Weekend Wins: 5 Browser Settings to Change Right Now (No Matter What You Use)

These browser settings can greatly reduce the amount of data you're leaking

You open a new tab. You search for something random.
Next thing you know, an ad for that exact thing is following you across five websites.

Sound familiar?

That’s not just creepy, it’s by design.

Your browser is quietly leaking information about you every time you go online. What you click, what you watch, even what kind of device you’re using. And unless you’ve changed the default settings, it’s happening right now.

To be completely honest some browsers are worse than others.

Chrome, Safari, and Edge are built by companies that make money tracking you.

That doesn’t mean you’re doomed if you’re still using one, but it does mean you need to take some extra steps to limit the damage.

If you're using Brave or Firefox, you're in better shape, but there’s still a lot under the hood worth tightening up.

This weekend, take 10 minutes to flip a few switches that most people never touch.

It won’t turn your browser into Fort Knox—but it will seriously reduce how much data you’re giving away without realizing it.

Here is what you need to know.

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Browser-by-Browser: What to Change Right Now

These settings take just a few clicks, but most people never touch them.

The default settings on most of these browsers are built for advertisers—not for your privacy.

Chrome (Google)

Let’s get this out of the way:
Chrome is one of the worst browsers for privacy.
It’s fast and convenient—but it's also a data vacuum for Google.

If you're still using it, here's how to reduce the damage:

• Turn off "Web & App Activity" tracking:
  Go to myactivity.google.com → Activity Controls
  Disable Web & App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History.

• Block third-party cookies:
  Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
  Select “Block third-party cookies”

• Disable Topics API (Google’s replacement for cookies):
  Go to chrome://settings/adPrivacy → Turn off “Ad topics,” “Site-suggested ads,” and “Ad measurement”

• Don’t sign in to Chrome:
  Syncing your Google account to the browser gives them full visibility into everything you do—even outside Gmail.

Better option: Switch to Brave or Firefox if you can. Chrome is hard to fully detox.

If you or someone you know has an unhealthy relationship with Google you can get help. You don’t need to continue to be a victim.

Just kidding but seriously if you’d like to detach from Google check out this article I did about ending my relationship with them:

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Firefox (Recommended)

Firefox is one of the best mainstream browsers for privacy—especially once you change a few defaults.

Here’s what to do:

• Turn on Enhanced Tracking Protection (Strict mode):
  Settings → Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection → Set to “Strict”

• Disable telemetry:
  Firefox shares technical data by default.
  Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Scroll to "Firefox Data Collection and Use" → Uncheck everything

• Disable WebGL and WebRTC (for advanced users):
  These features can leak your IP or allow fingerprinting.
  Type about:config in the URL bar → search for:

  • media.peerconnection.enabled → set to false

  • webgl.disabled → set to true

• Use privacy-focused extensions sparingly:
  Stick with uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, and ClearURLs.
  Avoid piling on too many—it can backfire or create conflicts.

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Brave (Recommended)

Brave has solid privacy settings out of the box—but there’s still room for improvement.

• Disable Rewards and Crypto integrations (if not using):
  Settings → Brave Rewards → Turn everything off
  No need to share more data than necessary.

• Enable fingerprinting protection:
  Settings → Shields → Block fingerprinting → Set to “Aggressive”
  This makes you harder to track via unique device characteristics.

• Use private window with Tor (optional):
  Brave offers built-in Tor browsing for an extra layer of anonymity.
  It’s slower, but helpful for sensitive searches or bypassing region blocks.

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Safari (Apple)

Safari is better than Chrome or Edge—but not great. Apple talks a big privacy game, but they still collect plenty of telemetry.

Settings to fix:

• Disable cross-site tracking:
  Safari → Preferences → Privacy → Check “Prevent cross-site tracking”

• Block all cookies:
  Same menu → Optional, but keep in mind it may break some websites

• Turn off “Preload Top Hit” in search:
  This feature sends your search terms to Apple before you even hit enter.
  Safari → Preferences → Search → Uncheck “Preload Top Hit”

Safari is baked into macOS and iOS. If you can’t switch browsers, you can still reduce exposure with these tweaks.

If you’re an Apple user there is something you need to know. There is currently a war going on for encryption is the UK. Find out more in this article:

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Edge (Microsoft)

Edge = Chrome in a different costume with some added Microsoft telemetry.

You probably know Edge as the browser you use to download Firefox or Brave. I can’t believe people still use but for some reason it’s the #4 most used browser, which in itself is frightening to me.

If you're stuck with it, here's what to change:

• Set tracking prevention to “Strict”:
  Settings → Privacy, Search, and Services → Tracking prevention → Set to “Strict”

• Turn off browsing history sync:
  Microsoft wants to sync your activity across devices. Disable it under “Profiles” → “Sync” → Turn off everything

• Avoid signing into the browser with your Microsoft account
  This gives them full visibility into your browsing behavior.

Pro tip: If you're using Windows, Edge doesn’t like to be removed. But you can de-prioritize it and use Brave or Firefox as your default instead.

📌Free Resource: Privacy Focused Platform Recommendations

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Common Browser Privacy Mistakes (Even Smart People Make These)

Changing settings is a great first step—but it’s just as important to avoid the traps that undo your progress.

Here are the biggest browser mistakes I see over and over:

1. Thinking “Incognito Mode” = Private Browsing

Incognito (or Private Browsing) only hides your activity from people using the same device.
It does not hide your activity from:

• Your internet provider (ISP)

• The websites you visit

• Google (if you're using Chrome)

• Your employer or school network

If you're logged into a Google account, Facebook, or any app while using Incognito, you're still being tracked.

Bottom line: Incognito helps with local privacy—not actual anonymity.

2. Using Extensions Without Vetting Them

That “free VPN” or “productivity booster” might be logging everything you do.

Some extensions are spyware in disguise.

Even popular ones have been caught collecting browsing data, selling it, or leaking it through poorly written code.

What to do instead:

• Stick with well-known tools like uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, ClearURLs, and HTTPS Everywhere

• Always check the permissions an extension asks for

• Less is more, only install what you truly need

3. Staying Logged Into Google (or Facebook) While Browsing

This is a big one.

If you’re logged into Gmail or Facebook in one tab, both companies can track what you’re doing across other tabs—even if you’re not on their site.

They use browser fingerprinting, cookies, and hidden trackers embedded in other websites.

Fix:

• Use different browsers for different purposes (ex: Firefox for personal, Brave for shopping/logins)

• Or use containers (Firefox feature) to isolate different accounts

• Better yet, log out when you’re done

• Even better delete your account and ditch them for good

4. Accepting Default Settings After Updates

Browsers update regularly—and sometimes, those updates reset your privacy preferences without warning.

I've seen people set everything to “Strict,” only to have it wiped after a major browser update.

Quick test: Go into your settings and check that your tracking protections, telemetry settings, and cookie preferences are still where you left them.

5. Using the Same Browser for Everything

This isn’t talked about enough.

When you use one browser for everything—banking, social media, shopping, job searches—you create a single, rich profile that's easy to track, fingerprint, or compromise.

Try this instead:

• One browser for sensitive stuff (banking, taxes, healthcare)

• One for casual browsing

• One for sandboxing risky stuff (clicking unknown links, researching sketchy topics)

Does it take some adjustment? Sure.
But it massively limits the damage if one browser gets compromised.

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Want to Take This Even Further?

If this post helped you tighten up your browser privacy, great.
But your browser is just one piece of the puzzle.

Your router, smart devices, home Wi-Fi, and even your cloud backups are constantly sending and receiving data—most of it unencrypted, unmonitored, and way more exposed than you think.

That’s where my No BS Guide to Securing Your Network comes in.

It’s an easy-to-follow, zero-fluff guide that shows you exactly how to:

• Lock down your home or office network (without buying new gear)

• Set up a hardened, secure router configuration—even if your ISP tries to hide the settings

• Stop smart devices from phoning home 24/7

• Segment your network so one compromised device doesn’t expose everything else

• And a lot more, all written in plain English

If you’ve ever thought, *“I should probably fix that”… this is how you actually do it.

Grab the No BS Guide to Securing Your Network here

Know someone that could use this guide? Make sure to share it with them.

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Before You Go…

What’s the one browser setting you thought was protecting your privacy—only to realize it wasn’t?

Or… what’s a trick you use that most people probably don’t know about?

Drop it in the comments—I’m always down to learn something new from this community.

And if this post helped you shut down at least one privacy leak, hit that Restack button so more people can lock things down before the weekend is over.

Coming Tuesday:

You’re not going to want to miss this one.

I’ve got a new edition of Guest Post Tuesday lined up, and this week’s feature is sure to excite:

The Storm Writer is bringing a deep, experience-backed breakdown of the psychological side of online manipulation and how it’s used to push scams, clickbait, and cyberstalking.

It’s sharp. It’s bold. It’s way more relevant than you think.

Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it.

Want to support me? —> Buy Me A Coffee

Until next time…

Stay Informed. Stay Secure. Stay Curious.