10 Best Fastest & Lightest Browsers for Windows 7
Note that a fast browser is an add-on free browser
- If you're still running the good old Windows 7, you'll need all the help you can get and that includes the best browser for this OS.
- You may be wondering how exactly a browser for Windows 7 differs from any other.
- To start with, such a browser must be lightweight enough to not strain your system's precious resources.
- You'll also need help to accelerate web page charging, so do consider the fastest browsers for Windows 7 while you're at it.
Windows 7 still has a substantial user base even though it has been overtaken by Windows 10/11 and discontinued by Microsoft.
Even so, rest assured that there’s no shortage of compatible web browsers for Windows 7.
Users can take their pick from the crème de la crème of the browsing crop. These are the best browsers for Windows 7.
Which is the fastest browser for Windows 7?
In order to be fast, a browser needs to have the latest technologies like HTML5, CS3, HTTPS, and a lot more, in order to read any webpage fast.
Another important built-in tool needs to be the ad-blocker. Blocking the ads on a page makes loading it a lot faster.
A fast browser is an add-on free browser so the more built-in features, the less you need to worry about third-party extensions.
Our list of best browsers for Windows 7 took into consideration the compatibility with the OS, the lightness but also their ability to load the webpages fast.
Assuming that you are looking for a web browser for Windows 7 32-bit/64-bit, the free download is guaranteed. As for our top pick, is truly impressive.
What is the best browser to use with Windows 7?
Opera One – Redesigned UI
Opera One is a Windows 7 browser that scores highly for originality and features. Even though it’s a Chromium browser, Opera One has a unique UI design with a Speed Dial page and sidebar.
These allow users to pin shortcuts to other handy options. The browser includes a few handy tools that Chrome doesn’t.
The list includes its built-in converters, Power saver option for laptops, Instant Search bar, and screenshot utility for pages.
Furthermore, Opera One’s integrated ad-blocker can remove lots of ads to speed up browsing. In addition, users can add both Opera One and Chrome extensions to the browser.
Luckily, the rebranded Opera One works on Windows 7 and above while operating systems lower than Windows 7 won’t work with this redesigned browser.
Besides all these, Opera One comes with the following key features:
- Tab islands
- Battery saver options
- AI-integrated browser
- Modular design
- Visual bookmarks
Opera One
Opera One is a top pick for Windows 7 and you’ll get used to its Speed Dial page and AI integration in no time.Google Chrome – Intuitive UI design
Google Chrome is most users’ favorite browser for Windows 7 and other platforms. For starters, Chrome is one of the fastest browsers even though it can hog system resources.
It is a straightforward browser with a streamlined and intuitive UI design that supports all the latest HTML5 web technologies.
Chrome is among the most customizable browsers thanks largely to its vast extension and theme repository.
Furthermore, this is also one of the best multiplatform browsers as users can sync Chrome’s tabs, extensions, and bookmarks across devices.
Mozilla Firefox – Customizable solution
Mozilla gave Firefox a new lease of life with its Quantum update. That was a big update that made Fox a faster browser, revamped its UI, and added some extra new tools to it.
Users can select Take a screenshot, Copy Link, Email Link, and Send Tab to Device options on its Page Actions menu.
Firefox has also been among the most customizable browsers as users can rearrange its toolbar and add new themes to the browser via its Customize Firefox tab and configure fonts from its Options tab.
Furthermore, there are plenty of great extensions for Firefox with which users can further customize the browser.
Another great thing about Mozilla Firefox is that it’s a more lightweight and system resource-efficient browser than Chrome.
Mozilla boasts that its flagship browser’s RAM utilization is 30 percent less than that of Chrome. Thus, Firefox is a better browser for Windows 7 desktops and laptops with lower system specifications.
Vivaldi – Great tab management options
Vivaldi is a browser with a similar UI design to Opera One that packs customization and tab management options that few other browsers can match.
The Vivaldi browser is one for power users, including customization options for most of its visual elements, hotkeys, Start Page, and window.
For tab management, Vivaldi includes options for grouping and tiling tabs; users can easily move the tab bar to the side of the window. They can add Chrome extensions to Vivaldi, too, another big bonus.
UR Browser – Streamlined design
UR might not be a big name, but it packs in everything most users will need from a browser and a little more.
UR is one of the few browsers that incorporates a built-in antivirus scanner, VPN, and ad-blocker. The browser also boasts fast download speeds thanks to its advanced parallel tech.
UR is a Chromium browser with a UI design similar to Google Chrome. This browser is like a Mach 2 version of Google’s flagship browser.
It has a similar streamlined design, and the browser’s Settings tab looks much the same as the one in Chrome.
Furthermore, UR also shares Chrome’s vast extension repository. So, there are plenty of add-ons for UR!
Brave Browser – Great for privacy protection
Although Brave is based on the Chromium engine, it’s a pretty light browser and protects your privacy.
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Its best feature is the Private browsing with Tor feature that acts like a VPN, by concealing your online browsing activity.
This software is highly customizable and because it’s based on Chromium, you will also get access to a lot of helpful extensions.
Plus, it blocks ads and trackers without beating an eyelash and it’s available for multiple platforms.
Kmeleon Browser – Best stripped-down browser
Kmeleon is one of the lightest browsers there is and it looks a lot like Firefox in some aspects.
You can’t load any of the Firefox extensions but it has its own options for ad-blockers, pop-up blockers, themes, and a lot more.
You only need 256 MB of memory to run this browser and it even works on Windows 95 and XP, let alone Windows 7.
Although its interface looks stripped of all personality, you can customize it with different skin, buttons, toolbar, and more.
Pale Moon – Great for customization
Pale Moon is an open-source browser based on the Goana engine that only requires 256 MB of RAM to work so it will run on Windows 7 without any problems.
Design-wise, it’s like a stripped-down version of Firefox, making it pretty fast and reliable for any task.
Its newer versions are optimized for the latest processors but it lacks the sandboxing that would also make it very safe.
However, it’s pretty good for privacy protection since it blocks ads, telemetry, and data gathering.
Midori – Extremely light
Midori is a multi-platform browser that has gained a lot of popularity lately thanks to its incredible lightness.
It only requires 37 MB of drive space to operate and it doesn’t require too much memory either compared to other browsers.
The browser still supports the latest HTML 5 media codecs and CSS 3, so it’s ready for optimal browsing.
Its only downside is that it doesn’t have too many extensions and add-ons to choose from but it will perform greatly on Windows 7.
Maxthon – Great multi-platform browser
Maxthon requires a 1 GHz CPU, 512 MB of RAM, and 64 megabytes of hard drive space and that makes it an ideal candidate for a Windows 7 browser.
Its built-in ad blocker will help you reduces page tab RAM allocation and that will make browsing faster.
It also comes with cloud synchronization and backup options so you can have the same experience on all your devices.
A neat surprise is that you can include software shortcuts within the browser and its tabbed interface is pretty modern.
What is the safest browser for Windows 7?
There are some features you need to take into account when you’re looking for safe browsing:
➡ Harmful add-on blocking
The browser needs to have ad-blocking and recognize harmful add-ons to prevent you from installing them.
And not only that but recognizing phishing and predatory websites is the key element of a safe browser. In that aspect, the top browsers from our list like Opera One, Chrome, and Firefox are the most vigilant.
➡ Privacy protection
Online privacy is one of the most important aspects when browsing the Internet. Fingerprinting and prying cookies can extract a lot of data from your profiles and for that, just blocking them might be insufficient.
In that respect, Opera One comes with a free VPN you can use without any limits and that ensures perfect online protection.
➡ Sandboxing capabilities
The safest browsers from our list come with so-called sandboxes. Whenever you’re getting a new file, it is stored in a safe space where it can be analyzed for any potential harmful effect.
If you want to stay safe, go with the top browsers from our list that come with this feature built in.
Those are ten of the best Windows browsers that Windows 7 users can take advantage of. Speaking of Windows 7, there are many things to take into consideration before upgrading your OS.
Its lack of support and updates make it a hazard for your privacy and data, so we recommend upgrading to the latest OS as soon as possible.
If you still don’t want to take the big step, test the browsers highlighted above and write us in the comments section below.
Still experiencing issues?
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If the above suggestions have not solved your problem, your computer may experience more severe Windows troubles. We suggest choosing an all-in-one solution like Fortect to fix problems efficiently. After installation, just click the View&Fix button and then press Start Repair.
