Updating your browser is important to ensure you’ve installed all the latest security updates and are able to load web pages properly. An update will often come with new features and changes to the interface that can give your browser a fresh feel.
Along with the browser, you should also keep your browser extensions updated, or remove extensions that are no longer supported by the developers. Updating browsers isn’t very difficult, and in most cases, they’re set to update automatically by default. However, if you’ve never updated a browser manually, you might need some help finding where the option is located in your browser.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how you can update most major web browsers on a Windows PC so you’re always running the latest version. We’ll include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.
By default, Google Chrome is set to update itself automatically so the new versions will typically install as and when they’re released. If Chrome downloaded automatic updates while you were using the browser, you’d need to relaunch the browser to finish installing the updates.
Alternatively, you can paste the following address into the URL bar:
chrome://settings/help
If Chrome finds any available updates, it will automatically install them, and you’ll see a Relaunch button next to it. Click on it to restart the Chrome browser, and you’ll now have the latest version of Chrome.
If you’re unable to update your Chrome, you may need to fix the Chrome browser so you can successfully update it.
Just like Chrome, Firefox automatically installs updates as and when they become available. If you have reason to believe you’re not running the latest version, check the current version and see if there are any updates available for Firefox by following the process illustrated below.
Edge is a Chromium-based browser so a large portion of the process is the same as for Chrome. It also installs updates automatically, but you can check for updates yourself from within the About section.
There’s no built-in feature for updating Internet Explorer. You’ll need to rely on Windows Update. When you update Windows, the browser updates for Internet Explorer are installed along with other updates for your Windows operating system.
Also, the latest Windows OS (Windows 11) doesn’t have Internet Explorer, so this section is relevant if you use Windows 10 or an older version of Windows.
If windows finds them, install them, and you’ll then be running the latest version of Internet Explorer.
Opera updates itself automatically whenever an update is available. However, you can also try to update Opera to the latest version manually.
If you use a browser that isn’t on the list like Brave or UC browser, you can still follow a general process to update your browser. You should look for the Help or About section in your browser, which is typically housed in the Settings menu.
Once you’re in the About section, you’ll be able to see the current version of the browser. This is also where most browsers will show if there’s a newer version available. If it is, you’ll also see an option to update the browser. Once the update completes, restart the browser and you’ll have updated to the latest version.
If you’re trying to update your browser because of a specific issue, you should take a look at the following guides:
Hopefully, you were able to update your browser successfully. If you’re running a different operating system, like Mac OS X which comes with Safari installed as its default browser, you’ll need to follow a different process. You can also install Safari on Windows, but you won’t be able to update it since Apple stopped its development in 2012.
The process is also different for Android or iOS devices, on which you’ll need to use the Google Play Store or the App Store, respectively. Regardless of which devices you use, keeping your browser up-to-date is critical for ensuring a safe browsing environment and access to the latest features.
Arjun is a freelance writer based in India. After working as an equity research analyst, Arjun decided to do something that he has been passionate about – tech. He gets excited talking about and explaining how to solve everyday tech problems. His area of expertise is Windows and is a go-to for all things Excel. Read Arjun’s Full Bio
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