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*SEVERAL* Brave Browser (aka “BB”) tips:

When new to Brave Browser, and installing or wondering about its setup, I suggest that you select “StartPage” as your Search Engine.

Do not panic, if BB appears to not function as you might wish, or BB has various settings that are a mystery to you.

Be patient.

I strongly suggest, that you NOT set BB to start up and promptly go to your favorite webpage.

BB has MANY settings that will take time for you to learn.

You will help yourself, by setting BB to be plain in appearance - as much as you can, for its startup and for any appearance of a new window.

Later, with experience, you’ll know where things are, and then - may be the time to adjust these initial windows appearances to your liking.

Early in your venture, you will see that the first section of Settings, is named “Get Started”.

Therein, you can “Import bookmarks and settings” -— and you do have the ability to choose (so again, do not panic).

Under “Get Started”, you also can select what you want to see “On startup” -— IOW, a blank page (for now - learning).

Go to the Preferences aka Settings (depending upon your OS) > Get started > On startup > Open a specific page or set of pages

. . . and select “Add a new page”

In the simple “Add a new page” window, type: about:blank

Click on the “Add” button.

Next under Settings - Appearance

I suggest that you also keep this simple, for now - learning.

Brave colors: Light

Show bookmarks: Disabled

Use wide address bar: Enabled

Show autocomplete in address bar: Disabled

Show top sites in autocomplete suggestions: Disabled

Show Brave suggested sites in autocomplete suggestions: Disabled

Hide Brave Rewards button: Enabled

Always show bookmarks on new tab page: Disabled

Always Show Full URLs: Enabled

Next under Settings - New Tab Page

New tab page shows: Dashboard

Background images: Enabled

Sponsored images: Disabled

Brave Stats: Disabled

Top Sites: Disabled

Clock: Enabled

Brave Rewards: Disabled

Binance: Disabled

Gemini: Disabled

Crypto.com: Disabled

Next under Settings - Sync

DO NOT yet try to use Sync

Next under Settings - Shields

This section of Settings, you will get to know well over time; and it will take time.

Settings > Shields > Look & feel >

Show the number of blocked items on the Shields icon: Enabled

Default view: Advanced view

Trackers & ads blocking: Standard

Upgrade connections to HTTPS: Enabled

Block scripts . . .

“Block scripts” - this is where BB blocks a lot of scripts, such as javascripts. Over time, you will learn and appreciate how DENSE and PLENTY are the numbers of scripts that websites want to download to your computer.

You can discover a lot, IF you select:

Block scripts: Enabled

But for starters, learning to get the general hang of using BB, you might select:

Block scripts: Disabled

IF you select the steeper learning curve:

Block scripts: Enabled

. . . then be prepared to use:

Settings > Additional settings > Privacy and security > Site and Shields Settings > Content > JavaScript

Under “JavaScript” there is a “Block” section plus an “Allow” section.

That “Allow” section will become very familiar to you. That is where you specifically select paths that download scripts, and you set the path PORT NUMBER for such paths.

For example, your bank’s *secure* URL address:

https://www.somebank.com

You enter that (under the “Allow”) section, as:

https://www.somebank.com:443

IOW, port 443 for secure HTTPS

Another example:

http://www.simplewebsite.org

You enter that (under the “Allow”) section, as:

http://www.simplewebsite.org:80

IOW, port 80 for plain ol’ HTTP

Now, let’s return to Settings and “Social media blocking”

Settings - Social media blocking

Allow Google login buttons on third party sites: Disabled

Allow Facebook logins and embedded posts: Disabled

Allow Twitter embedded tweets: Disabled

Allow Linkedin embedded posts: Disabled

Settings - Search engine

Search engine used in the address bar: StartPage (or DuckDuckGo)

Settings - Extensions

Ethereum provider using Dapps: None

Load Crypto Wallets on startup: Disabled

Allow Google login extensions: Disabled

Hangouts: Disabled

IPFS Companion: Disabled

Media Router: Disabled

Private window with Tor: Enabled (This is where you enable TOR within BB)

Automatically redirect onion sites: Disabled

WebTorrent: Disabled

Widevine: Enabled

Settings > Additional settings > Privacy and security

There is a lot to learn, here.

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Clear browsing data
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There, you determine what you want to be cleared, or not, when you quit BB or when you click on a “Clear data” button.

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Cookies and other site data
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There, more for you to determine.

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Site and Shields Settings
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We went over some examples, up above, herein.

Autofill

For starters, I suggest now allowing any “Autofill” for “Payment methods”

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The above should get you started.

You will get to know the BB Shields pop-up window that results from your Right-click upon the small BB Lion icon that is somewhere at the same level of the BB URL address field in the BB window.

Generally, when you get that window, click on “Got it” . . . and next, you will see details re items blocked, or not, re scripts.