Why you Should Update your Web Browser to the Latest Version
Update Web Browser
There are plenty of benefits to surfing the web on a latest version browser installed on a computer. Websites containing HTML5 audio and HTML5 video, Cascading StyleSheets, and advanced JavaScript, all loads up blazing fast only on an up-to-date web browser. So, if you are wondering why update my browser, below are a few common arguments as to why you should do it.
Ensures Browser to Website Compatibility
Firstly, updating the browser lets you access all of the HTML scripts and make the newer browser compatible with a website full of graphics and text. Most website designers and web developers pay heed to browser compatibility, or to develop the site in a way, that it supports more than one version of a browser. Only an up-to-date version web browser enhances the browsing experience the best way possible.
Eliminates Common Browser Issues
It is easier to download and install the latest version of a browser. The root certificates get updated as well with browser installation and that helps avoid certain connection errors or SSL errors that pop due to poor browser compatibility. For instance, if you have come across such errors on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or even Mozilla Firefox, it is worth installing the latest version of the browser to negate it with embedded root certificates.
Makes Browsing Secure, Fast, and Responsive
Eliminates Browser Issues
No more error loading a webpage, page not displayed or website component files not loading properly including latest HTML scripts, images, and other features that improve the functionality or the aesthetics of a website being visited. An out-of-date browser does not perform such basic surfing tasks with efficiency and speed just like newer version web browsers often tends to. While updating a browser is only a click away, why even hesitate? The browser updates often come up with bug fixes and security patches, among other things that make surfing the web stable and secure.
Think of a security patch released for a browser like Mozilla Firefox, which disallows hackers from taking control of the PC running on Windows 7 or Mac OSX. The fact that a latest version Mozilla Firefox could prevent ethical hacking or a new Google Chrome update could negate website redirects is reason enough to perform a browser update. You may also get accesses to new features that were not there in a previous version if the browser developer chooses to embed upgrades.
How to Customize Chrome Settings to Avoid Closing of Active Tabs
Closing Of Active Tabs
Since Chrome will not send prompts when one accidentally closes any of the active tabs in Google Chrome, those surfing the web may need some workarounds to fix it. Below are top three methods in which users can customize Chrome settings to make the browser send a prompt just prior to closing all tabs.
Note that the Chrome tabs will not resume the next time you open the browser after closing one active tab, unlike having the option to Restore the Chrome tabs when the PC shuts down following a power failure or a sudden system reboot.
Pin an Active Tab in Chrome
For that, right-click on an open website in Chrome and then click on Pin Tab option from the context menu that pops up on screen. Note that the tab or website, which you are surfing, may be the first one or even the tab in the middle and that you may close it by chance.
However, if you pin a tab on the far right, the active Chrome tab shrinks and rearranges to the far left. Even if you close a tab accidentally, the tab will show up the next you open Chrome browser. Yet again, this is a workaround only that provides an option to access a particular closed tab in Google Chrome.
Add Chrome Toolbox to Chrome
Add Chrome Toolbox
Search for Chrome Toolbox on Google, and once it shows up on organic search results, open the link on Chrome Webstore, and click Add to Chrome. This now installs Chrome Toolbox in the browser as an extension. After that, navigate the cursor to the gear icon or three-dot menu to the upper right in Chrome.
When you place the mouse on the menu, you can see Customize and Control Google Chrome highlighted, so click on that and choose Settings from the context menu that pops up. Then, click on the Extensions tab, find Chrome Toolbox by Google and click on the Options link below the add-on’s description.
After that, select the checkbox next to Confirm before Closing Multiple Tabs under the Tabs heading in order to update the settings of Chrome browser by default. This will make sure that in case one close an active tab with several other tabs open in Chrome, the browser will send a prompt asking if you want to close it or not.
How to Improve the Privacy of your Chrome Browser
Improve The Privacy
Google Chrome, being one of the most secure browsers, still has its own disadvantages in terms of protecting your privacy. Users around the world are worrying about the amount of personal data mined for use in targeted ads and sold to third-party sources. Google is notorious on this front, for collecting your personal data, and all its products including Chrome are designed for the purpose.
In spite of all this, Chrome has the most advanced features designed to give you the best web browsing experience. It has a set of controls that you can use to manage the personal data collected, giving you an overall safer web browsing experience. Below are some effective ways to improve the security and privacy of your Chrome browser.
Control Sync Data
If you are signed in to your Chrome browser, Google automatically synchronizes all the relevant data from the browser into your Google account. You can disable this and control the data that are synced into your Google account. For fully disabling this feature, go to Menu > Settings and select the Sign Out option.
If you want to control the data synchronized to your Google account, you can click on the Sync option, which displays all the things that are synched from your Chrome browser. Toggle the Sync everything button to Off and individually disable the selected types of data such as apps, bookmarks, history etc. to protect your privacy.
Manage Privacy Options
Control Sync Data
There are several privacy and security options that you can manage to improve the security of your web browsing in Chrome. For this, go to Settings and click on the Advanced option at the bottom of the page. This will display all the settings related to managing privacy, security and other features.
Disable checkboxes near options such as Automatically send usage statistics and crash reports to Google and Automatically report details of possible security incidents to Google. You can also tick the box near Send a “Do Not Track” request with your browsing traffic to further make sure that websites do not track your activities.
Disable Location History
Chrome keeps track of your history whether you are using a desktop or mobile version of it. If you are signed in into Chrome, the browser will collect your location data to give your personalized services. You can disable this by clicking on your profile at the top right of the browser, or through any of Google’s services.
Click on My Account > Personal info & privacy > My Activity > Activity Controls. Navigate to Location History, and then toggle the blue slider to off position for disabling your location history in Chrome and other Google services.
How to Improve the Security of your Firefox Browser
Configure Privacy Settings
Firefox is one of the most secure web browsers available today. It has implemented some of the latest security features to give you a safe browsing experience. Firefox also guarantees you the most privacy, since it is made by a non-profit organization. Whatever the features it may contain though, you still need to ensure that your browser is configured for maximum security.
Firefox contains several options that you can use to configure the security and privacy of the program while using it. Properly configuring these settings and following some useful techniques can drastically improve the security of your Firefox browser. Below are some techniques that you can use to improve the security of your Firefox browser.
Configure Privacy Settings
Firefox offers several privacy settings that you can control. One of these is Tracking Protection, which prevents web trackers from compromising your privacy. This feature can be accessed by going to Options and clicking on the Privacy & Security tab. You can select from the different options such as Always, Only in private windows, or Never, depending on your preferences.
You can also ensure your privacy by enabling the Do Not Track setting in Firefox. This option is located on the same Privacy & Security tab, and you can choose the Always or Only when using Tracking Protection option. You can also set the permissions related to the location, camera, microphone and notifications in Firefox’s settings.
Control Security Features
There are several other security options in Firefox that you can use to enhance security and protect your browsing. You can access these features by clicking on the three horizontal lines and then choosing Options. Then, click on the Privacy & Security option on the left and scroll down to view the security pane.
Control Security Features
In here, there are three options such as Block dangerous and deceptive content, Block dangerous downloads and Warn you about unwanted and uncommon software. Enable these three options by ticking the boxes near them, to prevent your browsing and downloads from accessing dangerous sites and malicious files. This will further augment the security of your browser, giving you a safer browsing experience.
Setting a Master Password
While allowing the browser to save the passwords for your email or other important websites, you are allowing any user to access your accounts. However, Firefox contains a useful feature that allows you to encrypt all saved passwords using a master password. You can set a master password to prevent unauthorized access to your saved passwords by going to Options and selecting the Privacy & Security option.
Under Forms & Passwords, tick the box near the Use a master password option, which will bring up the password-setting window. You can then enter a strong password combination into the fields and click OK to set the master password.
How to Troubleshoot Safari Browser Crashes on Mac
Safari Browser Crashes
It can be tough to understand exactly why Safari browser crashes or freezes on a Mac, but there are some reasons it may happen such as:
- User surfing the web on Safari opens plenty of tabs or web pages;
- Mac is running an older Safari version;
- An outdated plug-in or browser add-on creating problems;
- The browser runs with cache full of cookies, browsing history, and downloads; or
- Mac PC running slow due to several open apps running at the same time as Safari.
Depending on the cause, which you feel is the one applicable to the Mac you use to surf the web, follow the troubleshooting steps below to fix the browser’s freezing or crashing problem.
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Common Browser Issues
Give the spinning pinwheel to load up fully on Safari. Sometimes, it may take up to 60 seconds or so to go away. Close the apps running in the background to assist web page loading speed. Skip to the subsequent step if the wait prolongs.
- Close all tabs on Safari. This may help if a webpage contain flash heavy pop-up advertisements or videos that consume memory of Mac PC or contribute to browser cache.
- Force quit the Safari browser. For that, press on the Control key, click its icon in the dock and then select Quit or even Force Quit, whichever is applicable to the respective version.
- If the Mac PC is running low, restart the system and try browsing again on Safari.
- To know its version, navigate to the menu bar and click Safari > About Safari. If the browser is an old one, update it to a latest version.
- Navigate to History menu and select Clear History and Website Data. You can then clear cache or browsing history by selecting All History in the next pop-up box. This might clear the loaded browsing information if you have not cleared cache in the recent past, and will help to avoid freezes or crashes when browsing on Safari in future.
- Clear the browser add-ons by navigating to Safari > Preferences. Under the Extensions tab, you will see a list of third-party add-ons installed in the browser. Deselect Enable Save to Pocket next to the add-on that you do not use. If that does fix the crash, Uninstall the add-ons one by one to see if that works.
Chrome Lets you Permanently Mute Websites
Permanently Mute Websites
Google has come out with a new version of Chrome, which lets users stay away from some of the most annoying experiences while browsing the web, such as Google Chrome running out of memory. This new version is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and has an additional feature that lets you mute websites which autoplay videos. Otherwise, these videos have the annoying habit of starting to play when you have not even pressed play, with the audio set blaringly loud.
- To mute sites that automatically start playing videos, users will need to hit the View Site Information symbol at the left end of the omnibar, which resembles a green padlock. The omnibar is the address bar combined with the Google search box where you type in the URL for the site you want to go to.
- After this, you will need to choose Sound.
- After the website is muted, it will no longer play videos automatically unless you manually unmute it.
Chrome 64, as the new build is called, is also fixing the issue of disguised links and pop ups. This means the browser will stop sites from tricking you into opening new windows or tabs. This can otherwise happen when links to third party websites look like something else, like play buttons or close symbols. When you click on them, they take you to another website.
Automatically Stop Annoying Ads
One of the major problems according to Google’s received feedback reports involves complaints about users getting unwanted content on their desktop. The functionality will be rolled out to users through the upcoming days and weeks. Chrome will also be getting a Google-built ad blocker, which will automatically stop “annoying” and “intrusive” ads from coming onto the screen.
An exceedingly high number of people around the world use Google Chrome these days, and with good reason. It is fast, has tons of features, and works well with Google’s other services. Additionally, it is easy on the system’s resources, no matter how many tabs you have open.
However, a lot of times it can serve up issues. Sometimes, all it takes is a few troubleshooting steps, but other times you require a technical expert working on the problem to fix it. If you ever encounter such a situation, get in touch with computer experts who know what they are doing.
How to Clear Waiting for Cache Error on a Chrome Tab
Waiting for Cache Error
If you come across an error message titled “Waiting for Cache” on Google Chrome, you will have to clear the browser cache. Browser cache temporarily stores a recently downloaded web page or multiple pages that are already stored. Just as you toggle to a different web page from an existing tab, caching the web pages in memory lets you toggle back to a downloaded tab to read its content.
When one surfs a website on Chrome browser, and its fails to load up fully, you might see the “Waiting for Cache” error below the screen. If the same webpage loads up in a different browser other than Chrome, it might be a cache corruption issue of the browser. An easy way to clear that in Chrome is to clear cache and then reboot the browser.
Steps to Clear Browser Cache in Chrome
Click the Chrome menu icon denoted by three vertical or horizontal lines to the upper-right corner. Click on More Tools in the next drop-down list and then click Clear Browsing Data on Google Chrome. Select Empty the Cache only and leave the rest of the options unchecked in the Clear Browsing Data dialog box, unless you want to Clear Browsing History, Clear Download History, Delete Cookies, and Clear Saved Passwords.
Google Chrome Errors
You can also click on the drop-down arrow next to Clear Data from this Period and choose any of the options from among Last day, Last Week, Last 4 Weeks, and Everything. If you cannot recollect the last time you surfed the web on Chrome and are looking for troubleshooting steps for browser issues long after the “Waiting for Cache” error, select Everything regardless of the browsing time.
Once you have selected the options according to the last date you browsed on Chrome, click Clear Browsing Data option next to Cancel in the main dialog box that appeared at the start. After that, restart Chrome by closing all tabs in the browser, go to the same web page where you encountered the cache error, and see to it if has gone for the good.
Google Chrome is one of the fastest and reliable browsers available to users, but issues such as corrupt cache tend to make browsing experience somewhat troublesome. Get in touch with a browser support team if you need any further assistance with Google Chrome issues.
How to Tackle the 404 Page Not Found Error
404 Page Not Found Error
There will be hardly anyone, who does not get connectivity issues when they open a web page. It is not always because of the browser you use though. There are also many other possible reasons for this, such as trouble with the site, your internet service protocol, or even your computer configuration.
The “404 Page Not Found” error is one of the connection errors that occur mainly due to the unavailability of site. Interestingly, you can fix the error separately for a user as well as for a website. Below are some methods that you can try to fix this connection error.
Check the URL
First step is to check the URL, as the reason for the “404 Page Not Found” error could be because of the wrong demand from your browser. That indicates you have typed something wrong in the URL on the address bar. So, check the spelling of the URL you entered carefully and try to load the web page once more.
Try with Breadcrumb
Breadcrumb feature is offered by almost all structured sites in order to move up and down the levels easily. So, if you have breadcrumb, go up and down the level to ensure that the related contents are still available when you encounter the “404 Page Not Found” error.
To start, use the navigation panel of the site and then go to the URL; if you are not able to find it, then go down to the subcategory level in order to find the appropriate content.
Do not Access Page from Bookmark
Common Browser Issues
The “404 Page Not Found” error is more likely to occur if you try to open the page directly from the bookmarks. This is because the site owner might have deleted the web page or would have changed the URL to the page. In such cases, try to search the page in the browser search engine and try to get the content either from the same site or from any other relevant site.
Search on Google
The “404 Page Not Found” error page usually comes with a search tab, which helps the users to search the content on the site. Try finding the relevant topics using this. If you cannot find anything, try to Google it and see whether you are able to find the significant topics.
Contact the Site Owner
If all these ideas failed, and the content you are searching for is really important to you, try to contact the owner of the website. The admin of the site might be able to retrieve the information that you need from the site easily.
How to Troubleshoot No Cast Destinations Found Error on Chrome
No Cast Destinations Found Error
Chromecast helps users to stream or mirror a webcast or a Google Chrome tab on a compatible HDTV. The streaming device relies on a Wi-Fi connection with high-speeds to cast a Chrome tab or desktop. Alternatively, one can use the HDMI port or the USB port of the HDTV to connect Chromecast and use it.
The option to ‘cast’ a webcast on a TV via Chromecast is inbuilt on Chrome’s menu button to the top right denoted by three dots. Else, you can pin the Cast button on the toolbar of Chrome and click on it to cast the chrome tab via Chromecast.
If you happen to see No Cast Destinations Found on the drop-down menu after clicking the option, you need to troubleshoot the missing Chromecast compatible device to enable casting.
Troubleshooting Steps
Chromecast needs Android and iOS devices or a computer featuring Wi-Fi. Firstly, ensure that both Chromecast and the compatible device are on the same Wi-Fi network. You should see the Chromecast device on the TV with its name if you configure it rightly. If you are using an iOS device to watch videos, enable Bluetooth to try mirroring the screen via Chromecast on TV.
Common Browser Issues
If you are casting the Chrome tab from a laptop, ensure Chromecast is connected to the TV via 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks. If you have a dual band Wi-Fi router that supports both frequencies, you should disable access point isolation on the router to cast the tab. To know how to do that on the Wi-Fi router, check for troubleshooting steps on the user manual or get in touch with a browser support team.
If other Chromecast compatible device like tablets or smartphones won’t let you cast the chrome tab successfully, then chances are the problem lies with the Wi-Fi network or the router. If that is the case, try the below troubleshooting steps.
- Unplug the power source of the Wi-Fi router and plug it back on.
- After a while, connect Chromecast device and the TV on the same Wi-Fi network to see if it works.
If other compatible devices can mirror the webcast from Chrome to TV via Chromecast, then it is likely to be caused by OS compatibility issues of the PC or a Chrome browser issue. Note that both need to be up-to-date to make full use of Chromecast. Further, you should also ensure that the antivirus or firewall is not blocking the connections to Chromecast compatible device.
How to Fix YouTube not Playing Issues in Chrome
YouTube Not Playing Issues
A frequently occurring issue in Google Chrome browser is the inability to play videos on YouTube. It can either prevent the video from playback or stop loading the page altogether. Such issues are caused due to several reasons, one being too much memory consumption. This can make it difficult to stream and watch videos on YouTube properly.
There are several methods to resolve such common chrome browser issues. Described below are some of the effective methods to fix YouTube not working issues in Google Chrome browser.
Force Close Chrome with Task Manager
Force closing chrome using the Task Manager can resolve many of the issues related to video playback. For this, first open the Task Manager by jointly pressing Control + Alt + Delete keys or through the Control Panel. In the Task Manager, click on the Applications tab to view the list of operating tasks. Select Chrome from the list and then click on the End Task option to terminate the application. Then launch Chrome again and check whether it is properly streaming YouTube videos.
Disable Hardware Acceleration
Disable Hardware Acceleration
Sometimes, the video playback may not function normally due to the inability of the browser to handle the streaming data. In such cases, you can disable the hardware acceleration option in Chrome by clicking the three vertical dots and opening the Settings page. Here, go to the Show Advanced Settings section, and under the System tab, toggle the switch or uncheck the Use Hardware Acceleration When Available option. Then re-launch Chrome to see whether the issue is fixed.
Clear Browsing Data
Another effective way to fix this issue is by clearing the browsing data accumulated by the browser. For this click on the three vertical dots and open More Tools. Now click on Clear Browsing Data, and tick the relevant boxes near to the items listed such as the browsing history, cookies, site and plugin data, and cached images and files, etc. In time range, select All Time or the Beginning of Time, and then click on the Clear Browsing Data option to clear the history.
Note that sometimes, video playback issues can also be caused by the presence of any faulty extensions in the browser. Disable all the extensions used in Chrome by going to More Tools > Extensions and then disable all the listed extensions by unchecking the boxes near to them. Again, start chrome and go to YouTube to see whether it is playing videos normally.