Day 15
Time For A Better Browser
DAY 15: Time For A Better Browser
Hey let’s have a little chat about browsers! Your browser is your gateway to the web, and if it's not secure, it’s like leaving the door wide open for hackers. But don’t worry, by the end of today, you’ll know how to lock down your browser settings, add privacy features, and enjoy a much safer browsing experience.
What’s up, S’mores! I’m Shannon Morse, and welcome to Day 15 of my 30-Day Security Challenge - the month-long challenge where I’m helping you take control of your privacy and security, one step at a time!
You can follow along with the challenge via my blog at ShannonRMorse.com, where you can download a checklist and skip ahead if you want to get a head start. All of these videos are curated into a playlist, so you can binge-watch the series from Day 1 to Day 30!
Why Browser Security Matters
Your browser is the one of the most used apps on your computer or phone, and the number one way you access all of your personal information on the web. So, securing it should be a no-brainer!
Browser vulnerabilities have always been a favorite target for hackers, whether they’re using malicious ads, tracking cookies, or social engineering. But the good news is that browsers in 2025 have more built-in security and privacy features than ever before.
Whether you prefer just upgrading the security for your current browser, or you want to switch to a more secure option entirely, I’ve got you covered in this video.
Step 1: Secure Your Current Browser
Your built in web browser is most likely either Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Apple’s Safari depending on what operating system you’re using. You don’t have to stick with whatever came on your computer or your phone, you can download a brand new browser and set that up as your default browser, which can allow for better security.
I do recognize that some folks can’t do that - maybe your work PC doesn’t allow you to download a new browser, or the one you use has great integrations that you don’t wanna give up. While these issues can create some vulnerabilities, you can change the settings to increase your security and privacy.
These browsers are convenient, but there are a few settings you’ll want to adjust to make them more private. I’m going to use Google Chrome for my first example. Here's how to lock it down:
Go to Settings → Sync and Google Services, then click Manage What You Sync, and disable syncing of things you don’t need, like passwords, search history, or bookmarks.
Turn on encryption for your synced data from that mains settings page. If you turn on encryption via your Google Account, make sure to follow the steps I lined out in my MFA / 2FA video so you can learn how to set up a passkey or multi factory authentication for your Google Account.
Go to Privacy and Security, and turn off everything you don’t want Google saving (like your browsing history). You can also disable third party cookies on this page, disable site suggested ads, and turn on Enhanced Protection under the Safe Browsing menu.
A coupe of tips I wanted to point out here: Under Third party Cookies, enable:
“Protect your device from dangerous sites”
And under Site settings: scroll all the way down and enable “Automatically remove permissions from unused sites”.
Clear browsing data regularly.
If you’re using a third party password manager that allows for cross platform use, or only stores passwords locally, then Click on Autofill and Passwords, then Google Password Manager, and Delete saved passwords. Under your Google Password Manager settings, disable the option to “offer to save passwords and passkeys”.
Disable Autofill, and delete any saved data that you don’t want stored.
Lastly in Chrome, go to AI Innovations, click on history search powered by AI, and disable it.
If you’re finding this video helpful, a subscribe would me a lot to me. Subscribing is a simple and free way to support creators on youtube!
So if you’re following along with the challenge, hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications so you don’t miss tomorrow’s video. You can grab the full checklist and daily recap at ShannonRMorse.com.
BIG Patreon shoutout to to my smores! You can join them and support my channel by going to patreon.com/shannonmorse for perks like early video access and my private discord!
As usual, all the videos on my channel are free to watch, and I thank my youtube members and patrons for making that possible.
Step 2: Secure Safari and Edge
While I don’t use Safari or Microsoft Edge, I did want to make note that you can make similar changes to both of these browsers too.
In Safari, click on your drop down menu and go to Settings. Click on Security and make sure the security settings are enabled to warn you about non-secure site connections and unsafe sites.
Under Privacy, enable options to prevent cross site tracking, hide your IP, and require TouchID for private browsing.
In Advanced, you should enable Privacy settings that offer protection, and block cookies.
In Edge, select Settings, Privacy, Search and Services, go to Tracking prevention and turn it on. You can also scroll through the services under this menu and clear browsing data, delete cookies, manage site permissions, and customize your privacy and security settings.
Step 3: Using Third Party Browsers
If you want to take it a step further, downloading a new browser entirely will let you start fresh, with a clean slate.
There are a ton to choose from. Like, a lot. Here are a few that I have tested:
Brave
Brave is a Chromium-based browser that blocks ads, trackers and fingerprinting by default and upgrades to HTTPS when possible, so you get faster, cleaner browsing without needing a ton of extensions. It also gives you an optional privacy-first search engine and can sync securely across devices making it a solid balance of convenience and privacy.
DuckDuckGo Browser
DuckDuckGo offers a privacy-focused browsing experience (especially on mobile) with built-in tracker blocking and a search engine that doesn’t profile you. It’s great if you want a simple, minimal setup that keeps things private with almost zero configuration.
LibreWolf
LibreWolf is a fork of Firefox stripped of telemetry and auto-updates, with default settings that clear cookies and history on close - designed for folks who want a “set it and forget it” privacy-first browser out of the box. It’s open-source, community-driven, and tends to leak less data than stock Firefox or many other mainstream browsers.
Tor Browser
Tor routes your traffic through multiple encrypted relays, making your browsing nearly anonymous - hiding your IP and preventing tracking, fingerprinting or location-based profiling. It’s the go-to choice when maximum privacy and anonymity matter, though at the cost of slower page loads and reduced performance.
Zen Browser
Zen is a Firefox-based, open-source browser that aims for a friendly middle ground: more privacy-conscious than mainstream browsers, but with a smoother user experience and interface polish. It includes built-in tracking protection, customizable themes and nice tab-management tools - a good option if you care about usability as well as privacy.
Vivaldi
Vivaldi is a power-user’s browser: built on Chromium but super customizable - you can rearrange nearly every part of the interface, manage tabs with advanced tools, and tailor the experience to your workflow. It also offers decent privacy controls (ad/tracker blocker, cookie management, encrypted sync) while still supporting Chrome extensions - ideal if you want flexibility without sacrificing control.
Firefox Focus
Firefox Focus is a stripped-down, privacy-first mobile browser: simple UI, minimal overhead, and aggressive default tracking protection - perfect for quick private browsing sessions. Its minimalism makes it less versatile than a full browser, but that’s the point: privacy without fuss or extra bloat.
Step 4: Additional Tips
Always check for updates and enable auto-updates for your browser, no matter which one you use. Hackers love to exploit outdated software, and browsers are no exception.
2025 has seen a rise in AI-driven search but also AI driven privacy features and nowadays we have end-to-end encryption for browsing. Google Chrome and Firefox now offer better integration with password managers, enhanced anti-tracking, and privacy-centric browsing modes. But Chrome also have lots of AI built into the browser itself as well as the Google search engine. I would advise customizing any settings that have to do with AI, and check data collection policies for these.
You can also disable the Google Location History feature in 2025, which automatically tracks your movements - definitely a feature you should turn off if you’re concerned about privacy.
That’s a wrap for Day 15! You’ve successfully secured your browser, so now browsing just got a little safer.
Tomorrow for Day 16, we’re diving into extensions - are they worth downloading for your upgraded browsers, or are they actually a security nightmare?
If you enjoyed today’s video, make sure to give it a thumbs-up, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated with the rest of the challenge!
Don’t forget to grab your checklist at ShannonRMorse.com/30-day-security-challenge.
I’m Shannon Morse, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 16. Stay safe, S’mores!