~65%

UK web traffic share for Chrome in 2026

4 weeks

Major release cycle for Chrome, Edge and Firefox

15 Jun 2022

Date Microsoft retired Internet Explorer

Auto

Every modern browser updates itself by default

The quickest way to identify your browser

Look at the icon next to the address bar at the top of the window. A multi-colour rounded circle is Google Chrome, a blue compass is Apple Safari, an orange fox curled around a blue globe is Mozilla Firefox, and a blue stylised "e" with a wave through it is Microsoft Edge. The plain blue "e" with a yellow swoosh that some older Windows installs still show in the taskbar is Internet Explorer, which Microsoft retired in June 2022 and which should no longer be used to browse the web.

To confirm the exact version, open the browser\'s main menu, usually three vertical dots or three horizontal lines at the top right of the window, and look for Help then About. Every modern browser tells you both the name and the version number in the popup that appears.

Tip for the truly stuck. If you cannot see any menu or icon, type about:version in the address bar on Chrome, Edge or Brave, or about:support on Firefox. The browser fills the tab with a diagnostic page that includes the name, the version, the rendering engine and the operating system.

What browser came with my device by default?

Most computers, phones and tablets ship with a default browser tied to the manufacturer. Knowing which one is the default usually answers the question without any clicking around.

  • Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs: Microsoft Edge is the default and is pinned to the taskbar. Chrome and Firefox are easy free downloads that take roughly two minutes to install.
  • Apple Macs, iPhones and iPads: Safari is the default and lives in the dock on Mac, the home screen on iPhone and iPad. Chrome, Edge and Firefox are available on the App Store.
  • Chromebooks: Google Chrome is the operating system\'s built-in browser. Other browsers (Firefox, Brave) can be installed through Google Play.
  • Android phones and tablets: Chrome ships as default on most handsets. Samsung Galaxy and Huawei devices add their own pre-installed browsers (Samsung Internet, Huawei Browser) alongside Chrome.
  • Work or school laptop: the IT team often locks down the default to Edge or Chrome with corporate policies. Check the lock icon next to the URL or run about:policy to see which restrictions are in place.

How to check your version of Google Chrome

Google Chrome is the most-used browser in the UK and worldwide, with roughly 65% of web traffic in 2026. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, Android and iOS. Versions roll out roughly every four weeks; security patches arrive faster than that.

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Click the three vertical dots at the top right of the window.
  3. Choose Help, then About Google Chrome.
  4. The version number is shown in the popup. Chrome checks for updates automatically and downloads the latest version. Restart the browser to apply.

On a phone or tablet, version information is in the Google Play Store entry for Chrome (Android) or the App Store entry (iOS and iPadOS). Auto-update through the relevant store keeps it current.

How to check your version of Apple Safari

Safari is Apple\'s native browser, available only on Macs, iPhones and iPads. It uses Apple\'s own WebKit rendering engine. Apple no longer ships a Windows version; the last one was released in 2012.

  1. On a Mac, open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top left of the screen.
  2. Choose About Safari.
  3. The version number, the WebKit version and the system locale are shown in the popup.

Safari updates come through macOS system updates, so on a Mac open System Settings, choose General, then Software Update. On an iPhone or iPad, the Safari version is the iOS / iPadOS version: Settings, then General, then About, then Software Version. Apple supplies a couple of years of security updates for older iOS releases on devices that cannot install the newest one.

How to check your version of Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox is the only major browser that does not use Google\'s Chromium engine, and it is the one most often recommended for privacy. It is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, all on a four-weekly major release cycle.

  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Click the three horizontal lines at the top right of the window.
  3. Choose Help, then About Firefox.
  4. The popup shows the version number and immediately checks for and installs any pending update.

An Extended Support Release (ESR) track is available for businesses that need fewer feature changes; ESR receives the same security fixes but ships major version updates only every 42 weeks.

How to check your version of Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge replaced Internet Explorer in 2015 and was rebuilt on Chromium in 2020, which is why it now looks and behaves much like Chrome. It is the default on every Windows 10 and Windows 11 device and is also available on macOS, Android and iOS.

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Click the three horizontal dots at the top right or press Alt + X.
  3. Choose Help and feedback, then About Microsoft Edge.
  4. The version number is shown and Edge auto-checks for updates. Restart the browser to apply.

Edge includes a built-in IE mode for legacy corporate intranet sites that depend on Internet Explorer behaviour, so even organisations running 1990s-vintage internal tools no longer need to keep Internet Explorer installed.

A note on Internet Explorer (and why you should stop using it)

Microsoft retired Internet Explorer 11 on 15 June 2022 and ended security updates for the standalone desktop application on 14 February 2023. Microsoft now actively redirects IE11 launches into Edge through a forced upgrade on supported Windows builds. Continuing to browse the web on Internet Explorer is genuinely dangerous: banking, government, NHS and most retail sites no longer test against it, encryption support is years behind current standards, and any vulnerabilities discovered since 2023 are unpatched.

If a workplace tool insists on Internet Explorer, ask the IT team to open it in Edge IE mode. The site behaves exactly as it would in the old browser while the rest of the web continues to be rendered by the modern Edge engine in the same window.

Other browsers you may come across

Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge cover well over 95% of UK web use, but a few specialist alternatives are worth knowing about. None of them are dangerous to install; some are explicitly more private than the mainstream ones.

  • Brave: a Chromium-based browser that blocks ads and trackers by default. Same Chrome-style interface, much less data collection.
  • Opera and Opera GX: a Chromium-based browser with a built-in free VPN and (on GX) gaming-oriented tools.
  • Samsung Internet: a Chromium-based browser pre-installed on every Samsung Galaxy phone and tablet, with tighter integration to Samsung Pass and ad-block extensions.
  • DuckDuckGo Browser: a privacy-focused browser available on Mac, Windows, Android and iOS, built on the system rendering engine.
  • Vivaldi: a heavily customisable Chromium-based browser aimed at power users.
  • Tor Browser: a hardened Firefox-based browser that routes traffic through the Tor anonymity network. Slow, occasionally blocked, but the gold standard for anonymous browsing.

Frequently asked questions

Open a new tab and look at the icon next to the address bar: a multi-colour circle is Chrome, a blue compass is Safari, an orange-and-purple flame is Firefox, a blue swirl is Microsoft Edge. To confirm the version, open the menu (three dots or lines, top-right of the window) and choose "Help" then "About". The browser name and the version number appear in a popup.

Browser updates fix security holes that attackers actively exploit to steal passwords, banking details and session cookies. A two-month-old browser is usually already known to be vulnerable. Updates also keep websites rendering correctly: Selectra, banking portals, government services and streaming sites drop support for older versions every year.

Chrome, Edge and Firefox follow a roughly four-week release cycle for major versions, with smaller security patches every one to two weeks. Safari updates with macOS, iOS and iPadOS, so usually three or four times a year on Macs and monthly on iPhones and iPads. Auto-update is on by default in every modern browser; restart the browser at least weekly to apply pending updates.

Yes. Microsoft retired Internet Explorer on 15 June 2022 and stopped issuing security patches for the standalone IE 11 desktop application on 14 February 2023. Using it now leaves the computer wide open to attack. Microsoft Edge has a built-in "IE mode" for legacy intranet sites if your workplace still needs it, but for everything else switch to Edge, Chrome or Firefox today.

Firefox blocks third-party trackers and fingerprinting by default and does not bundle a search advertising business. Brave and Tor Browser go further at the cost of breaking some websites. Safari blocks cross-site tracking aggressively on Apple devices. Chrome and Edge are tied to Google and Microsoft advertising ecosystems respectively, so they collect more telemetry by default.

Yes, and many people do. There is no conflict between installing Chrome, Firefox and Edge side by side. A common setup is Chrome or Edge as the default for general browsing, Firefox or Brave for privacy-sensitive logins, and Safari (on Apple devices) for the longest battery life on laptops and tablets.

Next steps

Once the browser is up to date, the rest of the home network deserves a quick look too. A modern browser will not save a connection that is being throttled by an out-of-date router or an undersized broadband package. Useful follow-up reading: