Plenty of privacy-focused browsers are available for Android, but Brave has quickly gained many users over the years.
That's partly because Brave keeps adding meaningful features.
One of them is the new Dynamic Shield feature, which fixes a major complaint I had with the browser.
After trying the new feature myself, I no longer feel scared opening websites in Brave.
Brave's new Dynamic Shield feature fixes the broken websites problem
A recurring issue finally gets addressed
I use Brave as my primary browser, but I still had to depend on Google Chrome as a backup whenever I encountered broken websites.
I love Brave's ad blocking and other features that Chrome lacks, but I admit the aggressive shield setting sometimes hampers my browsing experience.
I would load a website to buy a product, and suddenly either the search bar would vanish, or the checkout page would refuse to reload.
I would have to turn off Aggressive Shield and reload the page, or open the website again in Google Chrome.
It was a growing frustration that almost made me switch browsers until I discovered Dynamic Shield.
Earlier, with Aggressive Shield ad-blocking on, it broke legitimate features like the login page and important scripts. After some research, I also found that the setting blocks Cloudflare-related assets.
To fix the issue, I tried the new Dynamic Shield setting, and to my surprise, it solved my problem of sites repeatedly breaking. Whenever I encountered a broken site, I flipped Shields off by tapping the in the address bar.
I could then buy the product I wanted or use a site's feature that previously wouldn't load.
How Brave's Dynamic Shield feature improved my browsing flow
It really did make a difference
After using Dynamic Shields, I no longer had to switch Aggressive Shields to Standard from the menu each time I encountered a broken website.
It made browsing flow very fluid, and I didn't have to scramble to open links in a different browser. This might not seem like a huge difference, but imagine encountering a broken website during a meeting or work call.
I would copy the link, open it in Chrome, get bombarded with ads, and get very frustrated by the end.
Add that to an entire day of scrambling, and I would start Googling Brave alternatives. But with this new feature, I just tap a logo to toggle Shield.
If I want to fine-tune the tracker and ads settings further, I can do that from the Advanced controls section.
What's neat is that the Dynamic Shield setting applies only to the current domain/subdomain.
It also remembers my Dynamic Shield preference for that website, so I don't have to toggle it every time I visit.
From the Dynamic Shields menu, you can also tweak other settings from the Advanced controls tab. Examples include blocking scripts, cookies, and other elements.
I also use one of Brave's hidden settings, called Content filter, to add site-specific exceptions and restore key elements while blocking ads.
Still, setting up Content filters and using Dynamic Shield required some trial and error on my part.
At times, I added too many exceptions, which reintroduced ads and trackers. Other exceptions did nothing, while others broke the site further.
So, using Content Filter in Brave takes patience.
In some cases, even with Content Filter exceptions, you may have to turn off Shields to make certain pesky websites work.
Brave also doesn't sync content filters, so I had to set up the same exceptions on every device I used Brave on.
I wish I could export and import my Content filter settings, but I have no other choice.
My browsing flow has improved after using the method above. I can still block ads and use elements on specific websites when I need to.
Sure, I run into issues with some obscure websites, especially niche online stores, but for the most part, I've solved my problem.
Most of the time, though, I don't need Dynamic Shields, and when I do, it's only on a handful of domains.
But if you don't want to go through the trouble of adding filters, you can use other competent browsers that focus on privacy and ad-blocking.
Brave's Dynamic Shields takes the experience a step further
If you're a Brave power user and encounter broken websites from time to time, you might want to dabble with the Dynamic Shields feature.
It fixes a common problem no other browser has thought to address, or can't, because they rely on extensions for ad-blocking.
I like to use Brave as a media browser, along with other hidden features like auto dark mode.
Thankfully, I don't have to worry about switching browsers now that Dynamic Shields is a thing.