Helium is a private, fast, and honest Chromium-based web browser — built for people, with love. It offers the best privacy by default, unbiased ad-blocking, and a clean experience free from bloat and noise. Proudly based on Ungoogled-Chromium, Helium removes Google’s clutter while keeping a fast, efficient development pipeline. With thoughtful touches like native !bangs and split view, Helium is a people-first, fully open-source browser that puts control back in your hands.
Privacy, security, and control come first. Ads, trackers, and third-party cookies are blocked automatically, HTTPS is enforced everywhere, and all Chromium extensions work seamlessly — while Google can’t track your activity. Helium’s 13,000+ offline-ready !bangs let you jump straight to sites or AI tools like ChatGPT instantly. Open-source, people-first, and unbiased, Helium delivers a browsing experience that’s fast, secure, and free from noise, ads, and compromises.
Helium Browser key features:
Performance
- Fast, efficient, and lightweight — built on Chromium’s optimized engine.
- Energy-saving and consistent — stays fast over time without slowing down.
- No bloat — stripped of unnecessary components for maximum speed.
- Minimalist interface — compact, clean, and distraction-free.
- Customizable toolbar — hide elements you don’t need.
- Smooth and stable — no flicker, lag, or animation glitches.
- Comfort-focused experience — intuitive and unobtrusive.
Privacy & Security
- Best privacy by default — blocks ads, trackers, phishing, and third-party cookies.
- Unbiased ad-blocking — powered by community filters and uBlock Origin.
- No telemetry or analytics — zero background web requests on first launch.
- Strict HTTPS enforcement — warns for insecure sites.
- Passkeys supported — modern authentication made simple.
- No built-in password manager or cloud sync — your data stays yours.
Extension Compatibility
- Full Chromium extension support — including MV2 extensions.
- Anonymized Chrome Web Store requests — Google can’t track extension installs.
- Extended MV2 support — maintained for as long as possible.
Smart Features
- Native !bangs — browse faster using 13,000+ offline-ready shortcuts.
- AI integration — use !chatgpt and others directly from the address bar.
- Offline functionality — bangs work without an Internet connection.
Philosophy
- People-first design — open source, transparent, and community-driven.
- No ads, no noise, no bias — privacy and honesty over profit.
Helium Browser 0.12.4.1 changelog:
Helium-Chromium
- b4155a78 revision: bump to 4 (#1752)
- 75bb363f merge: update to chromium 148.0.7778.178 (#1751)
- 9b257a50 flags.gn: remove drumbrake enablement
- 64322bef patches: refresh for chromium 148.0.7778.178
- 56a15e4d merge: update ungoogled-chromium to 148.0.7778.178
- 7c07c452 Update to Chromium 148.0.7778.178
- 5e207628 Fallback string enum for older python
- c44f96e1 helium/kb-shortcuts: don"t modify close tab/window actions (#1736)
- 65369b1a Added OpenBSD package (#3783)
- d99402c6 Check hide tab close buttons on vertical tabs (#3782)
- 0ca51e8b Add patch for disabling JIT (#3775)
Download: Helium 64-bit | Portable 64-bit |~100.0 MB (Open Source)
Download: Helium ARM64 | Portable ARM64
Links: Helium Home Page | macOS | Linux | Screenshot
