Free browser with some security concerns
UC Browser is a free web browser app. It has millions of downloads that are mostly in China, India, and Indonesia. While the internet browsing service is popular, the popularity is decreasing due to security concerns. The platform is a subsidiary of Alibaba Group that is developed by UCWeb.
DuckDuckGo and Mozilla Firefox are safer alternatives to UC Browser, since you can turn tracking off in the alternative browser applications. This browser does not let you disable tracking. Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Safari are additional internet browsers that you can try.
How do I download and use UC Browser?
UC Browser is cross-platform for Apple Mac, Linux, Microsoft Windows operating systems. While this browser app is especially popular for Android devices, it is also available for iOS electronics like iPad and iPhone. Installing it on your device is easy: simply download the APK file, tap on “Install,” and enable special access if needed. Wait for the app to finish installing and you are good to go.
UC Browser works like most browsing services. The search bar lets you type keywords in to find topics on the internet, while your recently searched websites will appear on the search page. A Top sites category is available to let you easily open your favorite websites and the Most visited section keeps track of the URLs that you go to the most. You can also bookmark links so it’s easier to find them.
This browser also has an incognito mode. While this mode may hide your personal identity from sites that you visit, UC Browser still logs your private information in its database.
How can I download YouTube videos from UC Browser?
UC Browser includes a downloader and you can download multimedia content directly from websites like YouTube. Your items will appear in the Downloads area of the main menu. Videos that you download from the internet will appear in the History and Downloads areas. Your watching history is available in the History tab. You can see a list of videos that you marked to Watch Later.
Other features
The main menu section can expand and collapse in the UC Browser app. Additional categories in the menu include bookmarks, history, themes, and tools. A night mode is available to customize your user experience. It also has an adblock to ensure an interruption-free usage.
UC Browser features add-ons on the browser's home screen as a daily horoscope and weather forecast preview. The forecast will show the temperature and a brief description of the weather. Additionally, you can download online games from the game center, and it is available in multiple languages like Chinese, English, Urdu, etc.
Is UC Browser safe?
Despite having some security features in place, UC Browser still falls behind its competitors when it comes to safety since the app automatically stores your software and hardware information. That means you will compromise end-to-end encryption for high speeds as your online activity is not encrypted when using the app. What’s more, since your IP address and network operator are logged, your location will be automatically recorded into the system after you grant the browser permission.
UC Browser also sends your personal data to third-party advertisers like your device model, network provider, language, operating system version, IP ID, time zone, and GPS location. Even your Apple IDFA and Google AAID identifiers can be shared with third parties and your confidential information can get disclosed in investigations. While UC Browser does send info, the privacy policy states that your data will not be sold.
Convenient with a major disadvantage
UC Browser is a convenient web browser that offers staple features for browsing the internet. From the familiar search bar and history tab to the helpful bookmarks and Top sites category, this browser app makes it easy for you to find, read, and save online resources wherever you are. Its downloader also allows for hassle-free retrieval of multimedia files. However, a major caveat of this app is that it falls on its security measures.
