What Is a Web Browser and How Do You Use One?

A web browser is the app you use to visit websites — learn the names of common browsers, what the address bar does, and how to navigate safely.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Find your browser
2.Use the address bar
3.Search from the address bar
4.Use the Back and Forward buttons
5.Recognize a secure website

Find your browser

~16s

On a Windows computer, look for Microsoft Edge (blue wave icon) in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. On a Mac, look for Safari (compass icon) in the Dock. On an iPhone or iPad, Safari is the default. On Android, Chrome (colorful circle) is usually pre-installed.

Use the address bar

~16s

The long white bar at the very top of the browser window is the address bar. Click or tap inside it — the text there will highlight. Type a web address (like www.google.com) and press Enter or tap Go on your keyboard to visit that page.

Search from the address bar

~15s

You can also type a question or topic directly into the address bar — for example, "nearest pharmacy" or "how to hard boil an egg." The browser will perform a search and show you results from Google, Bing, or your browser's default search engine.

Use the Back and Forward buttons

~16s

The arrow buttons at the top left of the browser let you go back to the previous page you were on (left arrow) or forward to a page you backed away from (right arrow). Use these to navigate between pages you have already visited.

Recognize a secure website

~16s

When a web address starts with "https://" (note the "s") and shows a small padlock icon in the address bar, the connection to that site is encrypted — meaning your information travels securely. Be cautious on sites that show "http://" without the "s," especially when entering personal information.

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A web browser is the program you open to visit websites on the internet. When you want to see a news article, check your email, or watch a video online, the browser is what fetches that content from the internet and shows it to you on screen. Common web browsers include Google Chrome (the blue, red, yellow, and green circle icon), Apple Safari (the compass icon on iPhones and Macs), Microsoft Edge (the blue wave icon on Windows computers), and Mozilla Firefox (the orange and purple icon).

All browsers work in basically the same way: you type a web address — also called a URL — into the long bar at the top of the window called the address bar, and press Enter or Go. The browser then loads that page for you. You can also type a search term (like "weather today") directly into the address bar, and most browsers will search for it automatically.

All the major browsers mentioned above are free, and most computers and phones come with at least one already installed.

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Chrome

Safari

Firefox

Edge

internet

beginners