave will automatically resume the download. You can also resume the file download by clicking the Down arrow    —>    Resume  or  Menu    —>  Resume . Try to download the file later. Contact the website owner. Get help with a specific error message "Network failed" If you see " NETWORK_FAILED " when you try to install something from the Chrome Web Store, unwanted software could be blocking the installation. To fix the error: First, remove the unwanted software. Then, try to install the extension, or theme again. If you still can't install extension, or theme, reinstall Brave. "Download blocked" This error...

How do I fix page crashes and other page loading errors?

Image
You're getting the "Aw, Snap" error instead of a web page because Brave is having problems loading. Reload the page At the top left in the address bar, click the Reload icon   Further troubleshooting Check your internet connection Make sure your computer is connected to Wi-Fi or a wired network and t ry reloading the tab with the error. Clear your cache Brave might have information stored that's stopping the page from loading. Open the page in an Incognito window: On your computer, open Brave At the top right, click the  Menu icon     Select  New Private Window . In the  Private window,  try opening the page. If it opens, clear your cache and cookies. How to clear your cache and cookies: At the top right, click the  Menu icon    → More  tools →   Clear browsing data .  At the top, select  All time. Select  Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data.  Deselect the other types ...

How do I stop extensions from changing my settings?

Image
This article applies to Brave for Windows and Mac only. With your permission, extensions you install can make changes to your Brave settings. Most changes enhance your browsing experience and make using the extension easier. Changes can affect settings such as your homepage, new tab page, search engine, or start page. Tip:  Before you install an extension, check which Brave settings the extension changes. Change your settings back to normal If you don't want your settings changed, uninstall or disable the extension. You can't use the extension without letting it change your settings. When you remove the extension your settings will go back to how they were before you installed it. To Remove an Extension: On your computer, open Brave. At the top right, click Menu   -->  More   tools  -->  Extensions . On to the extension you want to remove, click  Remove . Confirm by clicking  Remove . Or: On your computer, open Brave. On your ...

How do I turn "Do Not Track" on or off?

Image
When you browse the web on computers or Android devices, you can send a request to websites not to collect or track your browsing data. It's turned off by default. However, what happens to your data depends on how a website responds to the request. Many websites will still collect and use your browsing data to improve security, provide content, services, ads and recommendations on their websites, and generate reporting statistics. Most websites and web services don't change their behavior when they receive a Do Not Track request. To enable  Do Not Track request:   Launch Brave, click  Menu   —>   Settings. At the bottom, click  Advanced . Under  "Privacy and security ," turn  Send a "Do Not Track" request  with your browsing traffic on or off.

How safe is a Private window?

Unless using  Tor   The Tor network disguises your identity by moving your traffic across different Tor servers, and encrypting that traffic so it isn't traced back to you. Anyone who tries would see traffic coming from random nodes on the Tor network, rather than your computer. , sites can learn your IP address when you visit them — even inside a Private Window. From your IP address, sites can often guess roughly where you are — typically your city and sometimes can be much more specific. Sites will also know everything you specifically supply them, such as search terms or input fields. If you log in, the site will know you're the owner of that account. You will be logged out when you close the Private Window because Brave will throw away the cookie which keeps you logged in. Although it is Brave's mission to make you hard to track online, sites can remember you by your IP address (or some other ways to recognize your device) and connect your browsing information in a Pr...

What is a Private Window?

A private window in Brave prevents Internet browsing history, form data, cookies and site data from being saved once you close the window. Private browsing stops Brave from saving browsing activity beyond the current session; however, you activity  may  still be visible to: Certain websites you visit (this includes the ads and resources used on those sites) The owner/Administrator of your network  Your internet service provider Note that some cookies and site data may be saved  for the session , but will not be remembered when the browser is closed.  Downloads and bookmarks are still saved even after closing a private window.