Web browser

A web browser, often called a browser, is a special kind of application that helps people look at websites. When someone wants to see a web page from a website, the browser gets the files from a web server and shows that page on the screen. Browsers can also show things that are saved right on a person's device.

Browsers are used on many different devices, like desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, smart televisions, and consoles. Today, the most popular browsers around the world are Google Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, Samsung Internet, and Opera. Lots of people use these tools to explore the internet and find information, pictures, and fun things to do online.

Function

A web browser helps you see websites on your device. When you type a web address, called a Uniform Resource Locator or URL, into the browser's address bar, the browser gets the page from a web server and shows it to you. Most URLs start with http: or https: — the latter keeps your information safe.

The browser downloads text, style sheets, images, and other multimedia from the server. It then puts these pieces together to show you the page. Browsers can also run special codes called JavaScript engines to make websites more interactive.

Web pages often have links to other pages. When you click or tap a link, the browser takes you to the new page. Browsers also save pieces of pages, like big images, so they load faster next time you visit.

A web browser is different from a search engine. A search engine is a website that helps you find other websites. Browsers let you visit those search engines and type questions right in the address bar.

History

Main article: History of the web browser

The first web browser, called WorldWideWeb, was created in 1990 by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. A later browser called Mosaic, released in 1993, became very popular because it had a simple way to show web pages, making the World Wide Web easy for everyone to use. This helped the Internet grow quickly in the 1990s.

Later, Microsoft created Internet Explorer, which became very common because it came free with their Windows operating system. Other browsers like Firefox, Safari, and Chrome were created after that. Today, Chrome is the most used browser. Recently, browsers with artificial intelligence features have started to appear.

Features

The most popular web browsers share many features. They can keep a list of the websites you visit, unless you turn this off or use a special private mode. You can also save favorite pages as bookmarks, add extra tools with extensions, and handle files you download and your passwords.

Common things you can do on a browser include:

• Keep many pages open at once, either in separate windows or in different tabs of the same window.
• Use back and forward buttons to visit the last page you saw or jump ahead.
• Use a refresh or reload button to load the current page again, and a stop button to cancel loading it. (In most browsers, the stop button is combined with the reload button.)
• Click a home button to go back to your start page.
• Type the address of a page into an address bar and see it, plus a place to search the web using a search engine. (In most browsers, the search box is combined with the address bar.)

Mobile browsers work much like desktop ones but are simpler because they need to fit on smaller touch screens. Websites use responsive web design to look good on both desktop and mobile screens. Some services like Netflix and Spotify need special software to work in browsers.

Browser market

See also: Usage share of web browsers

Google Chrome has been the most used browser since the mid-2010s and now has a 69% share worldwide. Most of its source code comes from Google's open-source Chromium project, and this code is used in many other browsers. These include Microsoft Edge, which is third with about 5% share, as well as Samsung Internet and Opera, which each have about 2% share.

Two other top browsers use different code. Safari, made by Apple, is second most popular and is mainly used on Apple devices, with a 16% share. Firefox, in fourth place with about 2% share, uses code from Mozilla. Both of these types of code are open-source, so some smaller browsers also use them.

The following table shows the top web browsers by market share as of February 2025:

Market share by type of device

Before late 2016, most web use was on desktop computers. But since then, most web use has been on mobile devices like smartphones. As of February 2025, mobile devices make up 62% of Internet use, with desktops at 36% and tablets at 2%.

Security

Main article: Browser security

Web browsers can sometimes be targeted by people who try to steal information or cause harm. To stay safe, it’s important to keep your browser updated with the latest fixes. Using good security tools like antivirus software and being careful online can also help protect you.

Privacy

Further information: Web tracking

When you visit websites, your browser may save small pieces of information called cookies. Some cookies help you stay logged in or remember your settings, but others can track what you do over time. Most browsers let you delete cookies if you want to.

Some browsers have extra features to help stop tracking, and you can also use special tools to manage cookies better. Many browsers also collect information to improve how they work, but you can usually choose not to share this information.