Is Yandex Browser the New Google Chrome or Even Better?

Due to the blocking of access to many kinds of software, it is necessary to have several options in stock to replace the blocked ones. In this article we will talk about why Yandex.Browser is rapidly moving from a fallback to the category of the main browser for millions of users throughout Russia and the CIS.

It is unlikely that the fact that Google Chrome is the most popular browser will be a discovery for you. However, due to the current situation and numerous blockings by Google, users are looking for a solution that is maximally optimized for working with the audience and has wide functionality for tracking statistics without restrictions. Here Yandex.Browser will come to the rescue with its many features.

After its release in 2012, Yandex.Browser quickly moved to second place in terms of the number of users, second only after Chrome. Although at first Yandex was popular only among Runet users, over the next 5 years the browser gained immense popularity in the CIS. It is interesting that the desktop version was among the leaders, and only about 10% of all users preferred the mobile application.

What can Yandex Browser offer?

Well, the most important thing is integration with all the services of the Yandex developer company, there is currently a huge number of them existing now. Even if you do not live in Russia, but speak Russian, your smartphone is guaranteed to have at least one application from Yandex. Maps anywhere in the world, taxi, and delivery, music, mail, e-wallet, translator, Yandex classrooms - not all, but the most popular at the moment. All services have convenient authorization through a Yandex account, everything, including the browser, is connected into a single system and works smoothly.

Built-in ad blocker

On the vast majority of sites, advertising is on, because this is one of the main resources due to which the site exists and functions. For some people flickering ads are not annoying, but for others, very much so. Therefore, Yandex.Browser offers a built-in ad blocker, which is disabled by default when you start using it. Browser compromising on the ability to disable all ads or ads for specific banners on a specific site.

Work speed

According to recent expert estimates, the speed of Yandex.Browser is not inferior to the speed of giant browsers such as Google Chrome, Opera, Firefox, etc. And for slow connections, there is a “Turbo” mode, in which the media content being viewed is automatically compressed to allow traffic to be loaded faster and more cost-effective at the same time.

Security

You should pay special attention to the security of working in Yandex.Browser. The browser is protected by its own Protect system, which includes secure password saving, monitoring of pop-up ads to avoid shocking or knowingly false content, virus scanning of all downloaded files, protection of the browser settings themselves and data from payment cards, automatic blocking of infected sites. It is also possible to enable the function of filtering pages for adults, if several people, including children, use the browser from one device.

The browser warns about entering a password on an unknown page, when visiting an insecure site, it asks for permission for paid subscriptions. And if the user still needs to go to an unsafe page, ignoring the warning, you can select the "safe copy" function and the site will open without dangerous elements. Protect technology prevents changes to critical program components that could potentially lead to data leakage. Thus, web surfing through Yandex.Browser becomes much safer.

Like other popular alternatives, Yandex Browser also provides a password manager, which can be disabled in the settings to stop automatically inserting them into password entry forms. For security purposes, all user passwords are stored on the Yandex server in encrypted form, and when the password manager is turned off and data is deleted, it is difficult to recover them, but you can try to do this from another device until the server has received a message about deleting all passwords. In this case, the device should be disconnected from the network, restarted, go to the Yandex Browser settings, disable synchronization, connect the device to the Internet, and enable synchronization again.

Built-in features and extensions

Unlike other browsers, where translation, currency conversion is carried out only after additional loading of extensions, in Yandex.Browser these functions are available by default.

As we have already said, the browser is perfectly synchronized with the entire Yandex application system, some of which can be downloaded as an extension to the desktop version (Music, Weather, Mail, Maps, etc.), and extensions from the Opera extension catalog are also supported, where they are automatically checked for safety. In this case, the extension must be packed into a crx3 archive and opened in a browser on the browser://tune page.

Working with DLP systems

DLP (data leakage prevention) system is a software solution that prevents the leakage of confidential information from the company's internal network. In a corporate environment, the use of a DLP system significantly reduces the risk of data leakage. One way to protect is to control communication channels, as, for example, in the popular DLP SecureTower system from Falcongaze.

Speaking of Yandex.Browser, let's go back to Yandex's communication services, which are often used with the browser or even installed as an extension. SecureTower controls all mail from external mail services such as Yandex.Mail, Gmail, Mail.ru. The system automatically analyzes the text of messages, sent files, and images for the presence of confidential information in them. Also, SecureTower can block the sending of messages by analyzing text content and attachments.

SecureTower keeps track of all files uploaded by the user to the Internet through the browser. The system controls all cloud services such as Yandex.Disk, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, Mail.Ru, and others.

Other benefits

One more thing that deserves attention in Yandex.Browser is the Alice voice assistant, which helps to carry out quick and convenient voice searches on the Internet.

A huge number of settings allows you to fully adapt the browser for yourself and use it comfortably.

The browser start page provides access to frequently visited pages, and the “smart search” will show results on request, even if the text is typed in the wrong layout. Popular sites are connected directly to the main page, bypassing the search page itself, which is also quite convenient.

According to user surveys, Yandex has the best maps for Russia and the CIS, which are displayed in the same quality in the browser as in the application.

Conclusion

There is an extremely large number of people using Yandex services, and, accordingly, Yandex.Browser. The most obvious plus of this browser is that it will not be blocked, and in the conditions of limited use of such giants as, for example, Chrome, it will only expand its functionality and gain further popularity.