Open the Dolphin Browser App
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
With countless apps available on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, one of the most popular and widely used is the Web browser. The volume of Web traffic originating from smartphones and tablets continues to rise exponentially, with a significant amount of those page views coming from Apple's portable devices.
While the default browser on iOS holds the lion's share of that usage, some alternatives to Safari have developed a significant user base of their own.
One of these third-party apps is Dolphin, voted Best iPhone/iPod touch Browser in the 2013 About.com Readers' Choice Awards. Updated frequently and offering a robust feature set, Dolphin is rapidly gaining a loyal following among those on-the-go Web surfers looking for a change from Apple's browser.
Available for free via the App Store, Dolphin Browser provides the functionality we've come to expect from a mobile browser along with several advanced features such as the ability to browse using swipe gestures and share anything with one tap of the finger. In order to get the most out of Dolphin, you need to understand what all of its under-the-hood settings are as well as how to tweak them to your liking. This tutorial walks you through each, allowing you to customize the app to meet your particular browsing needs.
First, open the Dolphin Browser app.
Next, select the menu button -- represented by three horizontal lines and circled in the example above. When the submenu icons appear, select the one labeled Settings.
Mode Settings
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
Dolphin Browser's Settings interface should now be displayed. The first section, labeled Mode Settings and highlighted in the example above, contains the following two options -- each accompanied by an ON/OFF button.
Browser Settings
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
The second section, also the largest and most significant, is labeled Browser Settings and contains the following options.
Continue to the next step for more options in the Browser Settings section.
Clear Data
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
One of the more important items in the Browser Settings section is the one labeled Clear Data. Selecting it opens a submenu containing the following options.
Continue to the next step for more options in the Browser Settings section.
More Browser Settings
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
Below are the remaining options found in the Browser Settings section.
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
The third section, labeled Dolphin Service, contains only one option -- Account & Sync. Dolphin's Sync Service allows you to synchronize Web content across all of your devices that run the browser via the cloud-based Dolphin Connect service.
In addition to Dolphin Connect, the browser also lets you directly integrate with Box, Evernote, Facebook, and Twitter.
Once integrated, you can share Web pages on any of these services with a simple tap of the finger.
To configure any of the above services, select the Account & Sync option.
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
The fourth and final section, labeled About Us, contains the following options.
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
With countless apps available on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, one of the most popular and widely used is the Web browser. The volume of Web traffic originating from smartphones and tablets continues to rise exponentially, with a significant amount of those page views coming from Apple's portable devices.
While the default browser on iOS holds the lion's share of that usage, some alternatives to Safari have developed a significant user base of their own.
One of these third-party apps is Dolphin, voted Best iPhone/iPod touch Browser in the 2013 About.com Readers' Choice Awards. Updated frequently and offering a robust feature set, Dolphin is rapidly gaining a loyal following among those on-the-go Web surfers looking for a change from Apple's browser.
Available for free via the App Store, Dolphin Browser provides the functionality we've come to expect from a mobile browser along with several advanced features such as the ability to browse using swipe gestures and share anything with one tap of the finger. In order to get the most out of Dolphin, you need to understand what all of its under-the-hood settings are as well as how to tweak them to your liking. This tutorial walks you through each, allowing you to customize the app to meet your particular browsing needs.
First, open the Dolphin Browser app.
Next, select the menu button -- represented by three horizontal lines and circled in the example above. When the submenu icons appear, select the one labeled Settings.
Mode Settings
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
Dolphin Browser's Settings interface should now be displayed. The first section, labeled Mode Settings and highlighted in the example above, contains the following two options -- each accompanied by an ON/OFF button.
- Classic Tab Mode: When enabled, all open tabs are displayed at the top of the browser window -- similar to how they are arranged in a desktop browser. This option is disabled by default and can be activated by selecting its accompanying button until it turns green.
- Auto Fullscreen: When enabled, the bar at the bottom of the screen -- which contains Dolphin's menu and tab buttons -- is automatically hidden whenever you scroll vertically through a Web page. This option is disabled by default and can be activated by selecting its accompanying button until it turns green.
Browser Settings
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
The second section, also the largest and most significant, is labeled Browser Settings and contains the following options.
- Font Size: Allows you to modify the size of most Web page text displayed within the browser. Font size can be set to either Default, Medium or Large.
- Search Engine: Dolphin Browser allows you to select from five options for its default search engine. They are as follows: Google, Yahoo! (default), Bing, Wikipedia, DuckDuckGo
- Link Option: Allows you to specify how the browser behaves whenever a link is selected. The first option, Keep Default Action, leaves the control up to the Web page itself. The second, Open in New Tab, instructs Dolphin to open the link's destination in a new browser tab. The third and final option, Open in Current Tab, is activated by default and loads the destination page within the active tab.
- On Startup: Dolphin provides two settings to control its startup behavior. The default choice, Continue where I left off, will reload the last page that you were viewing. The second opens the browser's new tab page upon launch.
Continue to the next step for more options in the Browser Settings section.
Clear Data
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
One of the more important items in the Browser Settings section is the one labeled Clear Data. Selecting it opens a submenu containing the following options.
- Clear History: Dolphin stores a record of all websites that you have visited, with the exception of those viewed while in Private Mode. This record contains both the names and URLs of these sites. Selecting this option will delete that record.
- Clear Search History: In addition to your browsing history, Dolphin also records all of your keyword searches. Selecting this option removes any record of previous searches from your device.
- Clear Cookies: Text files that are placed on your device when you visit certain websites, cookies are utilized by a Web server when you return to a Web page. They are used for a multitude of purposes, including customizing your individual user experience as well as storing your login credentials. Selecting this option will delete all cookies that Dolphin had previously saved.
- Clear Cache: Dolphin stores images and other Web page content from each site that you visit. These data components are then utilized on subsequent visits to those sites in an effort to load the pages faster. Rather than fetch these images and other items from the server, they are retrieved from your local device's cache. Selecting this option wipes out these temporary files completely.
- Clear Passwords: If you have the Save Passwords feature activated, Dolphin will store passwords for many websites so that you do not have to enter them each time you log in to access your email, social media sites, etc. Selecting this option will delete all of these passwords from your device.
- Clear All Data: The catch-all option, selecting this will remove all of the above data components from your device in one fell swoop.
- Cancel: If you change your mind and decide not to delete any browsing data, select this option.
Continue to the next step for more options in the Browser Settings section.
More Browser Settings
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
Below are the remaining options found in the Browser Settings section.
- Save Passwords: When enabled, Dolphin will store passwords on your local device so that you do not need to enter them each time you log in to a website.
- Night Mode: When enabled, Dolphin dims the screen's background and displays a lighter color text in an effort to prevent eye strain when browsing in the dark.
- Disable Image: When enabled, Web page images are not retrieved or rendered. This setting is usually activated to speed up page load times and/or to conserve data usage when on a limited plan.
- Block Pop-ups: When enabled, Dolphin prevents websites from opening unsolicited pop-up windows upon page load or when you select certain links.
- Desktop Mode: If a website has a mobile version available, it will automatically be loaded within Dolphin Browser. When this option is enabled, that setting is overridden and the desktop version will be rendered.
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
The third section, labeled Dolphin Service, contains only one option -- Account & Sync. Dolphin's Sync Service allows you to synchronize Web content across all of your devices that run the browser via the cloud-based Dolphin Connect service.
In addition to Dolphin Connect, the browser also lets you directly integrate with Box, Evernote, Facebook, and Twitter.
Once integrated, you can share Web pages on any of these services with a simple tap of the finger.
To configure any of the above services, select the Account & Sync option.
This article was last updated on October 30, 2014 and is intended for devices running iOS 8.x.
The fourth and final section, labeled About Us, contains the following options.
- Version: Displays the version of Dolphin Browser that is currently installed.
- Update: This option will update Dolphin to the latest available version, if applicable.
- Tell Us What You Think: Selecting this option composes an email to Dolphin Browser's support address containing information about your browser version, operating system and device model along with whatever additional details that you choose to enter.
- Rate Dolphin: Selecting this option opens the App Store so that you can rate the Dolphin Browser app.
- Stay in The Loop: Selecting this option opens a form for joining Dolphin Browser's mailing list.
- UX Improvement Program: Accompanied by a toggle on/off button, this option allows you to opt-in (or out) of a program that silently sends usage data to Dolphin's development team. This mainly anonymous data is utilized to improve future versions of Dolphin Browser.
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