Ungoogled Chromium is a modified version of the chromium web browser open-source project behind Google Chrome. The primary purpose of Ungoogled Chromium is to provide users with a version of Chromium that has had all Google-specific features and services removed, as well as any other features that could potentially compromise the users' privacy or security.
Ungoogled Chromium is typically developed by a community of volunteers, who work to remove any code or features that may be related to Google, such as the Google Update service, which is used to automatically update Google Chrome. The Ungoogled Chromium project also aims to remove any code or features that collect user data or send it to third-party servers.
The result is a browser that is similar to Google Chrome in terms of functionality and user interface, but without any of the privacy or security concerns that some users may have.
While Ungoogled Chromium is one of the most private web browsers, it is managed by a group of developers. Moreover, it is an open-source web browser which means that the installation files can come from anyone, and there may be a potential risk. Also, a warning message is listed on GitHub’s download page. These are some disadvantages of Ungoogled Chromium.
How to install Ungoogled Chromium on Windows 10
Let’s see the steps to install Ungoogled Chromium on Windows 10.
STEP 1: Ungoogled Chromium is available on GitHub for download. On visiting the website, you will see that the web browser is available for different operating systems. Click on the Windows 32 or 64-bit versions depending on your system architecture. To know your system architecture, go to the “Control Panel > System and Security > System.”
STEP 2: After downloading exe file, go to the downloaded folder and double-click on it to install. After the installation, you can use it to surf the internet with extended privacy. Ungoogled Chromium has a clean homepage showing the icon in the middle.
STEP 3: Ungoogled Chromium does not have any search engine by default. You have to set a search engine from the settings menu. For this, click on the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the browser and select the “Settings” option. Do note that it does not have a Google search engine because of its name.
STEP 4: Now, click the “Search engine” option on the left panel and select your favourite search engine from the drop-down menu.
How to install extensions on Ungoogled Chromium
Unlike Google Chrome, Firefox, and other web browsers, installing extensions is not straightforward in Ungoogled Chromium. You have to do some steps to add extensions to it. We are listing here these steps,
STEP 1: To activate the “Web Store,” download the “Chromium Web Store.crx” file from GitHub.
STEP 2: Now, open a new tab and type “chrome:///extensions” in the search bar. Here, you have to enable the “Developer mode.” After enabling it, drag the downloaded file and drop it here. The browser will show you a popup. Click “Add extension.”
STEP 3: Next, open a new tab and type “chrome://flags” in the address bar of the browser and type “extension” in the search box. Set “Handling of extension MIME type requests” to “Always prompt for install.” After this, the browser will ask you to restart. Select “Relaunch.”
STEP 4: Now, the Ungoogled Chromium is ready to install the extensions. You have to visit Google Chrome Web Store to add extensions to this web browser.
After visiting the Chrome Web Store, search for your favourite extension and click “Add to Chromium.” This will install that extension to the Ungoogled Chromium.
Benefits of Ungoogled Chromium
There are several benefits of using Ungoogled Chromium, including:
Privacy: Ungoogled Chromium removes all features that may compromise the user's privacy, such as data collection and tracking. This means that users can browse the internet without being tracked by Google or other third-party services.
Security: Ungoogled Chromium also removes any code or features that may make the browser vulnerable to security threats. This makes it a more secure browser to use than other popular browsers that may have features that make them more vulnerable to attacks.
Customizability: Because Ungoogled Chromium is open source, users can modify the browser to suit their needs. This means that users can add or remove features, or even build their custom version of the browser.
Speed: Ungoogled Chromium is a lightweight browser that is optimized for speed. This means that it can load web pages quickly and efficiently, making it a good choice for users who want a fast and responsive browsing experience.
Compatibility: Ungoogled Chromium is based on the same code as Google Chrome, which means that it is compatible with most websites and web applications. This makes it a good choice for users who need to use web-based applications that require a modern browser.