Falkon 26.08.1 for Windows

Falkon 26.08.1 is a free, open-source web browser from the KDE community, originally created by David Rosca. It is built with Qt and the QtWebEngine engine, which is based on Chromium, and it comes with an ad blocker built in. Falkon is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later, and you can download Falkon for Windows from falkon.org.

Specifications

What Falkon offers

Falkon, formerly known as QupZilla, has always aimed to be a lightweight, straightforward browser. It looks at home on the KDE Plasma desktop on Linux but also runs on Windows. The built-in AdBlock removes many ads and trackers without installing an extension. Bookmarks and history are managed in one library window, and sessions can be restored after a restart. Falkon does not have the huge extension ecosystem of Chrome or Firefox; instead it offers a set of plugins. Because it uses QtWebEngine, its rendering is close to Chromium, so modern websites generally work, but security updates depend on how quickly the Qt project and Falkon ship new builds. For users who like independent, community-driven software and a clean interface, Falkon is an appealing secondary browser. Release notes are published on the Falkon site, for example the notes for version 25.04.1.

Installation

1. Open the Falkon download page and choose the Windows installer.
2. Install and start the browser.
3. Import bookmarks from another browser in the library.
4. Check AdBlock settings and add exceptions for sites you want to support.

The source code is hosted on KDE's GitLab.

Who it suits

Falkon is a good match for Linux users who switch between KDE Plasma and Windows and want the same browser on both, for people who value community-built open-source software, and for older or modest PCs where a lighter interface helps. Users who depend on specific Chrome or Firefox extensions will find its plugin selection limited.

Good to know

• Some sites that expect Chrome or Firefox may show minor quirks.
• Keep the browser updated for security fixes in the engine.
• Use a mainstream browser for banking if you are unsure about update frequency.

Pros and cons

• Pro: built-in ad blocker.
• Pro: open source, from the KDE community.
• Pro: clean, lightweight interface.
• Con: small plugin selection compared with major browsers.
• Con: engine updates depend on Qt release cycles.

Alternatives

Other independent browsers in our listings include Midori Browser, Pale Moon and K-Meleon. For privacy with a large extension ecosystem, LibreWolf and Brave Browser are options.