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Toggling on the ad-blocker is as simple as two clicks.
You can add a third-party ad-blocker to Opera, but you don’t need to. Opera bakes one right into its browser. This feature is available on both desktop and smartphones, but it’s particularly handy on mobile if you prefer a Chromium-style browser and thus Firefox and its support for extensions won’t do, or if you’re wary of installing a third-party iOS ad-blocking app. It also simplifies remote technical support; no need to explain how to install and manage a third-party extension. With Opera, you just download the app and activate its ad-blocker to keep the worst parts of the internet at bay.
Workspaces
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Primary on the left, and a fresh new workspace on the right. You switch between them by clicking on the buttons in the upper left of the Sidebar.
Do you like to have different browser windows open? (Perhaps to better separate out tabs dedicated to work and personal?) But does having multiple windows open also result in a navigational headache? You might just love Opera’s Workspaces.
These operate similar to how virtual desktops work in macOS and Windows. Each workspace holds whatever tabs were opened while active in it, and you can bounce between workspaces quickly via Opera’s sidebar.
In truth, if it weren’t for this job, this feature would make switching to Opera very seamless. I live a multi-browser life partially to better keep my writing, research, and communication organized. (And then I use other browsers for social media and personal things.) Chrome may have profiles, but I don’t need to have complete separation between my bookmarks, history, and other settings—just my tabs. And Chrome’s tab groups can still contribute to window clutter, though just not as intensely.
Speed Dial
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Opera’s Speed Dial can contain many more links—this sample is on the sparse side.
It’s a small thing, but Opera’s start page can display links to the sites and extensions you most frequently hit up in a tidy grid format. It’s a design feature now found in other Chrome rivals (hi, Firefox), and for good reason—you can immediately get on with your daily routine. If something’s not on the auto-generated list, you can also add a manual entry as well. I love this for the visual ease in navigating to an oft-visited site (e.g., Twitter), rather than having to find a link in my bookmarks bar.
Auto-blocking of trackers
Opera tracker blocking in action
When tracker blocking is active, you can manage it by clicking on the hexagon icon in the address bar.
Opera takes privacy and security seriously—and as part of that, it keeps websites from tracking your browsing activity across the web. As all tracking blockers warn, this feature can break websites or otherwise cause them to not function properly, but you can easily toggle the blocker on and off.
Like the other built-in privacy features, you can still use your own third-party app for the same purpose (like Ghostery or Privacy Badger), but having this accessible from the moment you install the browser is simple and less work. I appreciate the time savings, since I don’t need to have an account for syncing extensions on new Opera installs. (I work with a lot of different computers over the course of a year.) It also results in less explaining when providing remote tech assistance. Just download, setup, and go.
News reader
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A sample setup for Opera’s Personal News (aka RSS reader).
As I mentioned already, I still follow RSS feeds for sites, in order to keep up breaking news and other developments within various topics. And while not perfect, Opera’s built-in feed reader helps me stay on top of a few select ones I particularly focus on.
It’s dead simple to use this RSS reader—you can choose from some suggestions, peruse Opera’s top 50 list, run a search for a site, or manually add a link. (Be sure to include the https:// part of the link, otherwise Opera won’t recognize it as valid.) On occasion, a feed won’t show thumbnail images for articles, but generally it works well.
Built-in VPN
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Of the free VPN options out there, Opera’s built-in option is a good starting point.
You’ve probably already heard of virtual private networks (VPNs), and how they shield your online activity from prying eyes. People sharing your connection can’t monitoring the sites you visit and the information you share, which you want to especially ensure on public networks.
Usually, the best option for a VPN is a paid service (see our top recommendations) but not everyone can afford a regular subscription. Opera solves that issue by offering a built-in VPN that protects your browsing activity without requiring a separate app or extension. The service is 256-bit encrypted, with no bandwidth limitations, no logging, and worldwide servers. Not bad for a grand total sum of $0.