How to update the web browser on a computer

How to update the web browser on a computer.

Keeping your browser up to date is important so that you have all the latest security updates and can load web pages correctly. An update often comes with new features and interface changes that can give your browser a new look.

Along with the browser, you should also update browser extensions or remove extensions that are no longer supported by the developers. It is not very difficult to update browsers and in most cases they are set to update automatically by default. However, if you’ve never manually updated your browser, you may need help finding where this setting is in your browser.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to update most of the major web browsers on your Windows PC to always use the latest version. We will enable Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge and Opera.

How to Update Google Chrome to the Latest Version

By default, Google Chrome is set to update automatically, so new versions are usually installed as they are released. If Chrome has downloaded automatic updates while using the browser, you will need to restart the browser to complete the updates.

Click on the ellipsis in the upper right corner and select Help > About Google Chrome.

Alternatively, you can paste the following address into the URL bar:

chrome://settings/help

You will see the current version of Google Chrome installed on your PC. If you also see a message that Chrome is up to date, then you already have the latest version installed.

If Chrome detects any updates available, it will automatically install them and a Restart button will appear next to it. Click on it to restart your Chrome browser and you will now have the latest version of Chrome.

If you are unable to update Chrome, you may need to fix your Chrome browser so that you can successfully update it.

How to Update Firefox to the Latest Version

Like Chrome, Firefox automatically installs updates as they become available. If you have reason to believe that you are not running the latest version, check your current version and see if any updates are available for Firefox by following the procedure below.

Click the hamburger icon in the top right corner of your browser and choose Help > About Firefox.

You will see a popup. If a new update is available, Firefox will automatically start downloading the update.

Once the updates are installed, you will see a button that says “Relaunch to update Firefox”. Click on it to restart Firefox and you will now have the latest version installed.

How to Update Microsoft Edge to the Latest Version

Edge is a Chromium-based browser, so much of the process is the same as for Chrome. It also installs updates automatically, but you can check for updates yourself in the About section.

Click the horizontal ellipsis in the upper right corner of the Edge browser and select Help & Feedback > About Microsoft Edge.

Edge will automatically check for software updates and begin downloading them if available.

Once it downloads the updates, you will need to click the Restart button. This will restart your internet browser and install the latest updates.

How to Update Internet Explorer to the Latest Version

There is no built-in Internet Explorer update feature. You need to rely on Windows Update. When you update Windows, browser updates for Internet Explorer are installed along with other updates to the Windows operating system.

Also, the latest version of Windows (Windows 11) does not have Internet Explorer, so this section is relevant if you are using Windows 10 or an earlier version of Windows.

Click the Start button, search for Check for Updates and press Enter. Click the Check for Updates button and let Windows search for available updates.

If Windows finds them, install them and you’ll be using the latest version of Internet Explorer.

How to Update Opera to the Latest Version

Opera updates itself automatically when an update is available. However, you can also try manually updating Opera to the latest version.

Launch Opera and select the Opera logo in the top left corner of the browser window. Choose Help > About Opera.

Opera will automatically check for updates and install them if it finds available updates.

After installing the updates, click the “Restart Now” button to restart Opera and complete the installation.

How to Update Other Browsers

If you are using a browser that is not listed, such as Brave or UC browser, you can still follow the general browser update process. You should find the “Help” or “About” section in the browser, which is usually located in the “Settings” menu.

By going to the “About” section, you can see the current version of the browser. This is also where most browsers will show if a newer version is available. If so, you will also see the option to refresh your browser. After the update is complete, restart your browser and you will be updated to the latest version.

If you’re trying to update your browser due to a specific issue, you should check out the following guides:

Best browsers for old and slow computersBest browsers to protect your online privacyA browser with a built-in VPN Best lightweight browsers

Update Your Browser Today

I hope you were able to update your browser successfully. If you’re using a different operating system, such as Mac OS X, that has Safari set as the 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 as Apple stopped developing it in 2012.

This process is also different for Android or iOS devices, on which you will need to use the Google Play Store or App Store respectively. No matter what devices you use, keeping your browser up to date is critical to ensure a secure browsing experience and access to the latest features.