Shields blocks many third-party ads and trackers as pages load, and can also block cookie consent pop-ups. Brave Browser puts these protections directly in the browser, alongside familiar Chromium-based tabs and controls.
Shields and site controls
Shields filters ads and tracking requests across websites, including video and search ads. It also limits browser fingerprinting and can block third-party data storage. When a site supports a secure connection, Brave can upgrade the connection to HTTPS.
Protection is enabled by default. The Shields controls let you adjust how it behaves on an individual site, which can help when a page’s features depend on content that has been blocked.
Browsing with fewer interruptions
Blocking unwanted page elements can reduce the amount of content a browser needs to load. Brave also targets cookie consent pop-ups, so they may appear less often while visiting websites. For videos, its ad blocking covers ads on video sites, including YouTube.
Search and browser data
Brave Search is the default search engine for most new users. It draws results from its own independent web index and does not profile searches. Search settings can be changed if you prefer another engine.
When moving to Brave, import bookmarks from an existing browser to bring familiar destinations into the new browser. Because Brave is built on Chromium, Chrome extensions are also available through the Chrome Web Store.
Optional Brave services
Brave Rewards is an optional program that lets users choose to view privacy-protecting ads and earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT). Brave Wallet can store BAT and other digital assets. Brave Firewall + VPN is a separate subscription feature that protects connections across the device, including outside the browser.
Pros
- Shields blocks third-party ads and trackers by default
- Can block cookie consent pop-ups
- Can upgrade eligible connections to HTTPS
- Supports importing bookmarks from another browser
Cons
- Brave Firewall + VPN requires a subscription
System requirements: Windows 10, Windows 11 · ARM64 and x64 · CPU must be SS3-capable
What does Brave Shields block?
Shields blocks many third-party ads and trackers, limits fingerprinting, and can block cookie consent pop-ups and third-party data storage.
Can Brave import bookmarks from another browser?
Yes. Brave can import bookmarks from an existing browser.
Does Brave support Chrome extensions?
Yes. Brave supports Chrome extensions available through the Chrome Web Store.
