v0.50.0-alpha-2

This alpha adds split view for browsing two pages at once, improves the reliability of profile backups and settings exports, and fixes several problems with links opening in containers.

Browse two pages at once

Compare pages, keep a reference open, or read alongside another site without constantly switching tabs.

• Start from the browser menu’s Split button. It brings back the current tab’s last split partner, including the previous arrangement, or uses a recently visited compatible tab. If neither is available, you can choose a page.
• Choose the pages yourself. Use “Split with another tab…” from the current tab’s menu, or “Show beside current tab” from another tab’s menu. Long-press a web link and choose Open in split view to open it beside the original page.
• Use existing tabs or open something new. The page picker supports searching open tabs, choosing a container, and opening a new address or search result.
• Choose your layout: side by side, stacked, or Automatic, which adapts to the available space.
• Adjust the divider. Drag it to change page sizes, double-tap its handle for equal sizes, or tap the handle to open the split controls.
• Temporarily show one page. Drag the divider to an edge or enable “Show only this page.” The other page stays loaded, and Show both restores it.
• Swap sides or replace the other page without closing either tab.
• Touch either page to make the address bar and browser controls follow it. Each page can be scrolled and refreshed independently, and a colored outline identifies the active page.
• Split-view tabs have identifying marks in the tab overview and quick switcher. Closing one leaves the other page selected; ending split view leaves both tabs open.

Fits your screen and controls

• Split view adapts to rotation, window resizing, and separating hinges or folds. When space is too limited, it temporarily shows only the active page.
• Stacked layouts temporarily show the active page while the on-screen keyboard is open. Fullscreen content also uses one page, with the split returning afterward.
• Toolbar auto-hiding is paused while both pages are shown, preventing unexpected resizing.
• The divider supports keyboard and TalkBack adjustment.
• Add an optional Split View toolbar button, or assign split actions to keyboard shortcuts, drawn gestures, and long presses. Tab swipes can also be assigned to show a tab beside the current one.

Good to know: only one split pair is kept at a time, and it is not restored after an app restart. Pairing tabs does not merge their cookies, logins, containers, or connection settings. Private tabs can be paired with other private tabs, but not with regular or isolated tabs.

If Split is missing, enable Split view under Settings > Feature Control. It now has its own switch, separate from toolbar and menu customization.

More reliable backups and settings exports

• See and change the backup folder directly on the Create Backup screen.
• WebLibre now tests whether the folder actually accepts files before restarting to create a backup, rather than relying only on Android’s remembered permission.
• If access has stopped working, a clearer explanation guides you through choosing the folder again. Selecting the same folder can renew its access, and the backup list refreshes afterward.
• Previously saved backup and export folders are recognized more reliably, including cases where Android stores different references to the same folder.
• More useful errors distinguish lost access, full storage, unavailable storage, and incomplete writes. Where available, backup errors show the space needed and the space remaining at the destination.
• Unresponsive backup storage is detected before starting the full backup, rather than leaving you waiting indefinitely during the initial check.
• Temporary storage problems no longer unnecessarily discard your chosen export folder.
• Failed writes are cleaned up more reliably, and files are only given their finished names after the write completes and available size checks pass.
• Moving backups from older app storage uses the same safer writing process; original files are kept until their copies succeed.

Better container and background-tab handling

• Fixed background links and redirects to sites assigned to another container being left blank instead of reopening where they belong.
• Automatic container changes no longer unexpectedly bring a background tab to the foreground.
• Repeated background redirects or retries reuse an unseen destination tab where appropriate, avoiding a growing pile of duplicate tabs.
• The “switch to opened tab” prompt still reaches the correct page if a container change replaced the original tab.
• Strict-container warnings explain when a background tab was blocked, and repeated attempts no longer continually show the same warning.
• Open in container now lets you choose regular, private, or isolated browsing in the same panel.
• New tabs opened from a page follow that page’s container, even when the tab overview has another container selected. In split view, long-press actions use the page they came from.

Clearer links and useful long-press actions

• Website addresses are displayed more consistently, emphasizing the host and separating the path into readable sections.
• Site information, sharing, link long-press menus, and app-link confirmation panels now wrap longer addresses and show additional link details where they matter.
• Plain HTTP addresses remain explicitly marked, even where the usual HTTPS prefix is hidden.
• Fixed unusual address characters causing display errors.
• Long-press a phone-number link to copy the number or open it in your phone app. You still place the call yourself.
• Fixed copying and sharing email links, including the incorrectly labeled copy action. Phone, email, and location links now show meaningful menu headings instead of about:blank.

Other improvements

• Fixed hardware-keyboard input sometimes going to an old text field instead of the web page, add-on popup, or add-on settings page.
• Fixed opening the website certificate viewer.
• Pages that cannot recover automatically after a crash now provide a Reload button instead of leaving a blank area.
• Toolbar buttons for hidden features now disappear or use their configured fallback, while preserving your saved layout.
• Removed the supporter promotional banner from the browser home screen.

Update note

If you use WebLibre settings sync, update your other devices too: alpha-1 cannot read settings uploaded by this version.