If you're looking for a reliable browser for fast and secure downloading, Opera is one of your best bets. With its customizable settings, built-in download manager, and extensions, you can optimize your downloading experience to suit your preferences and needs. In this article, we will guide you on how to download files on Opera with ease and efficiency.
Understanding Opera Browser and Its Features
Before downloading files on Opera, it helps to know more about the browser and its unique features. Opera is a free, fast, and secure web browser that's available on desktop and mobile devices. Opera is known for its speed and efficiency. It also offers a range of features that enhance your browsing and downloading, such as ad-blocker, VPN, and battery saver.
Brief History of Opera
Opera browser was first released in 1995 by Norwegian tech company, Opera Software. The browser was initially developed for the personal computer platform, but it has since been adapted for mobile devices. Over the years, Opera has undergone several updates to improve its functionality and performance. In 2013, Opera switched to the Blink engine, which improved its speed and compatibility with modern web standards. Today, Opera continues to be one of the most innovative and user-friendly browsers on the market.
Key Features of Opera Browser
Opera browser has a range of features that set it apart from other browsers. Some of its key features include:
Free VPN for secure and private browsing: Opera browser offers a built-in VPN that encrypts your online traffic and masks your IP address, providing you with a secure and private browsing experience. The VPN is free, and it doesn't have any data caps or log policies.
Built-in ad-blocker for faster browsing: Opera's ad-blocker blocks all kinds of ads, including pop-ups and banner ads, providing you with a faster and smoother browsing experience. You can also whitelist sites that you want to support.
Battery saver mode for optimized performance: Opera's battery saver mode helps you save battery life by reducing the browser's power consumption. The mode can extend your laptop's battery life by up to 50%, making it ideal for when you're on the go.
Customizable themes and extensions for personalization: Opera browser allows you to customize the browser's look and feel by choosing from a wide range of themes and extensions. You can also create your own themes and extensions using Opera's developer tools.
Speed dial for quick access to your favorite sites: Opera's speed dial feature allows you to access your favorite sites quickly and easily. You can add as many sites as you want to the speed dial, and you can organize them into folders.
Sync option for seamless browsing across devices: Opera browser allows you to sync your browsing data, including bookmarks, history, and open tabs, across all your devices. This makes it easy to pick up where you left off, no matter which device you're using.
Opera Browser Security and Privacy
Security and privacy are vital aspects of browsing and downloading. Opera browser has several measures to ensure your safety and privacy. These include:
Built-in ad-blocker for blocking malicious ads and pop-ups: Opera's ad-blocker not only blocks annoying ads, but it also blocks malicious ads and pop-ups that can harm your computer.
Free VPN for encrypting your online traffic and masking your IP address: Opera's VPN encrypts your online traffic and masks your IP address, making it difficult for anyone to track your online activity.
Anti-tracking to prevent websites from tracking your online activity: Opera's anti-tracking feature blocks websites from tracking your online activity, providing you with more privacy online.
HTTPS encryption for secure browsing: Opera browser uses HTTPS encryption to secure your online browsing. This prevents anyone from intercepting your data and stealing your personal information.
Cookie management for controlling what sites can track: Opera's cookie management feature allows you to control what sites can track your online activity. You can choose to block all cookies or only third-party cookies.
Overall, Opera browser is an excellent choice for anyone who wants a fast, secure, and feature-packed browser. Whether you're browsing the web on your desktop or mobile device, Opera has everything you need to enhance your browsing and downloading experience.
Setting Up Opera for Optimal Downloading
Installing Opera Browser
If you haven't installed Opera browser already, you can download and install it from the official Opera website. The installation process is straightforward and takes a few minutes. Once installed, you can launch Opera from your desktop or start menu.
Customizing Opera Settings
Customizing Opera settings is essential for optimizing your downloading experience. Here are some settings you should consider changing:
Location for downloaded files
Notification alerts for downloads and completed downloads
Enable or disable Opera Turbo to speed up downloading
Enabling Opera Turbo for Faster Downloads
Opera Turbo is a feature that compresses webpages before loading them, resulting in faster loading times and reduced data usage. To enable Opera Turbo, follow these steps:
Go to Settings > Browser.
Scroll down to the Opera Turbo section and toggle it on.
Downloading Files Using Opera's Built-in Download Manager
Locating the Download Manager
The download manager is where you can view, monitor, and manage your downloads. You can access the download manager by clicking on the download icon on the top right corner of the Opera window. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+J).
Starting a Download
To start downloading a file using Opera's download manager, follow these steps:
Navigate to the website or page where you want to download the file.
Right-click on the link to the file and select "Download with Opera" or "Save Link As".
If you choose "Download with Opera", the file will start downloading automatically, and you can monitor its progress on the download manager.
If you choose "Save Link As", you can choose the location where you want to save the file and then click "Save". The file will also appear on the download manager.
Managing Downloads in Progress
If you have multiple downloads in progress, you can manage them easily using Opera's download manager. Here are some actions you can perform:
Pause and resume downloads
Cancel downloads
View download speed and time remaining
Find source website of the download
Accessing Completed Downloads
Once a download is complete, you can access the downloaded file from the download manager. The file's location will depend on the settings you've selected for downloaded files. You can also view your download history, which shows all your completed and unsuccessful downloads. To view your download history, click on "Show all" on the download manager.
Using Opera Extensions for Enhanced Downloading
Top Opera Download Extensions
Opera browser has a range of extensions that can enhance your downloading experience. Some of the top download extensions include:
Download Chrome Extension
SimpleDownload
Video Downloader Professional
Download Master
Installing and Managing Extensions
To install an extension, go to the Opera Add-ons website and search for the extension you want. Once you've found it, click on "Add to Opera" to install it. You can manage your extensions by going to Settings > Extensions. From here, you can enable, disable, or remove an extension.
Customizing Extension Settings for Better Downloads
Extensions can help you customize your downloading settings and preferences. For instance, you can set the download location, enable auto-downloading, or add a download scheduler. To customize an extension's settings, click on its icon on the toolbar and select "Settings". From here, you can adjust the settings to your liking.
Conclusion
Downloading files on Opera browser is a straightforward process that can be optimized for speed, efficiency, and security. With Opera's built-in download manager and extensions, you can manage and customize your downloading experience to suit your needs. We hope this guide has been helpful in showing you how to download files on Opera.