Top Lightweight Browsers for Windows 7 That Work in 2024
Light & safe options that still get security updates
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Want a good browser for Windows 7 that’s safe to use and doesn’t take a toll on your PC’s speed? You’re in luck.
Windows 7 still has a substantial user base even though it has been overtaken by Windows 10/11 and discontinued by Microsoft. If you’re still using it too, check out the browsers below.
What is the best browser to use with Windows 7?
If you’re in a hurry, take a quick look at our top picks and pick the one that works best for your needs:
- Opera One: Best for advanced features and AI utilities.
- Mozilla Firefox: Best for privacy and customization.
- K-Meleon: Best for extremely lightweight usage and legacy OS compatibility.
- Pale Moon: Good for lightweight usage and legacy plugin support.
- Midori: Extremely lightweight.
- Maxthon: Good all-rounder with cloud sync and modern interface.
- Thorium: Best for speed and Chromium-based features.
- Falkon: Best for minimalistic usage with basic features
And if you need more info, check the overviews below:
Opera One – Outstanding browsing tools
Opera One is a fast, AI-powered browser that works on Windows 7. It improves web navigation, making it intuitive and quick.
Its modular tab islands let you group tabs efficiently. You can easily open and collapse them. Opera One also includes Aria, an AI assistant for tasks like web searches, booking flights, and learning recipes.
The browser also features multiple workspaces, VPN protection, and integration for AI language tools.
| Modular Tab Islands | Group tabs efficiently, open and collapse easily. |
| Aria AI Assistant | Helps with web searches and simple daily tasks |
| Customizable UI | Add or remove apps from the sidebar, address bar, and toolbar. |
| Multiple Workspaces | Organize different tasks in separate workspaces. |
| VPN Protection | Group tabs efficiently, open, and collapse easily. |
| AI Language Tools | Includes ChatGPT and other useful AI features for better productivity. |
Opera One
Optimize your web surfing on the Windows 7 OS with this supported and futuristic browser.Mozilla Firefox – Enhanced privacy (will end support in September 2024)
Firefox claims it uses 30% less RAM than Chrome, making it ideal for Windows 7 desktops and laptops with lower specs.
It got a major boost with its Quantum update. This made Firefox faster, revamped its UI, and added new tools. You can rearrange the toolbar, add new themes and configure fonts.
However, one thing to keep in mind is that Firefox will only support Windows 7 until September 2024. This means it will no longer get updates, including security patches after this date.
| Quantum Update | Made Firefox faster, revamped UI, added new tools. |
| Customizable Toolbar | Rearrange toolbar, add new themes, configure fonts. |
| Many Extensions | Further customize the browser with various extensions. |
| Efficient RAM Usage | Uses 30% less RAM than Chrome, ideal for lower-spec systems. |
| Privacy-Oriented | Focuses on user privacy. |
| Light on Resources | Efficient use of system resources. |
K-Meleon Browser – Best stripped-down browser
K-Meleon is one of the lightest browsers, resembling Firefox in some aspects. It lacks extensions but offers its own ad-blockers, pop-up blockers, and themes.
This browser operates smoothly with just 256 MB of memory, compatible even with older systems like Windows XP and Windows 7.
Although its interface appears plain, you can customize it extensively with various skins, buttons, and toolbars.
| Extremely Lightweight | Designed to be very light on system resources. |
| Goanna Engine | Based on Mozilla Gecko, ensuring compatibility and performance. |
| Legacy OS Support | Works on older systems like Windows XP and Windows 7. |
| Built-in Ad-blocker | Includes its own ad-blocking and pop-up blocking features. |
Pale Moon – Great for customization
Pale Moon is an open-source browser based on the Goanna engine that only requires 256 MB of RAM to work, so it will run on Windows 7 without any problems.
Design-wise, it’s like a stripped-down version of Firefox, making it pretty fast and reliable for any task.
Its newer versions are optimized for the latest processors but lack the sandboxing that would also make it very safe. However, it’s pretty good for privacy protection since it blocks ads, telemetry, and data gathering.
| Extremely Lightweight | Designed to work even on PCs with very few resources |
| Based on Firefox Fork | Offers compatibility with legacy plugins and features. |
| Privacy-Oriented | Focuses on user privacy by blocking ads and tracking. |
| Supports Legacy Plugins | Compatible with older plugins like Silverlight and Java. |
⇒ Get Pale Moon
Midori – Extremely light
Midori is a multi-platform browser that has gained a lot of popularity lately thanks to its incredible lightness.
It only requires 37 MB of drive space to operate, and it doesn’t require too much memory either compared to other browsers.
The browser still supports the latest HTML 5 media codecs and CSS 3, so it’s ready for optimal browsing.
Its only downside is that it doesn’t have too many extensions and add-ons to choose from but it will perform greatly on Windows 7.
| Optimized for Privacy | Enhances privacy by blocking ads, trackers, and harmful content. |
| Lightweight | Requires minimal system resources, ideal for older PCs. |
| Multi-Platform Support | Available on various operating systems for versatility. |
| Modern Web Technologies | Supports HTML5 media codecs and CSS3 for optimal browsing. |
| Simplicity and Ease of Use | Designed for straightforward navigation and user experience. |
⇒ Get Midori
Maxthon – Great multi-platform browser
Maxthon requires a 1 GHz CPU, 512 MB of RAM, and 64 megabytes of hard drive space and that makes it an ideal candidate for a Windows 7 browser.
Its built-in ad blocker will help you reduce page tab RAM allocation, making browsing faster.
It also comes with cloud synchronization and backup options so you can have the same experience on all your devices.
A neat surprise is that you can include software shortcuts within the browser, and its tabbed interface is pretty modern.
| Lightweight | Efficient use of system resources, suitable for older PCs. |
| Resource Sniffer | Extracts URLs of resources for easy management. |
| Built-in Password Manager | Securely manages your passwords within the browser. |
| Split-Screen View | Allows viewing multiple tabs side-by-side for multitasking. |
| Tab Grouping | Organizes tabs into groups for better organization. |
⇒ Get Maxthon
Thorium – A great Chromium option
Not many Chromium browsers support Windows 7 nowadays and the M109 is the last version that will work with older systems.
Thorium is based on this version, and it can bring the features of Chromium to your legacy PC.
According to the developer, it’s the fastest browser in the world, and it offers 8 to 38% performance improvement over the vanilla Chromium, which is impressive.
Although this is a great browser, it might lack some features that other browsers have, but nevertheless, it’s worth trying out.
| Based on Chromium | Brings Chromium features to older systems. |
| Available on Various Platforms | Ensures accessibility across different operating systems. |
| Supports Legacy OS | Compatible with older operating systems like Windows 7. |
| Incredibly Fast | Offers significant performance improvements over standard Chromium. |
⇒ Get Thorium
Falkon – A minimalistic solution
If you’re looking for a minimalistic and lightweight browser for your Windows 7, look no further than Falkon.
This is a KDE web browser that uses QtWebEngine, previously known as QupZilla. The browser’s interface is minimalistic, so you won’t have issues adjusting to it.
In terms of functionality, the browser is rather minimalistic, so don’t expect to see any advanced features, such as extension support, etc.
However, Falkon has bookmarks, history, and tab support. There’s even an integrated ad blocker.
Overall, it’s a rather minimalistic browser with limited features, but it works on Windows 7 without issues.
| Minimalistic and Lightweight | Designed for simplicity and efficient performance. |
| Bookmarks, History, Tab Support | Basic browsing essentials for user convenience. |
| Built on QtWebEngine | Utilizes a robust engine for stable performance. |
| Available on Legacy Systems | Compatible with older operating systems like Windows 7. |
| Built-in Ad Blocker | Enhances browsing by blocking intrusive ads. |
⇒ Get Falkon
Our top Windows 7 browsers will offer safety and speed for those who still use the legacy operating system.
Luckily, there’s still a wide variety of options, so you just have to decide which offers the features that best fit your needs and preferences.
From AI features to privacy controls and lightweight design, the options above won’t disappoint.
