Whether you have a new smartphone or just want to brush up on the basics, these smartphone browsing basics will help you master your device.
Tabs
Did you know that you can have multiple internet windows open at once on your phone? Smartphones now allow you to swap between webpages, without closing them, much like using windows or tabs on a computer.
iPhone and iPad
To access your tabs on iPhone or iPad, open Safari and then tap the icon at the bottom right that looks like a square laying on top of another. Now you can see all your tabs: you may just have one open or you may have dozens you were unaware of which have been lingering in the background. Scroll through the tabs and tap whichever you would like to access, or open a new tab by tapping the ‘+’ at the bottom of the screen.
If you come across something you would like to open in a new tab while you browse the internet, just tap the link and hold your finger down until the option to ‘Open in a New Tab’ appears.
Android
To access your tabs on Android, open your internet browser app and look for the ‘Tabs’ icon. It will appear as one or two rectangles overlapping, usually with a number inside. Once located, tap the icon and you’ll see all your tabs. You may just have one open or you may have dozens you were unaware of which have been lingering in the background. Scroll through the tabs and tap whichever you would like to access, or open a new tab by tapping the ‘+’ at the bottom of top of the screen, or the ‘New Tab’ button if it appears.
If you come across something you would like to open in a new tab while you browse the internet, just tap the link and hold your finger down until the option to ‘Open in new tab’ appears.
Homescreen shortcuts
Did you know you can place shortcuts to your favourite websites on your homescreen? This makes webpages that you frequently visit easily accessible, just like an app would be on your homescreen.
iPhone and iPad
To do this on iOS devices, open Safari and navigate to the webpage to which you wish to make a shortcut. Now tap the icon at the bottom of the screen which looks like an arrow coming out of a square and scroll across in the window that opens until you see an option to ‘Add to Homescreen’. And that’s it!
Android
To do this on Android, open up Google Chrome and navigate to the webpage to which you wish to make a shortcut. Now tap the three dots at the top right of the screen and tap ‘Add to Homescreen’. You will now find that a shortcut has been added to the homescreen of your device.
Do you have any browsing tips for your fellow readers?
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