Nova Browser

Nova Browser is a personal, privacy-focused Android browser built from the genuine open-source Firefox engine (the Iceraven fork of Firefox for Android), branded for you and shipped with real ad blocking built in — no extensions to set up, no host files to manage by hand.

What's inside

• Ad blocking that just works
  • uBlock Origin is bundled and active out of the box — YouTube ads, banners, trackers and pop-ups are blocked automatically.
  • Nova Ad Block (Settings → Nova Ad Block) lets you fine-tune blocking:
    • block or allow individual domains (one per line),
    • paste any hosts file blocklist (StevenBlack hosts, AdAway, …),
    • pull a big list in one tap: StevenBlack hosts, AdAway hosts or EasyList preset buttons,
    • import any hosts list from a URL.
  • Blocking is instant — even 15,000+ domain lists don't slow down pages.
• Allow background playback (per site) — a toggle in the three-dot menu on any site keeps the site running with audio when you lock the screen or leave the app. It works on every site, including YouTube — Nova keeps the page reported as visible, so even sites that pause themselves when hidden keep playing. It is remembered per site.
• Password import & export (CSV) — in Settings → Passwords:
  • Import picks any CSV file exported by another browser (Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Brave, Quetta, …) and adds its usernames and passwords — the CSV header is matched flexibly, so name,url,username,password (Chrome), name,url,username,password,note (Quetta) and Firefox's own export format all import correctly,
  • Export writes all saved passwords to a CSV file you can save anywhere or send to another device, ready to import into any other browser.
• In-app update notifications — when a new version is released you get a notification with Download (grabs the APK automatically), GitHub (open the releases page) and Later (remind again in 24 hours).
• Close tabs when the app is closed — Settings → Tabs → Close tabs → When the app is closed.
• Delete browsing data on quit — clear history, cookies and cache when you close the app.
• Install local add-ons — Settings → Advanced → Install local add-on accepts Firefox-format extensions (.zip / .xpi).
• Your build, your name — signed with your own key, package com.nova.browser, and the About screen reads v1.4.1.

Install

1. Download the latest APK from the Releases page (currently Nova.Browser.1.4.1.apk).
2. When Android asks, allow installing apps from your file manager.
3. Open the APK and install. Future updates install over the top — no need to uninstall first.

How it's built

The APK is built automatically by GitHub Actions:

• The workflow lives at .github/workflows/build-iceraven.yml and runs on the build branch (manual runs supported too).
• It clones the pristine Iceraven 2.46.0 source, applies nova-branding.sh (branding, bundled add-ons, settings), and assembles a signed release APK using the release key stored in repo secrets.
• The finished APK is uploaded to the Releases page and kept as a workflow artifact as a backup.

The main branch holds this documentation. CI only runs on pushes to build, so editing docs here never triggers a build.

Privacy

Nova Browser keeps your browsing to yourself:

• no account or history sync to any cloud by default,
• built-in blockers stop ads and trackers before they load,
• the "delete browsing data on quit" option wipes your history on close if you want it to.

Feedback

Found a problem or want a feature? Open an issue on this repository.