You probably use your browser daily to visit your favorite websites. But did you know that you can do much more with a web browser? How about synchronizing with your phone or bundling websites into a collection? Discover what else is possible. We focus on the browsers Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome.
Microsoft Edge
Collections
In Microsoft Edge you can use so-called collections. With this you can save websites or parts thereof, for example a piece of text or an image, and retrieve them later as a whole.
Click on Collections, to the right of the address bar, and choose Next one until the main collections window appears. Now choose Start new collection. Give the collection a name, for example Summer vacation. You can add the existing page by clicking on Add current page. It is also possible to drag some of the content of a page to the box on the right. This way you can include a piece of text or an image in the collection.
In addition to existing elements, you can make notes within a collection. Press the button add a comment and make the note. This will then appear in the list of all sources.
The nice thing about the collections is that you can also use the pages and parts thereof in other programs. Press the button More options (top right of the window and recognizable by the three dots). You can then send the information to Excel, OneNote or Word. In the same menu you will also find the option to open all pages: a new browser window will open for each part. Do you want to use the information in another program? Then copy the information and open it in the other program (choose Copy everything).
Favorites
Make sure your favorite websites are always available, whether you work on your laptop, desktop or smartphone. Edge offers this option, but it is not enabled by default. In Edge, click on your profile picture and choose Manage profile settings. Open the section Synchronize and click the button Enable synchronization.
Then you indicate which parts you want to synchronize: in addition to the websites, you can also transfer your internet history and certain browser settings to other devices. In any case, put the slider on On Bee Favorites.
Do you want the personalization options to be included, such as the website that loads by default when opening the browser? Then you also activate Settings. It is also possible to synchronize personal data, such as addresses and passwords. Among other things, forms are filled in automatically. Choose for this Addresses and more and Passwords.
Have you started working with collections? Then choose Collectionsso that they are also available on all devices. At the moment, the creators are still working on the option to sync internet history and open tabs. These options are already visible in the window: you can activate them as soon as they are available.
No passwords
In your browser you can choose to save passwords for internet services, for example, and have them entered automatically if necessary. While this option sounds attractive, it is better not to take advantage of it. It is safer to use a password manager. Your login details are better secured here. Examples of password managers are Keepass, LastPass and Dashlane.
Privacy for everything
Edge has a fair amount of privacy options on board. Make sure you have set them optimally. In the settings window, choose Privacy, search and service. Much attention has been paid to tracking protection: with the help of trackers, websites can find out how you visit the website and, among other things, serve you personalized advertisements.
Edge distinguishes three levels of protection: Base, Balanced and Strict. We choose the latter. This will block most trackers and you will no longer be bothered by personalized ads. However, some websites no longer function properly with this protection. If you notice this, use the option to throw an exception. click on Exceptions and choose Add Website. Enter the internet address and select Add. The website will then work as it should again.
Delete what you want
Did you know that you can have Edge erase privacy-related items as soon as you close the browser? This way you can be sure that you will not leave any traces and you do not have to use the InPrivate mode every time.
In the section Privacy, search and service do you choose Select what you want to clear each time you close the browser. An overview appears with parts, including Download history, Cookies and Pictures and cached files. You can also manually delete data at any time.
On the main page, click the button Select what you want to erase. Place check marks next to the parts and specify Time range how far you want to go back in the past, for example Last 4 weeks or Last hour. The latter is useful if you want to delete very specifically about a specific period. Confirm by clicking on Delete now.
Old websites
If you still visit websites that are not displayed correctly in Edge, you can use the Internet Explorer mode. It uses a compatibility view so that the site works properly. In the Default browser section, set the slider to On Bee Allow sites to reload in Internet Explorer mode.
Change
If you have worked with Edge for a while and decide to switch completely from Google Chrome or Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge, you can import a large part of your existing browser data. The advantage of this is that you don’t have to reset things like internet history and favorites, default search engines and other personal settings in Edge.
The option to import settings and data from other browsers can be found in the settings screen in the section Profiles. click on Import browser data. Then indicate from which program you want to import the data, for example Chrome or Edge, and place check marks next to the items to include. Satisfied with the selection? Confirm by clicking on OK.
Google Chrome
Assign rights
Over time, you may have granted rights to websites to perform specific tasks, such as requesting your location or enabling the web camera. Google Chrome remembers which rights belong to which page. It is wise to go through this list regularly and check whether you agree with the rights granted. If necessary, remove the rights from the websites that are no longer allowed access.
Open the settings window by clicking Customize and manage Google Chrome. The button can be recognized by the three dots and is located at the top right of the window. In the settings window, choose Privacy and security. click on Site settings. Bee Rights click on the type Authorization for which you want to see the corresponding websites. Click the play button (to the right of the website) to view all permissions for a site. If you want to remove the permissions, click on the trash can icon.
Cleaning aid
In Chrome’s advanced options, we find some interesting options. For example, did you know that Chrome has a built-in cleaning aid that you can use to search for rogue software? In the settings window we choose System. Then choose Clean up computer. Press the button Search Bee Search for malicious software. If you do not want the data to be shared with Google, uncheck the option Report data to Google.
Just ask
By default, Google Chrome saves the downloads in the folder C: Users Username Downloads. You can adjust this location yourself via the settings window. It is also possible to determine the location yourself for each new download. Handy: this way, the download immediately ends up in the desired folder and you don’t have to move it afterwards. In the Chrome settings window, open the section Downloads (below Advanced). Activate the option Ask where to save a file before downloading.
Synchronize
Like Edge, Chrome offers the ability to sync your data between multiple devices. This option is disabled by default. Press the button Google Chrome customize and manage. Go to You and Google and click the button Enable synchronization.
Then log in with your Google account. Now click on Yes, enable. Synchronization is enabled, but we now opt for full control Manage what you sync. Choose Adjust synchronization and specify at the section Synchronize data which parts should be accessible on all devices. So you will find here History, Open tabs and Settings.
Own appearance
A nice thing about Chrome is the possibility to give the browser its own look with the help of themes. You can find these in the Chrome Web Store. Found an interesting theme? Apply that to the browser. Press the button Add. to Chrome. You can revert to the original appearance at any time. Choose in the section Appearance in front of Restore to default setting.
Security check
Chrome has a built-in security check, which checks that no malicious extensions are installed, that all updates have been applied, and that secure passwords are used. Choose Security check and click the button Check now. In an overview you can read whether the components have passed the test and what measures you can take to improve the situation.
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