Everything you use. Nothing you don't.
Drift runs on Microsoft Edge's web engine, so sites work like they should. Everything around the page is Drift's own: small, quick, and out of your way.
Tabs down the side
Long titles stay readable. Drag to reorder, collapse with Ctrl B, and flip between recent tabs with Ctrl Tab, just like Alt Tab.
Ads blocked, built in
Uses the same filter lists as uBlock Origin: EasyList, EasyPrivacy, annoyances and malware lists. No extension to install.
One box for everything
Ctrl L searches the web, your history and your open tabs at once. Your home page and search engine are yours to pick.
Bookmarks, and bring yours
Star a page with Ctrl D. Import your bookmarks and history from Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave, Opera or Vivaldi in one click.
Polite prompts
When a site asks for your camera, location or notifications, a slim bar slides in above the page instead of a pop-up in your face.
Downloads you can see
A progress ring in the toolbar and a clear list with pause, resume and "show in folder". Ctrl J opens it.
Updates itself
New versions download quietly and install the next time you close Drift. Your tabs come back exactly where you left them.
Your browsing stays on your PC.
Drift has no account, no sign-in and no analytics. There's no Drift server that could collect anything.
Pages are shown by Microsoft Edge WebView2, which is part of Windows. Microsoft may collect diagnostic data from it according to your Windows privacy settings (Settings → Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback).
- History, tabs and settings are localThey're saved in
%AppData%\Driftand never uploaded. Clear them from History, or delete the folder. - No tracking, no telemetryDrift doesn't count you, profile you or phone home about what you do.
- Only two things go online on their ownDrift asks GitHub whether a new version is out (a few times a day), and downloads the ad-blocking lists every 4 days. Neither request includes anything about you or your browsing.
- Trackers blocked by defaultEasyPrivacy and uBlock's privacy lists stop most tracking scripts before they load.
- Sites ask before they get anythingCamera, microphone, location and notifications are off until you allow them, and you can take that back in Settings → Site permissions.
Up and running in a minute.
No administrator rights needed. Drift installs just for you, and the installer is under 1 MB.
DriftSetup.exeFrom the button at the top of this page.Works on
| Windows | Drift |
|---|---|
| Windows 11 | Yes |
| Windows 10 (version 1607 or newer) | Yes |
| Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 | No: Microsoft ended WebView2 there |
| 64-bit, 32-bit and ARM PCs | Yes |
Drift also needs .NET Framework 4.8 and the WebView2 Runtime. Both come with Windows 11 and up-to-date Windows 10.
Questions
Is Drift free?
Yes. No ads, no paid tier, no account.
Will websites work?
Yes. Drift uses Microsoft Edge's engine (Chromium), the same one Edge and Chrome are built on, so modern sites, video and web apps work normally. If the ad blocker breaks a site, click the shield and turn it off for that site.
How do updates work?
Drift checks this project's GitHub releases when it starts and every few hours. A new version downloads in the background, is checked against the SHA-256 checksum GitHub publishes, and installs when you close Drift, or right away if you click "Update" in the toolbar.
Can I use Drift without installing it?
Yes. Download the portable .zip, unzip it anywhere and open Drift.exe. It updates itself in place, too.
Can I bring my bookmarks and history?
Yes. Go to Settings → Your data → Import bookmarks and history, and pick Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave, Opera or Vivaldi. It works even while that browser is open, and doesn't change it. Passwords can't be imported, so you'll sign in to sites once in Drift.
Is the source code available?
No. Drift is distributed as a free download only.
How do I uninstall it?
Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Drift → Uninstall. You can choose to keep or delete your history and settings.