Opera Mini for Windows

Opera Mini is a mobile browser developed by Opera, available since August 10, 2005, and listed here for Windows. If you want to download Opera Mini for PC, keep in mind that it is built for phones: on a computer you either run the Android app in an emulator or choose Opera's desktop browser instead.

Quick facts

Why people want it on a PC

Opera Mini has a long history as a browser for phones with slow connections and limited data plans. Some people want the same app on their computer: to test how websites look in a mobile browser, to keep one familiar browser across devices, or to run it inside an Android emulator where they already use other phone apps. For ordinary browsing on Windows, however, a mobile browser in an emulator is slower and less comfortable than a desktop browser, uses more memory because the emulator itself is heavy, and does not integrate with Windows downloads and file dialogs. So think about your goal first. If you just need Opera on the PC, the desktop browser from the same company is the simpler choice; if you need the mobile app specifically, an emulator is the way.

How to get it the official way

1. For the desktop browser, open the official Opera download page and install Opera for Windows.
2. For the mobile app, install an Android emulator, sign in to Google Play inside it and open the Opera Mini listing on Google Play.
3. Read more about the mobile browser on opera.com/mobile/mini.
4. Avoid ready-made Opera Mini for PC installers from third-party sites.

Security

Repackaged installers that promise Opera Mini as a Windows program are a common way to spread adware. Install the desktop browser from opera.com and the mobile app from Google Play only. Inside an emulator, keep Google Play Protect enabled and update the app along with the emulator.

Setting up an emulator well

If you choose the emulator route, give it enough memory in its settings and enable hardware virtualisation in the PC's firmware if the emulator asks for it. Keep only the apps you actually use inside it, because every extra app slows the virtual phone down. Sign in with a Google account you are comfortable using there, and remember that files saved inside the emulator live in its own storage: use the emulator's shared folder feature to move downloads to Windows.

Price

Opera Mini is freeware; there is nothing to buy.

Pros and cons

• Pro: familiar mobile browser on a big screen.
• Pro: useful for testing mobile websites.
• Pro: free.
• Con: needs an emulator on Windows.
• Con: slower than a native desktop browser.

Alternatives

Our listings for Windows include Opera, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Brave Browser; for Android emulators, BlueStacks, LDPlayer and NoxPlayer.