Overview & Capabilities
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.
Top Recommended Alternative
Opera
Ad
Free
4.2
UC Browser Mini
Free
4.2
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.