Why Updating Your Internet Browser Matters
From researching clients to interviewing new hires to checking the weather, so much of what we do online starts with opening a browser. For most of us, that means Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Mozilla Firefox. But regardless of which browser you use, it’s critical that you keep it up to date.
We’ll be looking at the two main reasons: ensuring security and accessing improvements. Thankfully, keeping your browser up to date is simple, and only takes a few minutes.
Reason #1: Ensure Security
Even after years of use by millions of people, browsers are still constantly updated for security reasons. Without getting too technical, there are always holes to patch and new threats to stay on top of. Browsers are frequently updated to address these issues and protect your information.
However, people often neglect this. Why? It’s likely that because the issues being fixed aren’t things people actually see, they’re easier to overlook. People assume their browser is secure, and neglect to consider what isn’t immediately visible.
Reason #2: Access Improvements
Just like how browsers are updated to add security, they’re also updated to do more. This takes place in two ways. The first involves adding new features. Every once in a while, you’ll likely notice that your browser asks you to do something new, like store a password or credit card so you don’t have to type it in each time you use it. These are the types of things you’ll miss out on if you aren’t keeping your browser up to date.
The second involves improvements to the “User Experience”, or UX for short. UX makes up the way you navigate and use the browser. Those in charge of the browser will always be looking for ways to make the experience both easier and more intuitive. This can be big things like the colour and layout, or smaller aspects like updating how buttons click.
How do I know if my browser needs an update?
Generally, your browser will provide some sort of pop-up or visual representation to let you know. For example, in Google Chrome, an icon in the top right of the toolbar will turn green shortly after an update is released. As more time goes on without the update being completed, it will turn to yellow, and then to red.
Going forward
Updating your browser may seem intimidating, but as you can see, it’s quite simple. Consider how much time you spend using an Internet browser. Taking a few minutes to stay up to date will make that experience both better and more secure.
