By increasing the runtime priority of Opera, turbo mode can really boost speed and make browsing the web even more enjoyable. It is fairly simple to enable turbo mode in Opera.

With a few clicks here and there, you will off and running with a smooth, fast browsing experience.

Let’s take a look at how to enable turbo mode in Opera.

What Was Opera Turbo Mode?

Opera Turbo Mode was a feature that uses Opera’s own servers to compress images so they load faster in the web browser. This means websites had a much faster load time while Opera’s Turbo Mode is enabled.

This feature was removed as of version 59. Instead, the function was replaced with “hardware acceleration.”

Although it’s not the same as the original version of Turbo Mode in Opera, the function does improve browsing experiences in various situations.

Enable Hardware Acceleration in Opera

Although this isn’t technically, “Turbo Mode,” today, I’ll show you how to enable hardware acceleration.

Launch the Opera browser from your desktop. It resembles a red “O” for Opera. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or in your Start menu on Windows. If you don’t have Opera you can download it here.

Once Opera has been launched, click on “Menu” located on the top left of the browser. From the drop down menu, select “Settings.”

You can also use a keyboard shortcut if you prefer to perform this same function. That keyboard shortcut is Alt+P.

Note: If you are on a Mac you would click on “Opera,” then find “Preferences” and click on that.

Scroll to the bottom of the setting’s page and click on the checkbox that says “Show advanced settings.”

Note: If you are using a Mac from the main Opera setting’s page, you want to scroll all the way down to the bottom until you see a tab called “Advanced.” Click on that to open more advanced settings.

Once the advanced settings area has been opened, click on the “Browser” tab located on the left side of the window.

Scroll down and check the “Enable Opera Turbo” box.

Opera Turbo Update

The turbo function from Opera was removed several versions ago. You will not see the turbo function anymore if you are running newer versions of Opera.

Instead, you may see a checkbox titled “Use hardware acceleration when available.” Check this box if it is not already checked and you are good to go. Or, for better results, you can activate the built-in VPN function within the browser.

That’s it. You have successfully completed the steps to enable turbo in Opera.

The post How To Enable Turbo Mode in Opera appeared first on GreenGeeks.

Just like the bigger browsers, Opera has an incognito function (private browsing window) that allows you to surf the web privately and securely. When you turn on incognito mode in Opera, it ensures the websites you visit are not tracked or recorded.

Opera incognito mode is great for opening a browsing window that is private.

If you want to use the incognito mode in Opera, it only takes a couple of easy steps.

Turn On Incognito Mode in Opera

Launch the Opera browser from your desktop. It resembled a red “O” for Opera. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac or in your Start menu on Windows.

Make sure you are running the latest version of Opera.

Once the Opera browser is open select click on “Menu.” This is located on the top-left of your screen. In the drop down menu, highlight and select “New Private Window.”

Note: On a Mac you will select “File” in the menu instead of “Menu.”

If you prefer the shortcuts to access the same functions they are Ctrl+Shift+N for Windows and Command+Shift+N for Mac.

Selecting the functions above will open up a private window and automatically activate the Opera incognito function.

You can now freely browse the web and go where you want using incognito mode in Opera. When you are finished with your session and close all of the private browsing windows, Opera will not store history, data, cookies or cache.

For even more security and privacy you can also activate the built-in Opera VPN function.

The post How to Turn on the Incognito Mode Function in Opera appeared first on GreenGeeks.

You can now take screenshots of any web page without any external tools. They browser developers have made it very simple to take a screenshot in Opera.

Take a Screenshot in Opera

Launch the Opera browser from your desktop. It resembled a red “O” for Opera. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or in your Start menu on Windows.

Make sure you are running the latest version of Opera.

Open the screenshot tool by clicking on the Opera icon in the corner and selecting Snapshot from the dropdown list. On a Mac click on Edit > Snapshot.

Note: Press Ctrl+Shift+5 to open the snapshot tool more quickly.

A snapshot box will pop up for you to capture your screen. Click on the Capture full-screen button for a full-screen snapshot. As an alternative, select your window by cropping. Click on the Capture button.

Now you can save your screenshot. Click on the “Save Image” from the popup window and save it to your system.

That’s it! You have now successfully learned how to take screenshots in Opera without a third-party tool.

The post How To Take a Screenshot in Opera appeared first on GreenGeeks.

You can activate Opera browser VPN by following the simple steps below. Combine this with the Opera built-in ad blocker and you can enjoy a streamlined and private browsing experience.

Activate the Built-In VPN in Opera

Launch the Opera browser from your desktop. It resembled a red “O” for Opera. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or in your Start menu on Windows. If you don’t have Opera you can download it here.

Once the browser has been launched click on “Menu” in the top left corner and select “Settings” from the dropdown. On a Mac, you will click “Opera” and then “Preferences.”

On the left panel of the Opera setting’s page, you will see “Privacy & Security. Click on that to access and activate the Opera browser VPN.

Scroll down to “VPN” section. Check the Enable VPN box and this will activate VPN in Opera.

Once it has been activated you will see a blue VPN badge on the left side of the address bar.

You can click on the blue VPN button and use it as needed while you search the web. Turn the Opera VPN on or off whenever you want from there. You can also select your location or keep the default “Optimal Location” setting.

That’s it. You have now successfully followed the steps to activate VPN in Opera. Enjoy a more private browsing experience.

The post How To Activate the Built-In VPN in the Opera Browser appeared first on GreenGeeks.

The Opera browser actually offers users a ton of great options. From the ability to easily block unwanted ads, to totally blocking unwanted popups, Opera is a very intuitive and fun browser to use. It has become increasingly popular over the last few years. The browser is an excellent alternative to Chrome or Firefox, as it will provide you with all the functionality and options you need.

There are actually two very easy ways to change from a light theme to a dark theme in the Opera browser. Let’s take a look at both options and then you can simply choose whatever one suits you best.

Activating the Dark Theme in Opera Browser

For both options below, you want to first launch the Opera browser from your desktop. It resembles a red “O” for Opera. You can find it in the Applications folder on a Mac, or in the Start menu on Windows.

Option 1 – From the Opera Start Page

Once the Opera browser is open, click on the “Easy Setup” button on the top right of the browser and open up the settings flyout menu. The button looks like a set of three lines that you can move around. It is very easy to find and always present no matter where you are if the browser is being used

Within the  “Easy Setup” button dropdown menu you will find several shortcuts and quick view options available. In this case, we simply want to change the Operan theme from light to dark.

Locate the  “Themes” area within the dropdown menu. It will be toward the top of the menu area. Simply click on the “Dark” option to activate the dark theme. Simple as that.

Now you are all set and can enjoy your Operan experience in dark theme mode.

Option 2 – From Opera Settings

Another simple way to activate the dark theme option in Opera is to use the Opera settings menu. This is also quick and easy, so let’s take a look together.

With Opera launched and running,  click on the “Opera” (Mac) or “Menu”(Windows) tab and in the dropdown menu that appears, find the “Preferences” (Mac) or “Settings,” (Windows) option and click on that.

On the settings page, you will find a number of different options that are available to change and adjust. Scroll down some until you find the “Enable Dark Theme” button option within the configuration options. When you find it, go ahead and click the button to turn on the dark theme in Opera.

Again, you are all set. Enjoy browsing using the dark theme in Opera. If you ever want to go back to the light theme, simply use the same steps from above and click back on the light theme option that Opera provides.

Final Thoughts

The Opera browser is a great alternative for those of you who don’t care to use Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. The browser is smooth, sleek, easy to use, and provides you with a ton of options and features.

One of the great features that are built-in to the Opera theme is the ability to choose a light mode or a dark mode experience. Making the switch is simple and easy, as both available options are just a couple of clicks here and there within the preference menus and features that Opera provides.

I hope this tutorial was able to show you how easy it is to activate the available dark theme option within the Opera browser. Enjoy!

The post How To Activate the Dark Theme in Opera Browser appeared first on GreenGeeks.

These add-ons will help block ads and popups on the web pages you visit. Now, there is an adblocker you can turn on or off in Opera. However, these add-ons will take it a step further and really help you block ads in Opera.

Block Ads and Unwanted Popups in Opera

Launch the Opera browser from your desktop. It resembled a red “O” for Opera. You can find it in your Applications folder on a Mac, or in your Start menu on Windows.

Once the browser is open, click the Opera menu button and select “Get Extensions.” Remember, as stated above, Opera already blocks some popups and ads by default if you have the ad blocker turned on. However, the adblocker extension will completely eliminate everything.

This will take you to the Opera Extensions page. Use the search bar to find some of the more popular Opera ad-blocking extensions. The search term “Adblock” is the most common term to find ad blocking add-ons. This will present you with a number of options.

Pick the ad blocker you want to use. Check out some reviews and see what everyone else is saying and make your choice based on what you prefer. Again, there are a number of good ones available. Some of the more popular ones include Adblock Plus, Adblock Fast, Adblock, and Adguard.

Once you have picked one, click on it and you will be taken to the extension page where you can add the extension to Opera.

Simply click on the green “Add to Opera” button to add the extension.

Note: Once the ad blocker is installed you will be able to start browsing in Opera without any ads or popups.

Now that the ad blocker you chose is installed, you can click on the icon and select the settings to how you want them. You will see the icon on the top right of your browser, or top left, depending on the system you are using.

Select the little gear icon and set up your plugin however you want.

You should now be able to browse the web on Opera without having to deal with any ads or unwanted popups.

Consider Whitelisting Your Favorite Websites

While ads can be very annoying and invasive, they serve a very important purpose. They are the main income source for websites. Thus, if they are not receiving ad revenue, they are not making money.

If you truly like the content they provide, consider whitelisting them.

The post How to Block Ads and Unwanted Popups in Opera appeared first on GreenGeeks.

If you are using the Opera browser you don’t need to download any add-ons or applications to prevent Internet ads like pop-ups and banners. This according to the Opera developers.

Furthermore, Opera makes it very easy to block ads by allowing very easy access to the Opera browser ad blocker.

Turn Opera Browser Ad Blocker On or Off

You can access and turn on or off the Opera ad blocker two ways. I have covered both below.

Method 1

Open the Opera browser from your desktop. If you don’t have Opera you can download it here.

Now, from your homepage open the “Easy Setup” menu that Opera provides. This is located on the top right of the homepage and makes accessing certain settings quick and easy.

When you click on the “Easy Setup” icon you will be given a dropdown menu. Scroll down to the “Features” section and you will be able to toggle the Opera browser ad blocker feature on or off from there.

Or, if you prefer, you can utilize this method as well to turn the Opera browser ad blocker on or off.

Method 2

Once you have opened the Opera browser from you desktop click on Opera > Preferences, located on the top left of the browser.

Note: If you are on a PC click on Opera’s icon at the top-right corner of the window and select Settings from the drop-down list.

Now, from the settings page you will see “Block ads” at the top of the page. From there you can block ads in Opera by turning the function on, or turn it off if you already have it running.

There you have it. It is very easy to use the Opera browser block ad tool. You can accomplish turning the Opera browser ad blocker on or off using two techniques. Choose the one that is easier for you and enjoy.

The post How To Turn the Ad Blocker On or Off in the Opera Browser appeared first on GreenGeeks.

What is a Browser Cache?

When you use the Opera browser (or any browser for that matter) to visit a website, it automatically loads site files that are presented. If this is a website you visit often, then your browser will save certain files in the cache.

Simply put, this makes it easier and faster for you to load the website next time you visit. This is because the cache is saving files so sites don’t have to reload them from the start. These cached files are also referred to as “Temporary Internet Files.”

Oftentimes, Opera users get confused because they think “refreshing” a web page will clear out the cache and cookies from their Opera browser. This is indeed not the case. When you click the refresh button, all that is happening is that you are reloading the page. This may have results for other aspects, but your browser is still using the same files to load the site that are currently in the cache.

In many cases these files become old, so clearing your browser is ideal.

Below are step-by-step instructions for clearing your Opera browser cache on a Mac and forcing it to load all the freshest and latest data from a website. You can also easily perform this task on a PC. Before that, let’s talk about the Opera browser and why you should clear the cache periodically.

Why You Need To Clear Your Opera Browser Cache on Mac

Even though there are advantages to storing all of this data, over time, privacy issues can arise. This is especially true if you share a computer. You may not want other users to know your search history for one reason or another.

One of the main reasons this is accurate is due to credit card data. See, when you allow credit card info to be filled in automatically, then in reality any user on your computer could autofill info and use your cards online.

There are also other security risks involved if you don’t clear the Opera cache on a Mac periodically. Tracking cookies and other data can be used to track you. Clearing your cache periodically is not only healthy for your computer, but it can remove malware, adware, search hijackers and trackers.

Furthermore, even though there are some great Opera extensions available to use, some of them simply can’t be trusted. They push ads on you, force redirects, change your homepage without you knowing, and collect personal data.

Your Opera browser does its part to speed up the loading process by saving pieces of the website the first time you visit. Once those pieces are saved, the Opera browser can display the files stored in its cache much faster than it can pull fresh files from a server. Therefore, next time you visit that site, the load time will be much faster because the Opera browser will serve up the files stored in the browser cache from your computer.

With all that being said, caching files can have several disadvantages over time. It is ideal to clear your Opera browser cache on your Mac. This will help with:

• Maximizing Speed and Performance
• Viewing Most Recent Pages
• Maintaining Security
• Fixing Browser Errors

What You Will Be Clearing

Now that you have a better understanding of why you should clear your browser cache, let’s take a look at all the things you will actually get cleared out and reset by performing the steps below.

Browsing History: Basically a list of all the websites you have visited. Time of visit and other details are also included. Clearing this will also delete the search history.

Download History: Clearing your Opera browser cache does not delete anything you have downloaded to your machine. It simply clears the download history on the browser.

News Usage Data: The Opera browser allows you to customize a personal news feed. Clearing the cache will delete any customizations you have made. By default, you will be back to the main Opera news feed. You can take 2 minutes to customize it again.

Cookies and Website Data: Cookies are little bits of website data that are stored. They are mainly used to remember certain preferences you like and allow you to move around faster and fill out common fields with pre-existing data you always use (address, name, email, etc.) This gets reset during a browser cache clearing.

Cached Images and Other Files: Images and other files that are in the cache allow browsers to load websites faster. These get cleared out as well.

Sign-in Data and Passwords: Any sign-in data and other passwords that are auto-filled will be cleared out and reset. This is another reason to clear the cache periodically, as you may want new passwords and other sign-in info to be reset.

Other things like hosted apps and extensions will also be set to default settings. Let’s take a look at how to quickly and easily clear the Opera browser cache on a Mac.

Clear Your Opera Browser Cache on Mac

The instructions given below will clear out your entire browser cache. You do have a choice on what you can clear out, as it all does not have to be done at once. However, I recommend a full browser cache clearing, starting fresh with everything periodically.

Open the Opera browser. If you are already using it, then you are ready to roll.

Step 1: Click on “Opera” on the top left. From the dropdown menu that appears click on “Clear Browsing Data.”

Step 2: Remember, you have options for what you want to clear out. You don’t need to clear out the entire cache if you select not to. That being said, let’s go ahead and click all the options and clear out the full cache and start everything fresh.

That’s it! The process is very quick and easy. You have now successfully cleared out the Opera browser cache on a Mac. Take a few minutes to customize any settings that may have been cleared out. You now have a fresh browser cache.

Final Thoughts

Clearing out the Opera browser cache should definitely be something you do periodically. How often? Well, that will depend on who you talk to, but I suggest doing it at least once a month. Others will say weekly or bi-weekly. It just depends on who you are.

Either way, this is a process that keeps your privacy in-tact by clearing out all sorts of data, ad popups, and trackers that can get locked into your cache over time. This also allows you to optimize the overall browsing experience and web page load speed.

Remember, while the instructions on how to clear a browser may vary for different browsers, it is still ideal to clear a browser cache on any that you use. This includes the Chrome and Firefox browsers.

The post How To Clear Your Opera Browser Cache on Mac appeared first on GreenGeeks.

As you do not absolutely need these files, it’s a good idea to clear the Opera browser of this cache on a routine basis.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to clear the cache in Opera and why you should. It’s a quick and easy process which may take just a few moments of your time.

What is a Cache and Why Clear it in Opera?

The cache is a location on your computer where Opera stores temporary Internet files. When you return to a certain website, those files are often used instead of downloading.

For example, many people will have a lot of images cached on their computers. Instead of taking time to download those images each time you visit, the computer will use those temp files.

This makes the site much faster for the user as it removes poor download speeds or other Internet latency issues.

However, sometimes these temp files can promote a few problems for the user.

So, why would you want to clear the cache in Opera?

Freeing Up Hard Drive Space
Deleting temporary Internet files will free up hard drive space on the computer. Over time, you could literally accumulate gigabytes worth of images. Removing them will save a lot of space.

Clearing Bad Coding from Websites
Sometimes your computer will store bad code from a website. Any errors will be seen each time you try to visit. This is why it’s a good idea to clear the cache if you’re having issues with a particular page.

Keeping Your Browsing History Private
The browsing history isn’t the only thing people can peruse when accessing your computer. They can also pull images out of the cache to snoop. Deleting the entire cache removes all of these things from being accessed.

Clearing the Opera Browser Cache on a PC

To clear the cache in Opera, open the browser on your computer.

Click the “Opera” logo from the top left. This will expand a series of controls for the browser.

Click the “Settings” option from the list. A new tab will open.

Scroll to the bottom and click, “Advanced.” This is where you’ll find the Opera cache location in settings.

Click the “Clear browsing data” option.

By default, Opera will select all three options in this basic screen. This will clear the history of sites you visit, cookies and site data and all cached images and files on the computer.

Select all you want to remove and click, “Clear data.” You can also select the time range of files if you wish. This way, you can save data for older sites while troubleshooting or clearing newer ones.

NOTE: You can also use the “Advanced” tab from this window if you want additional options. From here, you can target specific types of data you want to clear from Opera’s cache.

After a few moments, the cache is deleted and you’re brought back to the advanced screen. The time it takes to clear the cache in Opera on a PC depends on the number of files you have stored.

In reality, it can take from a few seconds to several minutes for Opera to clear the cache.

Maintaining the Browsing Experience in Opera

While temporary Internet files improve the experience, clearing the Opera browser cache in PC has several benefits. For one thing, you’ll download the most current files, data and imagery from the sites you visit.

Take a moment every once in a while and keep your PC and browsing experience maintained. You can easily amass a lot of useless data that is just taking up hard drive space.

The post How To Clear Your Opera Browser Cache on PC appeared first on GreenGeeks.