What's My Browser? Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge

Whether you are browsing the internet on a computer, a smartphone or a tablet, you will be using an internet browser to do so. Knowing the browser you are using helps you ensure that it is update and running properly. Our guide will help you identify the browser you are using as well as how to check if it is up to date.

What's my browser on my computer?

What browser am I using? is a common question since most computers and smart phones will often have a default internet browser option. This will depend on your computer or phone brand as well as whether it was issued by your workplace or school or if it is a personal device.

Default Browsers

These are the default browsers that come with different kinds of computers and smart phones.

1. Windows PC: New computers from brands like Dell, HP and Toshiba generally have the latest version of Microsoft Windows preinstalled. This means the default browser will be Microsoft Edge. However, some manufacturers may also include at least one alternative browser such as Firefox or Chrome.
2. Apple: Apple computers, iPads and iPhones use Safari as the default browser. However, iPhones and iPads may prompt you to consider alternative browser options when you first set up the new device.
3. Chromebooks: This type of laptop uses ChromeOS instead of Microsoft Windows as its system software. This means that Google Chrome is the default browser option. Other browsers such as Microsoft Edge may also be available to download from the Google Play Store.

Why is it important to update the browser you are using?

Internet technology advances on a daily basis. For this reason, it is important to have the latest of your internet browser of choice running on your computer. If you don't update your internet browser, you may find that web pages stop displaying correctly or that certain parts do not work as expected. Additionally, web browser updates address security issues that could leave your computer vulnerable to hackers or scammers.

Below, you can find easy-to-follow instructions to update any of the four most popular web browsers currently available. Each one is easy to identify by its unique icon, so even if you don't know the name, you can pick the right one.

What's my browser version for Chrome?

Google Chrome is the most popular internet browser in use today. It's available for Windows and ChromeOS but has also been ported to numerous other operating systems and platforms such as macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

ChromeOS uses the Google Chrome browser but is completely different from Google Chrome itself. Instead ChromeOS functions as a competitor to both Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS.

Google Chrome is also often the default browser on mobile devices running Android. However, certain smartphone brands like Samsung and Huawei may use different browsers.

To discover which version of Google Chrome you are using, follow these steps:

Windows/macOS

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Click on the "Customise and control Google Chrome" drop-down menu (the three vertical dots in the top-right of the browser window). Some older versions may represent this menu with a spanner icon meant to emulate the "Tools" menu, which has the same function.
3. Click on the "Settings" option. Older versions may also have an "About Google Chrome" option in which case click on this instead.
4. The current version number of Chrome will be displayed. You will also be told if this is the most current version available and if not there will a link to update your Google Chrome browser.

What's my browser version for Safari?

Safari is currently only available on Apple computers, phones and tablets. While this internet browser was available on Microsoft Windows for a time, Apple decided to stop providing a Windows version of Safari in 2012. Safari is based solely on its own in-house underlying technology called WebKit which is also available to other apps to provide browser like features within them.

Safari is ranked as the second most popular browser in the world. This is entirely because of the popularity of the iPhone which has had the browser as its default option from the start.

To find out which version of Safari, you currently have on your Apple computer, follow these steps:

1. Open up Safari from the macOS dock
2. Click on Safari in the top left corner (next to the Apple symbol on the menu bar)
3. Click on "About Safari"
4. A pop up will appear with the Safari version number and a longer number in parenthesis that relates to WebKit (Safari's underlying technology).

The good news is that Safari on Mac is automatically updated through software update and Mac App store on the computer. Thefore it is highly unlikely that Safari would be out of date on your Apple computer.

For iPhones and iPads, Safari is directly linked to the iOS or iPadOS version currently running on your device. This means that the Safari version is the same the iOS or iPadOS version. To check what that is go to Settings and then tap on General to get the details, as well as to check for any system updates.

What's my browser version for Firefox?

Mozilla Firefox is a popular browser available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. Firefox is developed and maintained by Mozilla which is open-source software developer organisation working on a wide range of technologies and standards used across the web.

Unlike Microsoft Edge which has adopted Google Chrome's underlying web frameworks, Firefox uses its own in-house web render engine. This makes Firefox a good option if you are concerned about privacy and cross-site tracking.

To discover which version of Mozilla Firefox you are using, follow these steps:

Windows/MacOS

1. Open Firefox.
2. Click on the drop-down menu in the top-right that is represented by three horizontal lines.
3. Depending on your version click on either "Help" or "About Mozilla Firefox"". If "About Mozilla Firefox"" is not displayed in the main menu, then it will be available as an option in the "Help" sub-menu.
4. The current version will be displayed in a pop-up box. Newer versions will also tell you if upgrades are available.

What's my browser version for Edge?

Microsoft Edge is included in most Windows laptops and PCs running Windows 10 from the year 2015 onwards, superseding the earlier Internet Explorer. Versions were also released for iOS and Android devices in 2017 and for macOS in 2019.

Microsoft Edge originally ran on internal Microsoft web rendering technology. However, more recently Edge has adopted Google Chrome's underlying technology, Chromium, to improve compatibility and performance.

To discover what version of Microsoft Edge you are using, follow these steps:

Windows/macOS

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Go to the "Settings and more" drop-down menu in the top-right of the browser or press Alt+X.
3. Select "Settings".
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the "Settings" tab that appears. The installed version of Microsoft Edge will be displayed at the bottom under the heading "About this app".

What's my browser version for Internet Explorer?

Internet Explorer is the predecessor to Edge included with Windows PCs and laptops before 2015 and Windows 10. The last version of Internet Explorer, 11.0, is the only version that is currently being supported by Microsoft with new upgrades and security fixes. Previous ones should be updated to this most recent version.

If you are still using Internet Explorer, you should urgently move to a different browser. This is because there is no new development being done on Internet Explorer, meaning that it will be increasingly vulnerable to security breaches. Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Firefox are all good alternatives to the ageing Internet Explorer.

To discover which version of Internet Explorer you are using, follow these steps:

Windows

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click on "Tools" (the cogwheel shaped icon in the top right) or press Alt + X to access the drop-down menu.
3. Select "About Internet Explorer" from the menu.
4. The current version number will be displayed in a pop-up box.

What's my alternative browser version?

While Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge aren't the only browsers out there, they are the most common and therefore the most likely to be on your computer or device.

Any other browsers you may see, such as Opera, will have very probably been set up by a workplace or school for very specific reasons. In that case, it is best to contact the IT team at your institution if you have any questions regarding your preset browser.