I don’t know if it has fully rolled out yet but brave recently introduced a forgetful browsing feature (Forgetful Browsing | Brave) that sanitises websites after tabs are closed for a set time. It is probably better than what is currently recommended (closing cookies and data on close) because it is better integrated and acts after closing the tab, not the entire session.
Once this rolls on mobile,I think it would make Brave the only mobile browser to allow automatic sanitising with exceptions (as you can add exceptions on Firefox desktop, but not mobile).
EDIT: it just updated on my device! Basically, you can activate the forgetful browsing for all sites in the browser’s settings, and for each website you can add an exception through the Brave shield icon (the one to the right of the address bar).
When will it be out of beta?
It’s already out on mobile stable (don’t know about desktop).
I noticed that it doesn’t clear the data immediatly once you close the tab, but after some time.
DuckDuckGo has already this feature. But I don’t use it at all.
It’s not in the latest stable Android release
You’re right. Strange, I’ve got the 1.57.60 version from play store (regular Brave browser, not beta/nightly), but the latest release flagged on Github is 1.57.57. Well, I guess it will get released soon.
Oh right, I forgot about DDG browser.
Forgetful Browsing is not as effective as using Brave with the “clear all storage” setting. This is probably because the cache files and images are not cleared. If you try the test in the link below with the “clear all storage” setting, you will get a different fingerprint result every time you close and open Brave. However, if the relevant tab is closed and opened while the forget setting on shields is active, you will continue to get the same fingerprint result.
I have that version from the play store as well but the feature isn’t there. It’s only in the beta and nightly versions
As I mentioned, it doesn’t get cleared immediately after closing the tab, but it should work as you say. I’ll try it.
EDIT: nope, I’ve got a different fingerprint (with forgetful browsing on and clear all storage off). Indeed in the settings it says that “cookies and other data” gets cleared. Try by getting a signature, close the browser for a minute and then get a new one. That website doesn’t even use cookies, so it must clear other data as well.
2 Likes
I’ve tried without closing browser but with just closing tab (as this option should works) with that option enabled but after 10minutes fingerprint is always the same.
2 Likes
Oh, the test I suggested above apparently shows a different fingerprint value every time we close and open Brave, regardless of clearing cookies and cache files. So I suggested the wrong thing and I apologize. However, I have not changed my opinion that the forget setting does not have the same effect as the “clear all storage” setting since it does not delete the cache data for now. Mullvad Browser and Tor Browser work with this setting. Perhaps some sites that prefer not to be logged out should be used in a different browser profile. For general web surfing, it would be better to have the forget setting in a profile set with “clear all storage”. I am talking for desktop, not mobile. @obzen @woodruff
1 Like
Thanks for the details. Yes, I think it makes sense to use two browsers/profiles as you say. I was looking for this feature for the PWAs, where I want to stay logged in.
1 Like
I believe there is the option to clear cache data only upon pressing the exit button for desktop Brave. that could work with the forget me setting while still allowing exceptions easily. but you could just use what the guide currently states and put exceptions for third party cookies instead so I don’t think this new option is much of an improvement if at all
1 Like
This feature is no longer available to me on the latest version of Brave, 1.60.125. Can someone confirm if this is the case for them as well?
I still have it on 1.60.125 on android
Use this brave://flags/#brave-forget-first-party-storage
Note that the shield settings will be reset to their default, so you will have to change them again.
1 Like
Duplicate of