Vivaldi 8.1 launches with large changelog, here are the key highlights

The team behind the Vivaldi web browser has just released Vivaldi 8.1 for download. This update includes a large volume of bug fixes focusing on auto-hide UI features and complex tab management. The browser’s engine has also been upgraded to Chromium 150 to maintain web compatibility and security standards.

In addition to those changes, this update addresses persistent instability issues involving Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and browser crashes. For anyone on Linux, you also get improved proprietary media support through updates to FFmpeg. Notably, and perhaps disappointingly, Vivaldi is following Chrome with the forced deprecation of Manifest V2 extensions. If you still want those, Brave is the best Chromium browser to use.

Commenting on this update, Vivaldi CEO Jon von Tetzchner said:

“This release focuses on improvements and bug fixes. If you had given us feedback about tab behaviour issues lately, you will notice the difference, since that’s one of the aspects we’ve spent time refining. We’ve also polished our UI auto-hide feature, a game changer when you want to focus on the content and get as much screen real state as possible.

Make sure to download the new version now to get the latest changes!”

This update comes just a month or so after the release of Vivaldi 8.0 which introduced the browsers most significant UI overhaul.

The bug fixes in this update are quite voluminous. Vivaldi pitches itself as the power user browser, bolting on tons of additional features to Chromium’s core. However, this means that you do end up with these large changelogs; the more features there are, inevitably there will be more bugs that need patching.

The browser should let you know that the update is available, or it’ll apply automatically. If you’re on Linux, then you will need to get the update via your update manager. If you want to install Vivaldi, just head over to the project’s website and download it.