Windows XP is one of the most popular editions of Microsoft operating systems. It got a successor in the form of Windows Vista.

Explore top picks carefully selected by our team of experts

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  • Although Microsoft has ended support for Windows Vista, it is still used by many across the globe.

  • However, as old as it is, finding a compatible web browser for Windows Vista can be a challenging task.

  • Thankfully, this guide lists down 7 of the best web browsers that you can install and enjoy fast web surfing on your Windows Vista PC.

  • Easy migration: use the Opera assistant to transfer exiting data, such as bookmarks, passwords, etc.

  • Optimize resource usage: your RAM memory is used more efficiently than in other browsers

  • Enhanced privacy: free and unlimited VPN integrated

  • No ads: built-in Ad Blocker speeds up loading of pages and protects against data-mining

  • Gaming friendly: Opera GX is the first and best browser for gaming

  • Download Opera

Microsoft launched Windows Vista in 2007 and ended support for this OS on April 11, 2017. It received its final security update, i.e., Service Pack 2 with security update rollup (6.0.6002) on October 18, 2016.

Windows Vista isn’t known to be a loved release from Microsoft, but there are a few things that make it an okay-ish operating system to use in 2022.

First, in order to install the latest version, i.e., Windows 11 from Windows Vista requires a clean install. So, you need to purchase Windows 11 or a PC that runs it already.

It runs on the same base as Windows 7 and comes with UAC (User Account Control). Moreover, application compatibility is not an issue with Windows Vista. So, if your PC is running fine with Windows Vista, then you can stick with it.

However, if you are not using the latest OS, that does not mean you can’t run featureful browsers on your PC. In this guide, we will give you a list of the best browser that you can use in Windows Vista. Let us check out the list.

Which browser is preinstalled on Windows Vista?

It was Internet Explorer 7 that came preinstalled on Windows Vista. Windows Internet Explorer 7 came with a bunch of new features and functionalities over Internet Explorer 6.

For instance, it came with bug fixes, multiple enhancements for web standards, tabbed browsing with tab preview, better tab management, a multiple-engine search box, a web feeds reader, Internationalized Domain Name support (IDN), etc.

Some security features included an anti-phishing filter and it was decoupled from the Windows Shell. Internet Explorer ActiveX control was not hosted on the Windows Explorer process, but it ran on a separate Internet Explorer process.

Do any browsers still support Vista?

Yes, the browsers that we have listed below which include Opera, still support Vista, although with some limitations.

You won’t be able to update the browsers to the latest versions available as they will not be compatible with the OS iteration anymore.

What browser can I use for Vista?

We recommend Opera, as it has an integrated VPN features, but you can check out our list and choose your favorite one.

Here is what we found to be the best browsers to use with Windows Vista:

  • Opera – Integrated VPN
  • Slim Browser – Weather forecast included
  • Midori Browser – Clean user interface
  • UR Browser – Built-in virus scanner
  • K-Meleon Browser – Highly customizable
  • Maxthon – Advanced security features
  • Falkon Browser – Supports multiple platforms

What is the best browser to use with Windows Vista?

⇒ Get Opera

  • Which browser is preinstalled on Windows Vista?
  • What is the best browser to use with Windows Vista?
  • How do I update my browser on Windows Vista?

Opera – Integrated VPN

Opera is one of the best browser for Windows Vista and is the best choice if you want to surf the web fast, easily, and securely.

Since older PCs don’t have the resources to handle resource-intensive tasks, the Opera web browser intelligently manages everything and optimizes the resources to provide you with an excellent web browsing experience even on older PCs.

Here are some of the best features of the Opera browser:

  • Built-in adblocker
  • Intelligent optimization results in faster web page loading
  • Comes with an integrated VPN
  • Simple UI
  • Speed dial
  • Support for more extensions

⇒ Get Slim Browser

Slim Browser – Weather forecast included

Slim Browser takes its name quite seriously and offers you a clean user interface, delivering you an ad-free browsing experience.

You can customize the browser by installing extensions, in fact, you can install Firefox extension on it. There are some other features that make this one of the best browser for Windows Vista such as a built-in download manager, web screenshot tool, convert YouTube videos to MP3 in the browser itself, etc.

Some notable features of Slim Browser are:

  • Integrated Facebook
  • Weather forecast
  • Fast web browsing without ads
  • Enhanced tracking protection
  • Instant photo upload and framing

⇒ Get Midori browser

Midori Browser – Clean user interface

Midori browser is one of the lightweight browsers, good for an old PC running Windows Vista. While the name might not familiar to you, as it is not that popular, the browsing speed is decently good enough as it is very gentle of resources available.

It comes with features such as HTML 5 media codecs and CSS 3, it uses a Webkit rendering engine, the same as that of Chrome to give you enhanced browsing speeds.

Some key features of Midori browsers are:

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  • Clean user interface
  • Various customization options
  • In-built spell checker
  • Enhanced security measures

⇒ Get K-Meleon

  • 8 Best Antivirus Software for Windows Vista to Use in 2022
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  • Download & Install Opera Browser for Windows Vista 32/64 bit
  • Best VPN for Windows Vista: How to install one that works

UR Browser – Built-in virus scanner

UR Browser is a nice web browser perfect for old and modern PCs. It comes with plenty of features that modern browsers provide.

It loads the web pages pretty fast, you can find a good number of applications from the UR Browser application store and enhance your usability experience.

UR Browser does not load ads or trackers, and you can choose between three privacy levels to protect your online data. It also comes with a built-in virus scanner, giving you all-around protection from online threats.

Here are the key features of the UR Browser:

  • Built-in ad blocker
  • Built-in virus scanner
  • Plenty of customization options
  • Offers advanced parallel downloading

⇒ Get UR Browser

K-Meleon Browser – Highly customizable

Based on Mozilla Firefox’s Gecko engine, the K-Meleon browser is a nice browser that is a nice choice for Windows Vista running PCs.

It comes with built-in ad blockers, pop-up blockers, a bunch of themes and other customization options, etc. K-Meleon browser only has 256MB of RAM requirement, making it good for Windows Vista users.

Check out some notable features of the K-Meleon browser:

  • Highly customizable
  • Loads web pages faster
  • No adware

⇒ Get Maxthon browser

Maxthon – Advanced security features

If you are looking for a modern browser with all the features, in fact, some features that you won’t find in browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox then you should go with the Maxthon browser.

Maxthon browser has all the features such as ad blocker, cloud sync and backup options, snapshot tool, software shortcuts, support for a plethora of extensions, etc.

The browser comes with a nice and stylish UI and tabbed interface along with great customization options.

Here are some of the best features of the Maxthon browser:

  • Plenty of customization options
  • Loads web pages fast
  • Comes with advanced security features
  • Stylish and easy-to-use UI
  • In-built snapshot tool

How do I update my browser on Windows Vista?

While updating your browser on an old PC like the one running Windows Vista is considered, you can follow the below-mentioned steps to check if a new update is available for your browser, and install them to enjoy new features.

Falkon Browser – Supports multiple platforms

Another not so very known, but a decent browser for Windows Vista is the Falkon browser. The interface of the browser is designed to support older operating systems.

It makes use of the limited resources of the older PC and gives a smooth user experience. Falkon browser is very lightweight and supports multiple platforms.

You can either install the PC version or the portable version to use it via the USB stick. It makes use of the privacy-centered DuckDuckGo as its default search engine.

Here are some of the notable features of the Falkon browser:

  • Supports multiple platforms
  • Lightweight
  • Available in portable version to be used on the go

⇒ Get Falkon browser

  • You can open the web browser and check under the About or Help sections to update your browser on an old PC. The update option is usually available under these menu options.
  • Some browsers give you a direct button to update the browser. So, you can also make use of that.
  • Also, you can visit the official website of the web browser you are using, and see if a new update compatible with your version of Windows is available or not.

There is very less chance that a new update will be available for a web browser compatible with Windows Vista. Especially, for browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Opera. But it won’t hurt to check for updates anyways.

While we have covered Windows Vista, if you have a PC running equivalent or even an older generation of Windows OS, and you are looking for a list of the best browsers for it, then you can check out our carefully curated guide including the best browsers to use on old and slow PCs.

To further strengthen your Internet security, you can check out our guide on the best VPN for Windows Vista and how to install them.

Was this guide useful to you? Let us know by leaving a comment in the section below.

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