4 Common Browser Issues and its Solutions

For most people around the world, Web Browsers are an essential part of day-to-day life.  It gives access to all the wonders that the internet has to offer: News, Media, Music, Video, Emails, etc. So it’s quite natural that if anything goes wrong with the browser, it will have a serious impact on productivity since the glitch can turn into a major problem. The good news is that troubleshooting browser problems aren’t too difficult since the basic steps for troubleshooting are the same. Today’s browsers come with a variety of built-in tools for self-repair, so everything can run smoothly again within a short amount of time. Here are some of the most common issues one might come across in the browser and what should be done to fix them.

List of Common Browser Issues with Solutions

1. Browser Crashing

Browsing the internet is one of the most widely used computing actions that is performed daily by any user. Hence, it can be frustrating if it keeps crashing without any warning, ruining the browser experience. This can be caused by some extensions or even some particular websites.

Solutions:

• Restart the PC

Restarting the PC, as cliche as it sounds, is touted as the best first solution to most IT problems. This can give your system a clean slate by removing all the temporary issues and restarting the programs, including the web browser.

• Keep everything up to date

Keep the device drivers, the software, the browser, and the operating system updated. This will help minimize compatibility problems and stop anything else from interfering with the browser.

• Clear Browser Caches, and Cookies

Clearing cache and cookies ensure that the most recent version of a website is visible to the end user.

2. Pop-up windows

Pop-up windows are an unavoidable part of the web. Some pop-ups can be noticed at times, but if suddenly there is a high number of them, it might be possible that some malware or virus has taken root on the computer. They might have installed themself as an extension or as a separate program or might be completely hidden from view. Solutions:

• Anti-virus program

Antivirus programs can be run to scan for any kind of problems – malware or virus. Opting for a full scan would be more beneficial. 

• Remove the extensions

Remove or disable the extensions that are not recognized, and then restart the browser to check for any issues.

• Install an ad-blocker

Install ad-blockers to put an end to all these random ads permanently since they help to locate the source of the problem.

3. URL Suggestions

While typing across the web, one might pick up URL suggestions that they don’t want to see coming up as they type out links in the address bar. 

Solutions:

• The most comprehensive way of clearing the decks here is to delete the browsing history. In Chrome, open up Settings from the menu, then pick Clear browsing data.
• If you want to get rid of a single URL suggestion without erasing the whole browsing history, you can do it quickly in Chrome, Edge, etc. Start typing out the address you want to erase. Once you locate it, tap the down arrow key and hit Shift+Delete (Shift+FN+Delete on Mac)

4. Slow Performance and Page Loads

Once you make sure that your internet connection works fine, slow browser performance and page loads can be fixed in different ways. Also you can test speed of your website to ensure better performance.

Test your Website Loading Speed for Free

Solutions:

• Latest version of the Browser

Make sure that your browser is running the latest version. To check, in Chrome, go to Help, and then click on About Google Chrome. In Safari, check the Updates tab on the Apple Store. In Firefox, go to the menu and click on About Firefox. For Edge, go to Windows Settings, then to Update & Security.

• Reset settings

Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all have a single reset settings option. In Chrome, Restore settings to their original defaults is at the bottom of the main settings pane; in Firefox, choose Help then Troubleshooting Information from the menu to find the reset option; and in Edge, pick Reset Settings from the main settings menu.

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• Clear browsing history and cache

An overloaded browser can cause problems with loading or formatting issues on a website, like missing images or buttons that don’t respond when clicked. Clearing the cache and browsing history can give your browser a fresh start.

How to test your website for browser issues?

• Cross browser testing is one of the most popular ways to check whether your website works as intended when accessed through
• Different Browser-OS combinations: Test on popular browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari—on any of the popular operating systems like Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
• Different devices. Users can view and interact with your website on popular devices—smartphones, tablets, desktops, etc.
• Assistive Tools. Test if the website is compatible with assistive technologies like screen readers for differently-abled individuals.

BrowserStack can help you test on 3000+ legacy and latest real devices and browsers and ensure all the browser issues are addressed for a seamless user experience.

Try Cross Browser Testing on Real Devices

• Check for Broken Links

Broken links create an extremely frustrating experience for website visitors, particularly when searching for crucial information. They also adversely affect the SEO of a website. Naturally, it must be ensured that all the links are directed toward the intended landing pages or documents.

• Testing Cookies

Cookies are text files in the user’s browser which contain specific end-user information, such as login information, cart details, visited pages, IP address, etc. One must test their website across multiple user scenarios in real user conditions to evaluate their website’s behavior with cookies enabled or disabled.

• Validating UI Elements

UI Elements must be thoroughly tested considering maximum use case scenarios. These elements can be Text fields, drop-downs, formatting, spacing, etc. Testing these elements manually might be convenient for a smaller website. However, comprehensive UI testing for larger websites is a difficult task. In such cases, automated UI testing with Selenium can be used to run automated parallel tests, which help validate UI functionality faster.

• Website Responsive Testing

Websites must ensure that they are mobile responsive as well so that end users have an optimal viewing experience across diverse screen resolutions. This also elevates your SEO efforts. It is also ideal to use an online responsive design checker tool that helps you view your websites across distinct device types (mobiles, tablets, desktops).

Conclusion

The issues with your web browser should not be taken lightly because browsers are super crucial since all the information ends up landing there. If you ever come across an issue listed in this article, try troubleshooting yourself using the solutions mentioned before calling for technical help or customer care.

Try testing on real browsers and devices to ensure that the browser issues are resolved properly and are not persistent. Real device cloud like BrowserStack is helpful in debugging websites through workarounds to solve common browser issues.

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