What is a browser on a computer and how to update it?
Many beginners are faced with various computer terms unfamiliar to them. To fill in the gaps a little, I decided to write a review article on the topic: "What is a browser on a computer and how to update it."
This software is required to open web pages and view all the information displayed on them. I won't go deep into the technical details, I'll just say that all sites are written primarily in HTML. If you look behind the scenes, you can see a lot of lines of code, but we have a beautiful picture on the screen: formatted text, images, videos, and other design elements.
You can see for yourself by pressing Ctrl + U on the keyboard while browsing any Internet resource. Yes, yes, this is the very code that browsers will transform into a pleasing result for the eyes.
When you launch the browser application and enter the site name in the address bar, the program sends a request to the server where the resource files are located. After processing the data, a response comes to your PC, the page is loaded in a readable form.
That is, a browser is needed not only to open sites, but also to convert “dry” code into a visually pleasing spectacle.
Technology doesn't stand still
If ten years ago such applications performed the simplest tasks described above, now they have acquired various extensions, plug-ins that can significantly expand the capabilities of browsers.
Numerous tools for developers, designers are available. Some add-ons make watching videos more comfortable, allow you to play Flash games, etc.
Now you can easily download files, listen to music and watch videos online. Even the ability to open sources blocked by providers is available. But before all this was not.
Immediately after installing Windows, your PC already has a standard Internet Explorer browser. And Windows 10 also has the Edge program, which in a couple of years has turned from an “ugly duckling” into a worthy competitor for reputable browser developers.
It is worth noting that not all utilities of this kind work in the same way. Each has its own code processing algorithms, which affects the performance and loading speed of sites. Software developers regularly release updates to fix bugs, expand functionality, and speed up the software. That's why you should update your browser regularly!
Default browser - how is it?
There may be several web browsing utilities installed on your PC, but only one of them is the "master". For example, when you receive a message containing a link in your mail or Skype, clicking on it will take you to the browser that is installed in the system by default.
How to find out which program is the main one?
- Open "Options":
- We go to the "System" section. Select the "Default Applications" tab and there we find the value we need. If necessary, it can be changed to another by selecting a different option from the list.
You can designate the browser as the “master” by going directly to its settings and clicking the appropriate button there. Here is an example with:
Update! ... and you will be happy.
A little higher, I talked about why you need to update your web browser. I would like to add a few more interesting arguments:
- Every year there are new standards for developers that allow you to make sites even more attractive, interactive. But if the browser does not support these "chips", then you simply will not see them on the page. Therefore, the creators of browsers follow all the trends, trying to keep up with the times.
- Increased security. New filters, blockers of ads, malicious resources are being introduced, "holes" in protection are being closed, which can cause virus infection.
- Elimination of both minor and significant errors that affect the comfortable operation of the software.
It is worth noting that immediately after downloading and installing the utility, it is set to automatically update. You don't need to take any action.
But sometimes a failure can occur, or someone changes the software settings in such a way that updates stop downloading and installing “automatically”. But you can fix it in seconds.
Universal instruction
- How to update the Yandex browser for free on a computer? It is enough to open the main menu (three bars in the upper right corner) and go to the "Advanced" item. Then - "About the browser".
- An information panel will open, where it will be indicated whether the current version is current or not:
- If the version is outdated, you will be prompted to download updates. It's simple, agree?
There is another way: go to the official website of the browser and download the installation file from there. After its launch, the software will be reinstalled, and you will receive a new version.