Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Opera is not a newcomer to the browser wars; it’s been around as an alternative to the more well-known browsers since 1995. Opera blocks ads and trackers natively. In fact, when you first install it, the welcome screen gives you a chance to toggle the ad-blocker on immediately. The browser also offers a free VPN, which, according to the company, encrypts any data passing through public Wi-Fi and routes it through a remote server.
Deal with trackers
If you didn’t switch the tracking blocker on when you installed Opera, and you want to enable it now, you’ll have to switch it on manually. Luckily, it’s not difficult.
- Select the “Settings” icon (a cog) in the left side menu. Click on “Basic.”
- Under “Privacy Protection,” you can now toggle…