Opera Browser

About this release

Opera runs the same rendering engine as the other mainstream browsers, so compatibility and the extension catalogue are not in question. What it adds is a set of things most browsers expect you to install separately, already built in and already configured: a content and tracker blocker, a sidebar of pinned services, a battery saver and workspace separation for keeping different jobs apart.

The blocker is the piece most people notice on the first page load. It filters advertising and tracking scripts at the browser level, which cuts page weight and load time noticeably on heavy sites, with a per site exception list for anything that breaks. Cookie dialogues are dismissed automatically according to a preference set once rather than clicked away on every site.

The sidebar turns the browser into something closer to a workspace. Messaging services pin there and stay logged in beside the page rather than occupying a tab, alongside player controls, notes and a search of open tabs. Workspaces divide tabs into separate sets so a research session and a work session live in the same window without mixing.

The rest is conventional and well done: tab islands that group related pages visually, a speed dial start page with folders, a built in screenshot and markup tool, per site permissions, and a battery saver that measurably extends runtime on a laptop by throttling background activity and reducing frame rates on inactive tabs.

What it does

Built in content blocker

Advertising and tracker filtering at browser level with per site exceptions.

Sidebar services

Pin messaging and player panels beside the page instead of occupying tabs.

Workspaces

Separate tab sets in one window so different jobs do not mix.

Tab islands

Related pages group visually so a long strip stays readable.

Battery saver

Background throttling that measurably extends laptop runtime.

Cookie dialogue handling

Consent prompts answered automatically from a preference set once.

Changed in this version

• Engine updated to the current Chromium generation with security fixes.
• Sidebar panels reorganised with easier reordering.
• Faster start on profiles with large tab counts restored.
• Content blocker filter lists updated.
• Fixed a rendering issue on some fractional display scaling settings.

System requirements

Install order

1. Unpack the archive.
2. Run the installer and choose whether to import from another browser.
3. Enable the content blocker and set the cookie dialogue preference on first run.
4. Pin the sidebar services you actually use and remove the rest.

Worth knowing before you start

File details