Summary: Internet Basics part 2 Browser Settings, or how to customize to your needs. Also add-ons or extensions for safety when first using your browser. First Settings depend on the browser you use. Mozilla Firefox Settings can be opened by clicking on three horizontal lines in upper right corner. Then click on Options. Start with General, make sure Startup check box is unchecked. Select Show my home page or Blank in drop-down. Home Page you can put in custom entry like <a href="https://startpage.com/eng/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://startpage.com/eng/</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.google.com</a> or <a href="https://duckduckgo.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://duckduckgo.com</a> or whatever start page or your own website you want. Setting up your favorite Search Page on Startup means that whenever you need to search or press on the Home button this will be available. Downloads select Save files to click Browse and select your Downloads folder. Next on top row select Tabs check all boxes. Click Search at top, Default search suggestions choose your default. Check the Provide search suggestions. One-Click search engines, check the ones you want. Click top Content tab check Block pop-up windows then your Default font, Arial Size 15 or greater is best for elder visuals. Languages select your preferred. You can skip Applications tab on top. Next top tab click Privacy select under Tracking Tell sites that I do not want to be tracked, History I would select Never remember history. That way when you close your browser it cleans-up old history of sites you have been to. Location Bar select what you want I usually chose Nothing. Security tab on top, then click on top three boxes. Leave Passwords alone, better to use something like LastPass. Skip Sync. Advanced is up to you if you understand it, otherwise leave defaults set by Firefox. Google Chrome Settings can be opened by clicking on three horizontal lines in upper right corner. Same as Firefox. Next under On startup click on Open a specific page or set of pages. Then Set pages, this is where you enter and set your opening page when starting Chrome. Under Appearance check Show Home button and Always show bookmarks bar. You can change the home page that you go to when clicking Home button here by clicking change. Next Search click on left pull down menu and select your preferred search engine page. People you can check Enable Guest browsing and Let anyone add a person to Chrome, these are your choice. Default browser is where you can set Google Chrome if you want. This is used when you click on any URL or link no matter where you are even one on a document. Last is Show advanced settings or where you can set Privacy, I check all except Automatically send usage statistics and crash reports to Google and Enable “Ok Google” to start a voice search. These are up to you but I think Google gets enough information about us without sending reports on pages we use or crash reports. Passwords and forms is same as Firefox leave these blank and use a safe alternative for passwords like LastPass. Web content is where you set font size and page zoom. I like to use Medium and 110% as helps with visuals and elder reading. Lets face it everyone’s eyesight gets worse with age. Might as well use the settings to make thing easier to read. Downloads is where you can set location, usually the Downloads folder you have. HTTPS/SSL and Google Cloud Print should be skipped unless you are an expert. System I check Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed so that if you accidentally close Chrome or reboot system you don’t loose something you might have been doing in Chrome. Now click Hide advanced Settings and you are done, close tab by clicking on small x to right of Settings tab. Other browsers are similar these days but these are probably the top two and safest to use.
