Kiwi Browser to Cease Operations: Key Details and Future Alternatives
In a significant development for Android users, Kiwi Browser, the fully open-source web browser, is set to permanently close its doors. Founder Arnaud Granal disclosed this decision via the official Discord server and the respective GitHub repository.
Announcement of Closure
Granal communicated that “Kiwi Browser is now archived”and emphasized that maintenance will cease by January 2025. At the time of writing, the browser had been removed from the Google Play Store; however, users can still download the latest version from GitHub.
The Journey of Kiwi Browser
The Kiwi Browser, which launched in April 2018, was a game-changer as it introduced support for Chrome extensions the following year. By April 2020, it transitioned to a fully open-source model. Over its five-plus years, it served a solid user base, boasting about one million downloads each month.
While reflecting on its development, Granal stated, “Browsers are very complex to maintain and they require long commitment. I started Kiwi as a side-project, and it’s almost 7 years now.”Originally designed to meet his personal needs for mobile extensions, the scale of the browser’s success appeared to become a double-edged sword.
Community Demand and Maintenance Challenges
With a growing user base came higher expectations for updates and features, which Granal described as “reasonable.”However, the challenge of maintaining such complexity and meeting these demands led to the browser’s eventual retirement.
Features and Legacy
The Kiwi Browser provided a suite of features that users appreciated, including Night Mode, built-in ad blocking, improved performance, easy one-handed usability, and an optional bottom address bar. Users can still experience the browser until its support runs out, but they are advised to consider alternatives moving forward.
Transitioning to Microsoft Edge Canary
In a silver lining for users, Granal mentioned that the extensions code from Kiwi Browser has been integrated into Microsoft Edge Canary. For those looking to install extensions on Edge, he provided straightforward instructions:
To install extensions on Microsoft Edge Canary:
- Open Microsoft Edge Canary and navigate to Settings > About Microsoft Edge.
- Tap the Edge build number (e.g., xx.0.2487.0) five times to enable Developer Options.
- Within Developer Options, select Extension install by ID.
To find the extension ID:
- Access the Microsoft Edge Web Store.
- Locate and select the desired extension.
- Copy the ID from the URL (e.g., for Bitwarden, the ID can be found at the end of the URL as jbkfoedolllekgbhcbcoahefnbanhhlh).
- Paste the extension ID into the Extension install by ID field.
- The extension will install successfully.
Looking Ahead: Alternatives to Consider
As Kiwi Browser heads towards retirement, users are encouraged to explore alternatives, such as Mozilla Firefox, Vivaldi, and Edge Canary. Remaining on a browser that is no longer updated may expose users to security vulnerabilities and other risks.
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