This release is special; today we are launching Midori 11.8 for desktop, merging the development of Midori Android and Midori Desktop, thus achieving more frequent updates for both environments. But there’s much more: support for Chrome extensions, performance improvements, VPN improvements, vertical tab improvements, and more improvements.

Midori 11.8 for Android

The new version of Midori Android is built on Mozilla Android Components using version 145. This new design focuses on simplicity, lightness, and speed, New Tab Improvements, Adblock Improvements, VPN Improvements and more.

Midori 11.8 for Desktop

This update from Midori includes significant improvements in performance, security, and ecosystem integration.

New Tab improvements

Midori Tab is a high-impact component, an essential part of the Midori browser, as it displays updates, marketplace integrations, users’ favorite sites, and more. However, it had performance and memory management issues, causing excessive RAM and CPU resource consumption on Windows. These problems have now been resolved. But there’s more, we’ve set Support Midori as our first bookmark, which will redirect you to https://astian.org/community, a specialized site for help and support for Midori and applications developed by Astian.

We have also added a hamburger menu so as not to be intrusive to the applications developed by Astian and which are part of the Astian ecosystem, Astian Cloud, Astian Contacts, Midori Wallet and more.

Improvements to the Midori Privacy (AdBlock).

Midori 11.8 enhances security and privacy with Midori Privacy, our ad blocker. AI has many benefits but is also an attack vector for users, which is why we’ve strengthened our security. Local Unicode detection has been expanded to platforms like ChatGPT, GitHub, GitHub Copilot, and Claude Code. The ad blocker will be active and report incidents to the user. But that’s not all; Midori Privacy now activates automatically when it detects that you are entering or accessing an AI platform.

DNR or web request prevention has also been improved; this helps improve the blocking of popups, popcash, onclicksads, adcash, and other ad networks. The way ads are rated has also been improved, thus improving blocking capabilities, and more.

Sidebar improvements

We have enabled the sidebar by default. This sidebar allows users to customize and add sites of interest for quick access. Currently, it includes sites like Midori Wallet, Cloud, and others, Now you can play multimedia content, and there are basic and advanced customization options.

Midori 11.8 adds support for Chrome extensions

It’s no secret that Chromium-based browsers have a large ecosystem of very useful extensions that cover many areas, which is why we want to bring our users this partial support, this support for Chrome extensions in Beta phase, It should be noted that some extensions may not work because there are Chrome-exclusive APIs, but support is still extensive, and this feature will be improved in future updates.

Midori 11.8 improves MidoriVPN support

MidoriVPN is our own VPN service, built from scratch on Go, Tauri and other technologies, We’ve improved its speed and stability, and one of the biggest new features is that users can now install a desktop client. MidoriVPN is included in Midori Browser; however, this connection is for VPN browsing. With the desktop client, available for Windows, Linux, and Mac, you can encapsulate all your device’s traffic, significantly increasing your privacy.

Developer options

Midori 11.8 adds support for managing microcontrollers that support serial communications via the web serial API, this allows you to program microcontrollers and development boards, such as ESP devices, BBC micro:bit, Raspberry Pico, 3D printers, CNC machines, as well as other compatible devices

Improvements in translations and PDF handling

Midori 11.8 It introduces the ability to access the Translations page (about:translations) from the “More Tools” section of the application menu, improves geolocation on Windows and enhances support for Apple’s Universal Clipboard, improves color management for copied/pasted images, and implements native operating system HTML menus on macOS, These include support for backing up local profiles on Linux and macOS systems with the ability to restore them across all platforms, support for merging multiple PDF files directly in Firefox’s built-in PDF viewer, address auto-completion support for users in the Netherlands, and the general availability of local network access restrictions.