Chrome has been my default Android browser for years, and I never had much reason to question that choice.
But trying Vivaldi introduced me to a few features I had not realized I wanted in a mobile browser, from capturing full-page screenshots to keeping notes alongside my browsing.
Then came extension support, which gave me an even bigger reason to reconsider my default.
I expected to experiment with it for a while before returning to Chrome, but Vivaldi has made a surprisingly strong case for staying on my phone.
Vivaldi gives me more control over my mobile browser
My favorite tools are within reach
Vivaldi offers several ways to tailor the browser to my preferences, beyond switching between light and dark mode.
My favorite option to explore is the customizable toolbar shortcut. Instead of keeping the default tracker and ad blocker button beside the address field, I can replace it with a shortcut to open a new tab, share a page, start voice search, translate a web page, or add a bookmark.
You can configure this under Settings > Appearance & Theme > Toolbar Shortcut. You can customize the main menu from Settings > General > Menu Settings.
I can also personalize the browser’s appearance. Under Settings > Appearance & Theme > Theme, I can choose a light or dark interface, or let Vivaldi follow my system settings. I can change the accent color to match the website I’m viewing, pick a preset color, or enter my own hex color code.
I can even replace the default Speed Dial background with an image from my phone’s gallery by going to Settings > Start Page > Wallpaper.
I can take notes without leaving the browser
Save snippets from web pages straight to Notes
When I’m reading something on my phone and want to jot down an idea or make a quick checklist, I don’t need to switch to a separate notes app.
Vivaldi for Android has a built-in Notes feature that I can access from the Panels button on the bottom toolbar. I can open Notes, tap the add button, and type whatever I want to remember; my note is saved automatically.
It’s also handy when I’m researching something, as I can keep notes and checklists alongside my browsing instead of switching between apps.
To save a passage from a web page, select the text, open the context menu, and add it to a note. You can even append selected text to an existing note.
Tab stacks make juggling multiple searches easier
Organize tabs without losing access to them
When I’m browsing on my phone, I usually end up with several tabs open for different things. Vivaldi lets me group related tabs into stacks, so I can keep pages for a particular search together instead of sorting through a long list.
To create a stack, long-press a tab and select Add tab to new stack. If you have a stack, choose Add Tab to Stack and pick the group you want to add the page to.
The stack appears separately from the regular tabs, making it easier to tell my grouped pages apart. I can also long-press a stack to edit it or remove a tab from it when I no longer want that page grouped with the others.
It’s a simple way to keep my browsing organized without closing tabs I’m still using.
Vivaldi has a few more tricks up its sleeve
It goes beyond the basics of mobile browsing
Beyond its customization options and built-in Notes, Vivaldi has a few features that make browsing more flexible.
One is Page Actions, which lets me change how a website looks without modifying the original page. Depending on the action, I can apply effects such as grayscale or sepia, or adjust a page’s appearance to make it easier to read.
You can access these options from the Vivaldi menu while viewing a web page.
I can also change how tab stacks behave. Under Settings > Tabs > Tab Stacking, I can choose between Two-Level and Accordion layouts.
The built-in tracker and ad blocker is another useful addition. I can choose to block trackers alone or block both trackers and ads, either for every website or on a site-by-site basis.
To change the default, go to Settings > Tracker and Ad Blocking > Default Blocking Level.
Finally, Reader View strips away much of a web page’s usual layout to present the main text in a cleaner reading format.
Vivaldi has earned its place on my phone
I keep coming back to Vivaldi because of its built-in tools and the freedom to add more through extensions. I can take notes while browsing, organize related tabs, customize web pages, and adjust the browser to fit my preferences.
But the ability to install extensions from the Chrome Web Store on Android really sets it apart for me.
If you’ve ever wished your mobile browser could do more, Vivaldi offers a compelling alternative.
