Lock Down Brave Browser in 5 Minutes

Last updated 2025-10-15 · By Milly

Quick privacy configuration guide for Brave Browser with built-in tracking protection and crypto wallet management.

Introduction

Brave Browser ships with strong privacy defaults, but a few additional tweaks ensure you’re getting maximum protection. This guide covers the essential privacy settings you should configure after installation.

Key Takeaways

  • Brave blocks trackers and ads by default, but you can increase shield strength
  • Disable crypto features if you don’t need them to reduce attack surface
  • Configure search engine preferences to avoid leaking queries to Google
  • Review site-specific permissions regularly

Steps

Configure Shield Settings

  1. Access Shield Settings — Click the Brave icon in the address bar or go to Settings → Shields.
  2. Set Trackers & Ads Blocking to Aggressive — This blocks more third-party content but may break some sites.
  3. Enable Fingerprinting Protection (Strict) — Under Advanced controls, set fingerprinting to Strict to randomize browser attributes.
  4. Block Scripts Selectively — Only enable script blocking for sensitive browsing; many sites will break otherwise.

Disable Optional Features

  1. Turn Off Brave Rewards — Go to Settings → Brave Rewards and toggle it off if you don’t want ads or BAT tokens.
  2. Disable Crypto Wallets — Under Settings → Web3, turn off the built-in wallet if you use external solutions.
  3. Review Autocomplete Settings — In Settings → Search engine, disable search suggestions to prevent query leaks.

Choose a Private Search Engine

  1. Set DuckDuckGo or Brave Search as Default — Navigate to Settings → Search engine and select a privacy-respecting option.
  2. Avoid Google, Bing, or Yahoo — These engines log your searches and link them to your IP address.

Verify Your Setup

  1. Test Shields — Visit coverYourTracks.eff.org to see how well Brave protects against fingerprinting.
  2. Check Blocked Trackers — Click the Brave shield icon on any site to see the number of trackers blocked.

Common Pitfalls

  • Site Breakage with Aggressive Shields → Lower shield settings per-site rather than globally
  • Forgetting to Update Brave → Enable automatic updates in Settings → About Brave
  • Using Chrome Extensions Blindly → Review permissions before installing Chrome Web Store extensions

FAQ

Is Brave safer than Chrome?

Brave blocks trackers by default and doesn’t send your browsing data to Google, making it more privacy-focused than Chrome.

Should I disable Brave Rewards?

If you don’t want personalized ads or crypto rewards, disable Brave Rewards in settings for a cleaner experience.

Can I still use Chrome extensions?

Yes, Brave supports Chrome extensions, but review their permissions carefully as they can access your browsing data.

References

  1. Brave Privacy Features
  2. EFF Cover Your Tracks
  3. Brave Shields Documentation