Tip #230

Make use of the browser’s Sync feature to add custom Search Engines to Vivaldi on Android

It’s currently not possible to add a new search engine to Vivaldi on Android directly in the app. That doesn’t mean that Custom Search Engines can’t be added to Vivaldi on your mobile devices. Just follow the steps below.

To add custom search engines in Vivaldi on Android:

  1. Add the Search Engines in a desktop version of Vivaldi.
  2. Log in to your Vivaldi account on desktop in Settings > Sync.
  3. Sync either all data or at least the settings.
  4. Log in to your Vivaldi account in the Android app in Settings > Sync.
  5. Sync the same data types you synced on desktop.

Then you can check Settings > General > Search Engines to see your custom search engines listed among the others.

Tip #224

Reload pages in Vivaldi on Android with a long swipe.

There are a couple of ways you can reload a web page in Vivaldi on Android. If you’re already near the top of the page swiping is probably the easiest.

To reload a web page with a swipe gesture:

  1. Scroll to the top of the page.
  2. Swipe down on your screen as if you’d want to scroll even further up.
  3. When you see a reload icon appear, release your finger to reload the page.

If you’ve been scrolling on a long page for a while, then using swipe to reload is probably not so convenient. In that case, open the Vivaldi menu and tap on the reload button there.

Reload icon displayed over a web page in Vivaldi on Android ind

Tip #221

Keep listening to audio after switching tabs or apps by enabling background audio in Vivaldi on Android.

Want to put on some music while browsing or don’t want to pause a video to respond to a message in a different app? Normally audio and video playback will stop when you switch tabs or apps, but there’s a setting in Vivaldi on Android that, when enabled, will keep the audio in the tab playing, even when it’s no longer the active tab.

To enable media playback in the background:

  1. Go to Settings > General.
  2. Enable Allow background audio playback.
Settings page in Vivaldi on Android, with Allow background audio playback setting highlighted.

Tip #218

Enable “Show Search Engine Suggestion” to see all available Search Engines in Vivaldi on Android during search.

In addition to the default Search Engine, you can also search with all other available ones in Vivaldi on Android. One option to switch search engines for a single search is to type the Search Engine Nickname in front of the search term, but you can also enable a toolbar that displays them all while you search and just tap on the one you want to use.

To see all available search engines while you search:

  1. Go to Settings > General.
  2. Enable Show Search Engine Suggestion.

To switch engines while searching:

  1. Enter the search term in the Address/Search Field.
  2. Tap on the Search Engine you want to see results from.

Swipe left and right on the list to see all search engines.

Vivaldi on Android, with a search term being entered in the Address Field and available search engines listed below it.

Tip #214

Sort Speed Dials in Vivaldi on Android automatically instead of manually moving them around.

When you have manual sorting enabled in Vivaldi on Android you can long-press on a Speed Dial and drag it to a different location on the Start Page. If you want to organize Speed Dials faster, opt for one of the available sorting options.

To sort Speed Dial bookmarks:

  1. Open the Start Page with your Speed Dials.
  2. In the top right corner, tap on the sort button.
  3. Select the criteria according to which you want to sort.
    • Manual
    • By Title
    • By Address
    • By Nickname
    • By Description
    • By Date
Vivaldi on Android's Start Page with Speed Dials. Sort menu has been opened and is highlighted.

Tip #203

View and manage downloaded files in Vivaldi on Android from the Downloads Panel.

To see a chronological list of all the files you’ve downloaded with Vivaldi on Android, open the Vivaldi menu and select Downloads. Alternatively, open Panels and navigate to the Downloads Panel from there.

In the Downloads Panel you can:

  • Open downloaded files.
  • Search for past downloads.
  • Share them further.
  • Rename documents.
  • Delete downloaded files.

Tip #199

Long press on the active tab on Vivaldi on Android to close all other tabs.

We showed you how to close all other tabs and leave only the active tab open on the desktop version of Vivaldi in Tip #32. Now we’re showing you how to do the same in Vivaldi on Android.

From the Tab Bar:

  1. Open the tab you want to keep open.
  2. Long press on the active tab on the Tab Bar.
  3. Select Close Other Tabs from the menu.
Vivaldi on Android on a device that has been flipped horizontally. Tab Bar has been enabled and the long press menu with "Close Other Tabs" option" is open and highlighted.

In case you have disabled the Tab Bar, you can also close other tabs from the Tab Switcher:

  1. Open the tab you want to keep open.
  2. Open the Tab Switcher.
  3. Tap on the 3 dot menu in the top right corner.
  4. Select Close Other Tabs from the menu.

Tip #193

Set your favorite web page as the Homepage and New Tab Page in Vivaldi on Android.

If you prefer to open a specific web page whenever you open a new tab or tap the home button, instead of the Start Page with your favorite bookmarks, Speed Dials, you can make the adjustment in the app’s settings.

  1. Go to Vivaldi menu > Settings > Web pages > Homepage.
  2. Tap on the second option and enter the web page’s link you want to see as the homepage.
Vivaldi on Android's Settings open at the Homepage settings.

Tip #187

Use an alternative option from Google Play to install Vivaldi on Android.

The most common and convenient place to install Vivaldi on Android is from Google Play. If you can’t or don’t want to use Google Play, there are a few alternative ways to install Vivaldi on your mobile device.

First of all, there are two alternative app stores you can choose from:

The second option involves downloading and installing the APK version of Vivaldi. Before you can install Vivaldi from an APK file, though, allow the installation of APKs either by enabling developer mode on your phone or by giving certain apps (like a browser app) permission to download and install APKs. If you don’t do that before, you’ll be prompted to change the settings once you open the APK file.

To install Vivaldi:

  1. Go to https://vivaldi.com/android/.
  2. On the page, click on “Don’t have Google Play?“.
  3. Download the APK file.
  4. Open the file on your mobile device.
  5. Click Install.

Please note that updates via .apk install are not automatic and you need to download and install the latest version after every new release. To ensure you are aware of the latest fixes and security updates, we strongly advise subscribing to our Newsletter or RSS feed, or following our official social media channels.

Tip #180

Browse with Vivaldi on Android in multiple windows just like on desktop.

Android 12 and up supports opening multiple windows of the same app. This means that if you have a newer mobile device, you can browse with Vivaldi in multiple windows just like on desktop.

Multiple windows are supported better on devices with larger screens, such as tablets. To open a new window on a tablet or a phone with a width larger than 600dp:

  1. Open the Vivaldi menu.
  2. Select New Window.

Though not as convenient, you can open a new window on a smaller screen by following these steps:

  1. Open Vivaldi.
  2. Open your device’s app switcher.
  3. Long-press on the Vivaldi logo above the app preview thumbnail to open a split-screen view.
  4. Search for Vivaldi and tap on it to open a new window in the other half of the split screen.
  5. Exit split screen view, for example, by swiping the divider all the way up or down the screen.

When checking the app switcher, you’ll see Vivaldi listed twice or more, if you’ve opened even more windows.

Check out the Help page about Windows on Android to learn more about managing windows on your mobile device.

Vivaldi on Android on a tablet with the main menu open and window related options highlighted.

Tip #177

Make new tabs take their place among open tabs where you expect to see them.

Both on Vivaldi on desktop and Vivaldi on Android, you have a few options for the location of newly opened tabs. To change where the new tab opens, go to Settings > Tabs > New Tab position either on desktop or Android. Then choose between the following options:

  • After Related Tabs: The new tabs will share a “parent-child” relationship – if you open a link in your current tab, the new tab will open next to its “parent”.
  • After Active Tab: Opens new tab next to the current active tab (this is the default).
  • As Last Tab: Opens new tab at the end of the tabs.
  • As Tab Stack With Related Tab: Opens a new tab stack with the active tab and the new tab.

Tip #172

Make the menu bar in Vivaldi on Android’s main menu work for you.

You can tailor the menu bar in Vivaldi’s main menu to fit your individual workflow.

To customize the menu bar:

  1. Go to Vivaldi menu > Settings > General > Main Menu.
  2. Opt for one of the two presets or select Customize layout to make your own configuration.
  3. Using drag and drop, reorder the options in the list, so the top 5 menu items are the ones you want to see on the menu bar.

Tip #165

Search for specific words on the open web page in Vivaldi on Android with Find in Page.

On desktop, Ctrl+F / ⌘ F is a well known Keyboard Shortcut for searching through the open web page. On mobile devices, where the screens fit even less content in the visible area, being able to just search for a keyword is even more useful.

To search in Vivaldi on Android:

  1. Open the Vivaldi menu.
  2. Select Find in Page.
  3. Enter your search keyword.

Search results will start showing as you type. Use the arrows in the top right corner to move to the ˄ previous and ˅ next results. Tap on the X, when you’re done with your search.

A web page in Vivaldi on Android with Find in Page active and search results for the entered keyword shown.

Tip #157

Choose from 4 Speed Dial layout options for Vivaldi on Android.

Speed Dials are Bookmarks that are displayed on your browser’s Start Page. You can choose how they’re displayed.

To change the look on Android:

  1. Go to Vivaldi menu > Settings > Appearance > Start Page.
  2. Select your preferred layout:
    • Large Speed Dials,
    • Medium Speed Dials
    • Small Speed Dials,
    • Speed Dial list.