If you have a Mac, iPhone, or iPad and you are looking for something new in your web browser, you should check out Orion. The new browser lets you run both Google Chrome extensions and Firefox add-ons, while claiming not to sacrifice your privacy. Orion is based on WebKit, the browser engine used by Safari on Mac and all browsers on your iPhone.

Given that Orion only recently entered public beta, it still has some rough edges, but overall it looks like a promising alternative that you can try out right now. Not all extensions work on Orion, but the most popular ones, like uBlock Origin, Dark Reader and SponsorBlock, work flawlessly.

To install the browser, you can go to Orion’s website. (Note that the iOS and iPadOS version of Orion must be installed through Apple Test flight because it is still in beta.) The Mac version of Orion seems to be much more stable compared to the iOS version, based on our tests.

How to Install Extensions on Orion

Orion does not require you to create an account to install extensions. You can visit the official pages for Chrome extensions Where Firefox add-onssearch for an extension, then click Add to Orion to install it. These steps are the same for the mobile version.

Some extensions, like 1Password’s browser extension, donot’does not work with Orion because 1Password has not authorized it yet. Stillyou can use 1Password 8 universal autofill feature to make it work. You can use uBlock Origin with Orion too, but the devs recommend disabling Orion’s own content blocker first, like rassociating the two simultaneously can cause conflicts and break websites.

What is the speed Orion?

Also use many extensions at the same time seems slow Orion down. If you’re using an older MacBook like me, you’ll start to see the browser (and your whole computer) crash if you install too many extensions and open about 10-20 tabs. Sure, this problem applies to all browsers, this is something to keep in mind.

Other useful Orion fto eat

Installing extensions is great, but Orion has a few other great features as well. One is the ability to move the list of open tabs to the left sidebar as a vertical view, making it easier to find the tab you’re looking for. This feature works on iPhone and Mac. If you read an article and open a link in a new tab, the tab sidebar adds a nested tab. This is a good way to group tabs if you are a tab hoarder.

Orion asks you to choose a default search engine when you launch the browser, and it supports almost any search engine you might want to use. Its developers also create their own search engine called Kagi, but the browser does not force you to use a specific search. default engine.

If you use Orion on your MacBook, you can use its low power mode to reduce battery drain and Orion goes suspend inactive tabs in the browser. The Mac version also makes it possible to override the copy-paste blocks put in place by certain websites, in particular those of banks.

What’s Orion’s business model?

Whenever I see a new app, the first question that comes to my mind is whether it’s good for privacy. Orion, like all apps, claims to be secure and private. To save their pretend, Orion said it does not include telemetry and comes with a content blocker that stops browser fingerprinting apart from ads and tracking.

At present, the company says that its income depends on the community. Those who want to support the browser can get the Orion+ subscription for $5 a month, which will net them a new icon, early access to upcoming browser releases, and developer communication.

You should also know that Orion syncs your tabs, history, and settings across all devices using iCloud sync. You can turn it off if you wantbut it is enabled by default.