Download a web browser for Windows

Test your sites and extensions

Start by opening the services you actually use: messaging, training space, shared documents or internal application. Check functions that go beyond just reading a page, like sending a file, printing, or video conferencing. Extensions can add tools, but their presence and behavior vary by browser. Find each extension in its intended distribution channel and review the requested permissions. A configuration full of old extensions is not always worth transferring in full. You can first test Firefox with the built-in functions, then add the extensions needed for a specific task.

Transfer data without confusing uses

Favorites, history and saved logins do not fulfill the same role. Check what the import tool can recover from your previous browser, then review the result before deleting any data. A synchronization function links installations to an account; it is not necessary to consult a web page. Decide whether you want to share certain information between multiple devices or keep separate profiles. For a computer used by several people, also distinguish between browser profiles and Windows session accounts. They organize different elements and should not be considered interchangeable protections.

Understand what consumes resources

The tabs do not represent an identical load. A page of text, a video, and a meeting application can place different demands on memory, processor, and connection. Before attributing slowness to the browser, reduce the number of open applications and compare a small set of known pages. Also check the version of Windows supported by the downloaded package. The availability of an older version does not mean that it still receives the same updates. To examine all of your equipment, the programs suitable for a limited PC selection offers a task- and resource-based approach, without promising that a software name will be enough to speed up the PC.

Prepare for the first start

After installation, deliberately choose the default browser and the associations offered by Windows. Control the start page, downloads folder, and site permissions. To verify a setting, use a known page and observe its behavior before changing several options. A private browsing window reduces some local traces of the session; it does not make all activity invisible to the services consulted. If you are preparing a new computer, the tools to install after Windows selection helps to supplement the browser with tools corresponding to other tasks, without automatically installing all the programs available in the catalog.

Frequently asked questions