8 simple tips, tricks, and hidden features

Brave is a privacy-first browser offering advanced settings for blocking trackers and improving online security. While it does have some bloat in the form of a built-in cryptocurrency wallet, it’s easily one of the best browsers on Android.

We’ll walk you through some tips and tricks to get the most out of Brave. If you’ve just picked up a new phone or even one of our top budget Chromebooks, we recommend using Brave to ensure you’re browsing securely.

1 Adjust your Shields settings in Brave for greater privacy and security

One of Brave’s biggest selling points is the Shields feature. This is where all your privacy and security settings are managed and can be customized for greater or lesser security. It’s easy to change; just be aware that blocking too much content may cause websites to work improperly, which is why you can change these settings on the fly.

1. Open Brave
2. Tap the
   three-dot
   button in the lower-right of your screen.

3. Tap
   Settings
   .
4. Tap
   Brave Shields & Privacy
   underneath the
   Features
   heading.

We’ll touch on some key settings in this article, but explore the Shields settings and ensure you have them fine-tuned to suit your browsing habits.

If you need a social media detox, there’s nothing more annoying than seeing constant embed posts from Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as you browse. Fortunately, Brave can block these, alongside embedding login options for Google and Facebook.

1. Open Brave
2. Tap the
   three-dot
   button in the lower-right of your screen.

3. Tap
   Settings
   .
4. Tap
   Brave Shields & Privacy
   underneath the
   Features
   heading.

5. Scroll down to the Social Media Blocking heading.
6. Toggle the switches for the social media embeds you wish to disable.

Brave Rewards lets you earn cryptocurrency from viewing ads, then donate it to your favorite sites and content creators. However, if you don’t want to participate, you’ll want to remove the Brave Rewards icon from your toolbar.

1. Open Brave
2. Tap the
   three-dot
   button in the lower-right of your screen.

3. Tap
   Settings
   .
4. Scroll down to the
   Display
   heading.

5. Tap
   Appearance
   .
6. Toggle the
   Show Brave Rewards icon in address bar
   switch.

4 How to change your default search engine in Brave Browser

Brave is a privacy-focused browser, but you’ll need to change your browsing habits to make the most of it. Brave defaults to its own search engine, but you may want to choose a different search option like DuckDuckGo.

1. Open Brave
2. Tap the
   three-dot
   button in the lower-right of your screen.

3. Tap
   Settings
   .
4. Tap
   Search engines
   underneath the
   General
   heading.

5. Tap
   Standard Tab
   .
6. Select a different search engine.

5 How to enable Brave Sync to synchronize browsing data across devices

You’ll probably want to sync your browsing if you use Brave across multiple devices. This lets you continue where you left off, check your history from another device, and open bookmarks saved on another device.

1. Open Brave
2. Tap the
   three-dot
   button in the lower-right of your screen.

3. Tap
   Settings
   .
4. Tap
   Sync
   underneath the
   General
   heading.
5. Tap
   Start a new Sync chain
   .

6. Tap
   Add a Mobile Device
   or
   Add a Computer
   .
7. Open the
   Sync
   settings on the device you wish to sync.

If you’re adding a mobile device, you must scan the QR code on your original device. If you’re adding a computer, you must enter a string of code words.

6 Swipe to change tabs in a flash

You can change tabs with a quick swipe in Brave. Just swipe right or left from your address bar to switch to the next tab.

The Brave Android app has a few widgets, but one is particularly useful for accessing sites in a flash. This widget lets you search, open an incognito tab, or open one of your top four favorite websites with a tap.

1. Tap and hold on to your Android phone’s home screen.
2. Tap
   Widgets
   from the pop-up window.

3. Enter “Brave” in the search bar.
4. Tap and hold on to the
   Brave quick action search
   widget.
5. Drag it to a place on your home screen.

By default, Brave will display sponsored images when you open a new tab. Fortunately, it’s straightforward to disable.

1. Open Brave
2. Tap the
   three-dot
   button in the lower-right of your screen.

3. Tap
   Settings
   .
4. Scroll down to the
   Display
   heading.

5. Tap
   New Tab Page
   .
6. Toggle the
   Show Sponsored Images
   switch off.

Browse securely with Brave

Brave is a powerful browser that should fulfill all of your privacy needs. However, digital privacy extends far beyond your choice of browser. Follow this guide to protect your digital privacy on Android in a few easy steps.