Chromebooks run ChromeOS, a web-based operating system centered around Google’s Chrome browser. All pre-installed web applications are launched through the Chrome browser by default. However, Google Chrome does not have all the features you need to browse the Internet without interruptions.

use any browser on chromebook

With a third-party browser, users can customize their experience to suit their needs and also enjoy some features that the Chrome browser does not offer. In this article, we have described some simple steps on how you can use any browser on your Chromebook by following just a few simple steps.

Let us get started.

Why Do You Need a Different Browser on ChromeOS

Google Chrome has its advantages, but it can be very resource intensive and also lacks some features. Using another browser can improve your Chromebook’s performance while adding necessary features like privacy protection, ad-free browsing, and many others without having to install extensions for every little thing.

different browsers

A browser like Brave can help with privacy protection and ad-free browsing, while something like Opera Browser can help speed things up as you go through multiple open tabs and not use up much of your Chromebook’s resources. However, there are many other browsers that offer much more such features and enrich the browsing experience significantly compared to Google Chrome.

Install and Use Any Browser on Chromebook

Chrome OS is primarily designed to be used with the Google Chrome browser pre-installed on the operating system. However, you can install other browsers on your Chromebook with Chrome OS. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Google Play Store on your Chromebook.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           play store on chromeos
  2. Search for the browser you want to install, such as Firefox or Opera.
  3. Select the browser from the search results and click “Install.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            install browser
  4. Once the installation is complete, you can launch the browser from the app drawer or the launcher.
  5. You can also set the browser to open all the external links by default.

Use Any Browser as a Chrome Extension on Your Chromebook

Alternatively, you can install a browser as Chrome extension by following these steps:

  1. Make sure the browser is already installed on the Chromebook.
  2. Open the Chrome Web Store from the app drawer on your Chromebook.                                                                                                                                                                              chrome web store
  3. Search for the browser extension you want to install, such as Microsoft Edge or Brave.                                                                                                                                                     web store
  4. Select the browser extension from the search results and click “Add to Chrome.”
  5. Once the extension is added, you can launch the browser by clicking the corresponding icon on the Chrome toolbar.                                                                                                                                        edge extension
Note:
While other browsers can be installed on Chrome OS, they may not provide the full feature set or performance as the native Chrome browser due to the optimization of the operating system.

How to Get Any Browser on Your Chromebook

Another browser can help with many things if you are not familiar with ChromeOS or do not want to use Google Chrome as your main browser. ChromeOS offers users the option to use any browser of their choice, but ChromeOS is built around the Chrome browser, so Chromium-based browsers should work best. Even if you use another browser to browse the web, most web applications will only work with the Chrome browser by default.

If you have any other questions or suggestions about Chromebooks and ChromeOS, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

FAQs About How to Use Any Browser in ChromeOS

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To set a default browser on ChromeOS, open the settings menu and navigate to the "Default apps" section. From there, you can select your preferred browser as the default.

Yes, most web browsers allow you to import bookmarks from other browsers. To import bookmarks on ChromeOS, open the browser's settings menu and look for an option to import bookmarks. You can usually import bookmarks from Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and other popular browsers.

To clear your browsing history on ChromeOS, open the browser and click on the three dots in the top right corner of the window. From there, select "History" and then click "Clear browsing data." You can choose to clear your browsing history, cookies, cached images and files, and other data.

Yes, most web browsers on ChromeOS support extensions, which can be downloaded and installed from the Chrome Web Store. However, some extensions may not be compatible with all browsers, so be sure to check the compatibility before installing an extension.

Yes, you can use a VPN with any browser on ChromeOS. Most VPNs offer browser extensions that allow you to connect to their servers and encrypt your internet traffic easily. Alternatively, you can use a standalone VPN client to protect your entire system.

Further Reading

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