Ungoogled Chromium for Debian
This is meant to help with selecting and installing a chrome-based browser, with minimal tracking and other cruft. I've given up on Firefox as being too corrupt, and technically inferior. Yes, Chromium is a Google project, but the open source nature has produced two viable browser options for all desktop platforms:
- Ungoogled Chromium, and
- Vivaldi (also in an Android distribution)
Actually there are a variety of OS builds for ungoogled Chromium, many of which lag behind. There does not seem to be an up-to-date apt repository anywhere. Therefore manual installations are needed.
Note: The use of .deb files are no longer recommended, as they simply aren't updated very often. Instead use the Flatpak, or AppImage of the latest version.
Ungoogled Chromium Flatpak
From here copy the io.github.ungoogled_software.ungoogled_chromium.flatpakref file, then run flatpak install ./*.flatpakref from the command prompt.
Then follow the instructions to get extensions working. One can still use .crx files if one makes them launchable by the Ungoogled Chromium browser, then double-click them.
Note: to make the flatpak Ungoogled Chromium the default browser, do this: xdg-settings set default-web-browser io.github.ungoogled_software.ungoogled_chromium.desktop
Vivaldi Stable Flatpak
Vivaldi stable also on Flathub (since there are constant issues with the key using their apt repository). Download the *.flatpak file from https://flathub.org/en/apps/com.vivaldi.Vivaldi/install, then run the command flatpak install ./vivaldi*.flatpakref.
Some Vivaldi Settings
- Dark mode (theme), Native window, search, etc., etc.
- Changing fonts for Vivaldi
- Note that there is a problem with Chromium accessing locally installed fonts, so might not be fixable as desired
Kiwi Browser for Android
UPDATE 13-02-25 The venerable Kiwi Browser is no longer getting updates, and it is no longer in the Android store (though a similarly named browser chock full of ads and spyware is in fact in that store). Final Android apk file is available.
Update 12-05-25: For Android, the Vivaldi browser is a serviceable replacement for Kiwi Browser (sadly discontinued). As well, Vivaldi is a decent desktop browser, which I use as a secondary / backup to Ungoogled Chromium. The one problem I have is because both seem to use the same chrome:// settings, as Ungoogled Chromium effectively blocks communication with Google, Vivaldi is subsequently disabled from using its own (non-Google) sync. Not a huge deal, but backing up settings or syncing tabs is not an option. I save a bookmarks file and export passwords to a csv file on occasion.
Vivaldi Browser for Android
I prefer the Vivaldi Snapshots distribution available via Obtainium. I also use Obtainium to source Droid-ify, Obtainium itself, Syncthing-Fork (Catfriend1), and ANeko.
There is a bit of configuring to be done, but it performs well and has decent anti-tracker and ad-blocking tools included. Note that Vivaldi for Android does NOT support extensions.
Extensions
Both Ungoogled Chromium and Vivaldi (for Desktop) support extensions. Because of the new Manifest, browsers will not be able to use the Chrome Webstore for extensions. Instead, use the Get CRX extension, and then download extensions as .crx files and drag into the extensions settings page.
Install via Unzipped Directory
- uBlock Origin can still be downloaded in a few ways:
- From the Chrome Webstore
- The developer's version from the Chrome Webstore
- As an unzipped directory from the Github repository
- Google Translate (old version), install as an unzipped directory
- Bypass Paywalls, install as an unzipped directory
Install via Chrome Webstore or .crx files
- Chromium Web Store
- Mute Tab
- New Tab Redirect (not needed in Vivaldi, has settings for this)
- Get CRX
- BlockTube
- Enhancer for YouTube
- enhanced-h264
- New Adjacent Tab (not needed in Vivaldi, has settings for this)
- Dark Reader
Flags
Some useful flags found at chrome://flags/
- Extension Mime Request Handling: Always prompt for install
- Tab Scrolling: Disabled
- Parallel downloading: Enabled
- Chrome Labs: Disabled
- I used to use the Dark Mode for Web Contents, but find the use of Dark Reader (see above) more flexible.