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Mobile Browsers

Protects against the following threat(s):

These are our currently recommended mobile web browsers and configurations for standard/non-anonymous internet browsing. If you need to browse the internet anonymously, you should use Tor instead.

Brave

Brave logo

Brave Browser includes a built-in content blocker and privacy features, many of which are enabled by default.

Brave is built upon the Chromium web browser project, so it should feel familiar and have minimal website compatibility issues.

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Tor Browser is the only way to truly browse the internet anonymously. When you use Brave, we recommend changing the following settings to protect your privacy from certain parties, but all browsers other than the Tor Browser will be traceable by somebody in some regard or another.

These options can be found in → Settings → Brave Shields & privacy.

These options can be found in → Settings → Shields & Privacy.

Brave shields global defaults

Brave includes some anti-fingerprinting measures in its Shields feature. We suggest configuring these options globally across all pages that you visit.

Shields' options can be downgraded on a per-site basis as needed, but by default we recommend setting the following:

  • Select Aggressive under Block trackers & ads
  • Select Auto-redirect AMP pages
  • Select Auto-redirect tracking URLs
  • Select Require all connections to use HTTPS (strict) under Upgrade connections to HTTPS
  • (Optional) Select Block Scripts (1)
  • Select Block third-party cookies under Block Cookies
  • Select Block Fingerprinting
  • Select Prevent fingerprinting via language settings

Use default filter lists

Brave allows you to select additional content filters within the Content Filtering menu or the internal brave://adblock page. We advise against using this feature; instead, keep the default filter lists. Using extra lists will make you stand out from other Brave users and may also increase attack surface if there is an exploit in Brave and a malicious rule is added to one of the lists you use.

  • Select Forget me when I close this site
  1. This option disables JavaScript, which will break a lot of sites. To unbreak them, you can set exceptions on a per-site basis by tapping on the Shield icon in the address bar and unchecking this setting under Advanced controls.
  • Select Aggressive under Trackers & Ads Blocking
  • Select Strict under Upgrade Connections to HTTPS
  • Select Auto-Redirect AMP pages
  • Select Auto-Redirect Tracking URLs
  • (Optional) Select Block Scripts (1)
  • Select Block Fingerprinting

Use default filter lists

Brave allows you to select additional content filters within the Content Filtering menu. We advise against using this feature; instead, keep the default filter lists. Using extra lists will make you stand out from other Brave users and may also increase attack surface if there is an exploit in Brave and a malicious rule is added to one of the lists you use.

  1. This option disables JavaScript, which will break a lot of sites. To unbreak them, you can set exceptions on a per-site basis by tapping on the Shield icon in the address bar and unchecking this setting under Advanced controls.
Clear browsing data (Android only)
  • Select Clear data on exit
Social Media Blocking (Android only)
  • Uncheck all social media components

Other privacy settings

  • Select Disable non-proxied UDP under WebRTC IP handling policy
  • (Optional) Select No protection under Safe Browsing (1)
  • Uncheck Allow sites to check if you have payment methods saved
  • Select Close tabs on exit
  • Uncheck Allow privacy-preserving product analytics (P3A)
  • Uncheck Automatically send diagnostic reports
  • Uncheck Automatically send daily usage ping to Brave
  1. Brave's implementation of Safe Browsing on Android does not proxy Safe Browsing network requests like its desktop counterpart. This means that your IP address may be seen (and logged) by Google. Note that Safe Browsing is not available for Android devices without Google Play Services.
  • Uncheck Allow Privacy-Preserving Product Analytics (P3A)
  • Uncheck Automatically send daily usage ping to Brave

Leo

These options can be found in → Settings → Leo.

  • Uncheck Show autocomplete suggestions in address bar (1)
  1. This option is not present in Brave's iOS app.

Search engines

These options can be found in / → Settings → Search engines.

  • Uncheck Show search suggestions

Brave Sync

Brave Sync allows your browsing data (history, bookmarks, etc.) to be accessible on all your devices without requiring an account and protects it with E2EE.

Cromite (Android)

Cromite logo

Cromite is a Chromium-based browser with built-in ad blocking, fingerprinting protections, and other privacy and security enhancements. It is a fork of the discontinued Bromite browser.

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These options can be found in → ⚙ Settings → Privacy and security.

Browsing data

  • Select Close all open tabs on exit

Incognito mode

  • Select Open external links in incognito

Security

  • Select Always use secure connections

This prevents you from unintentionally connecting to a website in plain-text HTTP. HTTP is extremely uncommon nowadays, so this should have little to no impact on your day-to-day browsing.

Adblock Plus settings

These options can be found in → ⚙ Settings → Adblock Plus settings.

Cromite contains a customized version of Adblock Plus with EasyList enabled by default, as well as options to select more filter lists within the FIlter lists menu.

Using extra lists will make you stand out from other Cromite users and may also increase attack surface if a malicious rule is added to one of the lists you use.

  • (Optional) Select Enable anti-circumvention and snippets

This setting adds an additional Adblock Plus list that may increase the effectiveness of Cromite's content blocking. The warnings about standing out and potentially increasing attack surface apply.

Legacy Adblock settings

These options can be found in → ⚙ Settings → Legacy Adblock settings.

  • Uncheck the autoupdate setting

This disables update checks for the unmaintained Bromite adblock filter.

Mull (Android)

Mull logo

Mull is a privacy oriented and deblobbed Android browser based on Firefox. Compared to Firefox, it offers much greater fingerprinting protection out of the box, and disables JavaScript Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation for enhanced security. It also removes all proprietary elements from Firefox, such as replacing Google Play Services references.

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Downloads

Danger

Firefox (Gecko)-based browsers on Android lack site isolation,1 a powerful security feature that protects against a malicious site performing a Spectre-like attack to gain access to the memory of another website you have open.2 Chromium-based browsers like Brave will provide more robust protection against malicious websites.

Enable DivestOS's F-Droid repository to receive updates directly from the developer. Downloading Mull from the default F-Droid repo will mean your updates could be delayed by a few days or longer.

Mull enables many features upstreamed by the Tor uplift project using preferences from Arkenfox. Proprietary blobs are removed from Mozilla's code using the scripts developed for Fennec F-Droid.

We would suggest installing uBlock Origin as a content blocker if you want to block trackers within Mull.

Mull comes with privacy protecting settings configured by default. You might consider configuring the Delete browsing data on quit options in Mull's settings if you want to close all your open tabs when quitting the app automatically, or clear other data such as browsing history and cookies automatically.

Because Mull has more advanced and strict privacy protections enabled by default compared to most browsers, some websites may not load or work properly unless you adjust those settings. You can consult this list of known issues and workarounds for advice on a potential fix if you do encounter a broken site. Adjusting a setting in order to fix a website could impact your privacy/security, so make sure you fully understand any instructions you follow.

Safari (iOS)

On iOS, any app that can browse the web is restricted to using an Apple-provided WebKit framework, so a browser like Brave does not use the Chromium engine like its counterparts on other operating systems.

Safari logo

Safari is the default browser in iOS. It includes privacy features such as Intelligent Tracking Prevention, isolated and ephemeral Private Browsing tabs, fingerprinting protection (by presenting a simplified version of the system configuration to websites so more devices look identical), and fingerprint randomization, as well as Private Relay for those with a paid iCloud+ subscription.

Homepage

We would suggest installing AdGuard if you want a content blocker in Safari.

The following privacy/security-related options can be found in ⚙ Settings → Apps → Safari.

Allow Safari to Access

Under Siri:

  • Disable Learn from this App
  • Disable Show in App
  • Disable Show on Home Screen
  • Disable Suggest App

This prevents Siri from using content from Safari for Siri suggestions.

  • Disable Search Engine Suggestions

This setting sends whatever you type in the address bar to the search engine set in Safari. Disabling search suggestions allows you to more precisely control what data you send to your search engine provider.

Profiles

Safari allows you to separate your browsing with different profiles. All of your cookies, history, and website data are separate for each profile. You should use different profiles for different purposes e.g. Shopping, Work, or School.

Privacy & Security

  • Enable Prevent Cross-Site Tracking

This enables WebKit's Intelligent Tracking Protection. The feature helps protect against unwanted tracking by using on-device machine learning to stop trackers. ITP protects against many common threats, but does not block all tracking avenues because it is designed to not interfere with website usability.

  • Enable Require Face ID/Touch ID to Unlock Private Browsing

This setting allows you to lock your private tabs behind biometrics/PIN when not in use.

  • Disable Fraudulent Website Warning

This setting uses Google Safe Browsing (or Tencent Safe Browsing for users in mainland China or Hong Kong) to protect you while you browse. As such, your IP address may be logged by your Safe Browsing provider. Disabling this setting will disable this logging, but you might be more vulnerable to known phishing sites.

  • Disable Highlights

Apple's privacy policy for Safari states:

When visiting a webpage, Safari may send information calculated from the webpage address to Apple over OHTTP to determine if relevant highlights are available.

Settings for Websites

Under Camera

  • Select Ask

Under Microphone

  • Select Ask

Under Location

  • Select Ask

These settings ensure that websites can only access your camera, microphone, or location after you explicitly grant them access.

Other Privacy Settings

These options can be found in ⚙ Settings → Apps → Safari → Advanced.

Fingerprinting Mitigations

The Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection setting will randomize certain values so that it's more difficult to fingerprint you:

  • Select All Browsing or Private Browsing
Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement
  • Disable Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement

Ad click measurement has traditionally used tracking technology that infringes on user privacy. Private Click Measurement is a WebKit feature and proposed web standard aimed towards allowing advertisers to measure the effectiveness of web campaigns without compromising on user privacy.

The feature has little privacy concerns on its own, so while you can choose to leave it on, we consider the fact that it's automatically disabled in Private Browsing to be an indicator for disabling the feature.

Always-on Private Browsing

Open Safari and tap the Tabs button, located in the bottom right. Then, expand the Tab Groups list.

  • Select Private

Safari's Private Browsing mode offers additional privacy protections. Private Browsing uses a new ephemeral session for each tab, meaning tabs are isolated from one another. There are also other smaller privacy benefits with Private Browsing, such as not sending a webpage’s address to Apple when using Safari's translation feature.

Do note that Private Browsing does not save cookies and website data, so it won't be possible to remain signed in to sites. This may be an inconvenience.

iCloud Sync

Synchronization of Safari History, Tab Groups, iCloud Tabs and saved passwords are E2EE. However, by default, bookmarks are not. Apple can decrypt and access them in accordance with their privacy policy.

You can enable E2EE for your Safari bookmarks and downloads by enabling Advanced Data Protection. Go to ⚙ Settings → iCloud → Advanced Data Protection.

  • Turn on Advanced Data Protection

If you use iCloud with Advanced Data Protection disabled, we also recommend setting Safari's default download location to a local folder on your device. This option can be found in ⚙ Settings → Apps → Safari → General → Downloads.

Criteria

Please note we are not affiliated with any of the projects we recommend. In addition to our standard criteria, we have developed a clear set of requirements to allow us to provide objective recommendations. We suggest you familiarize yourself with this list before choosing to use a project, and conduct your own research to ensure it's the right choice for you.

Minimum Requirements

  • Must support automatic updates.
  • Must receive engine updates from upstream releases quickly.
  • Must support content blocking.
  • Any changes required to make the browser more privacy-respecting should not negatively impact user experience.

  1. This should not be mistaken for state partitioning (or dynamic first party isolation), where website data such as cookies and cache is restricted so that a third-party embedded in one top-level site cannot access data stored under another top-level site. This is an important privacy feature to prevent cross-site tracking and is supported by Firefox on Android. ↩

  2. GeckoView also does not take advantage of Android's native process sandboxing by using the isolatedProcess flag, which normally allows an app to safely run less trusted code in a separate process that has no permissions of its own. ↩

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