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Opera Becomes The First Mainstream Browser With A Built-in VPN

by Felix Omondi
Opera Becomes The First Mainstream Browser With A Built-in VPN

It is now a little over a year now since the Norwegian company Opera Software acquired the Virtual Private Network (VPN) SurfEasy. It is has become now clear why Opera acquired the VPN; it was planning on incorporating SurfEasy’s technology into its browser, and perhaps into its Opera Max data saving app for mobile devices.

Opera has a released an early release developer version of its browser with a built-in version of the SurfEasy VPN. The company says the built-in VPN will protect your browsing sessions by encrypting your browser activities. Additionally, the VPN will allow you bypass those firewall you get at your workplace, at the library and in countries like China. (Weren’t there news of Opera Software being sold out to the Chinese?)

The browser will assign you a virtual IP address every time you are surfing on the browsers, thus making it harder for your location to be tracked.

However, don’t make the mistake of thinking this will protect your online activities on your computer. The VPN is built-in on the browser, and only protects your online activities conducted on the browser. As for your online activities originating from your computer (and outside the Opera browser), you will need an additional VPN to encrypt them.

Related: Opera becomes the first popular browser to integrate natively Ad-Blocker

Opera SVP, Krystian Kolondra, said, “Everyone deserves to be private online if they want to be. By adding a free, unlimited VPN directly into the browser, no additional download or extensions from an unknown third-party provider are necessary.”

Currently, the built-in VPN on Opera browser gives you an IP address from three locations; Canada, Germany, and USA. However, Opera says more locations will be added by the time the built-in VPN rolls out to the stable release version of the browser expected later this year.

How to use the built-in VPN on Opera Browser

Currently, this feature is only available on the early release developer version of the browser. Meaning you need to install the developer version Opera. Once you’ve done that, go to ‘Privacy & Security’ tab and under the VPN, click on ‘Enable VPN’.

Opera Becomes The First Mainstream Browser With A Built-in VPN

We hope when this feature finally rolls out in the stable version; Opera will make it a one-click thing and not hidden underneath the ‘Settings’ menu and what-not. It should be as simple as turning on the Opera Turbo.

However, if you need encrypted browsing right now and for free, you can always get Tor!

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