Vivaldi’s latest mobile update makes switching browsers way easier

According to Neowin, Vivaldi 7.7 has launched on mobile with a bunch of Android-focused features and iOS stability improvements. The standout feature lets Android users add literally any search engine they want – think internal company databases, university libraries, or niche research tools. You can add them just by long-pressing any search field on a website. The update also brings full bookmark import/export functionality to make switching from other browsers painless. Both Android and iOS versions now run on Chromium 142.0.7444.180, plus there are dark mode improvements and iOS 16 compatibility fixes. Desktop users got their Vivaldi 7.7 update last week with privacy dashboard and tab syncing features.

Why this matters

Here’s the thing – most browser updates are pretty boring. But Vivaldi’s custom search engine feature is actually huge for power users. Think about how often you search specific sites – internal company wikis, academic databases, even shopping sites. Now you can make those first-class citizens right in your browser’s search bar. That’s workflow-changing stuff.

And the bookmark import? That’s Vivaldi directly attacking the biggest barrier to switching browsers – the hassle of moving your stuff over. They’re basically saying “come on in, we’ll make it easy.” Smart move when everyone’s getting increasingly frustrated with Chrome’s memory hogging and Safari’s limitations.

The bigger picture

So where’s Vivaldi going with all this? They’re clearly positioning themselves as the browser for people who actually work with the web, not just passively consume content. Custom search engines appeal directly to researchers, developers, and knowledge workers. The cross-device tab syncing they added to desktop last week? That’s part of the same play.

Look, the browser wars have been pretty stagnant lately. Chrome dominates, Safari does its Apple thing, Firefox fights the good fight. But Vivaldi seems to be carving out a niche as the “power user’s browser” – and honestly, that’s a space that’s been underserved since the old Opera days. With features like this, they might actually convince people there are alternatives worth considering beyond the big names.

Basically, if you’re someone who uses the web as a tool rather than just a window, Vivaldi 7.7 might be worth a look. The custom search alone could save you countless clicks. And hey, importing your bookmarks takes what, five minutes? Not exactly a huge commitment for potentially better browsing.