Ad blocking and search
Your browser blocks trackers and ads from the start, and searches with DuckDuckGo until you pick another engine. Both are yours to change in Settings › Browser.
Trackers and ads
Blocking is done by uBlock Origin Lite, which comes with the browser. Choose how much it blocks:
- Open Settings › Browser.
- Under Searching and blocking, pick a level for Trackers and ads:
- Standard blocks the usual trackers and ads without breaking sites. It's where everyone starts.
- Strict blocks more, and now and then a site needs a reload to work.
- Off blocks nothing, so sites see every tracker they ask for.
Hide cookie banners says no to cookie banners for you where a site lets it. It's on to begin with.
The shield beside the address shows how many trackers and ads were blocked on the page you're on. Choose it to open About this site, which also shows whether the connection is secure and what the site keeps in cookies and data, with Clear to remove it.
Search
Type in the address bar or the new tab page's search box. An address opens as it is, something that looks like a site, such as abc.net.au, opens over https://, and anything else is searched for.
To change the search engine:
- Open Settings › Browser.
- Under Searching and blocking, choose one for Search with: DuckDuckGo, Google, Bing, Startpage or Ecosia.
The new tab page's search box shows which engine it uses.
Changing these settings
Your browser reads these settings when it starts, so saving one starts it again. Your tabs come back.
What stays off
Chromium's own ties to Google are turned off: signing in to the browser, sync, Safe Browsing, search suggestions, translation and its reports. Location, the microphone, the camera and notifications stay off for every site, and no other extensions can be added.
For children, safe search is always on in Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo and YouTube. See Browsing for children.