 Software used to access websites |
A web browser, often abbreviated as browser, is an application for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers can also display content stored locally on the user's device.
Browsers are used on a range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, smart televisions and consoles.1 As of 2026, the most used browsers worldwide are Google Chrome (~69% market share), (~16%), (~5%), (~2%), (~2%), and (~2%). As of 2023, an estimated 5.4 billion people had used a browser.