Browser ID

Many websites try to determine which platform and which browser you are using in order to deliver a special version of the page that has been “optimized” for this platform and/or browser. Unfortunately, often only the 2-3 most popular browsers are taken into account here. And often you only see a slimmed-down mobile version of the page on smartphones and tablets. In these cases, changing the browser ID helps to trick the website into thinking that you are using a different browser in order to get a different, more suitable version of the page.

However, you should be careful when changing the browser ID, because if you can “persuade” a website to work better by changing the ID, you can also impair the function of a page by choosing the “wrong” ID.

It is therefore generally better to continue using “Safari (iPad)” or “Safari (Mac)” as the default browser ID on the iPad and “Safari (iPhone)” on an iPhone, and only use a different ID if absolutely necessary.

iCab allows you to set the default ID for all pages, as well as a custom ID for certain pages, which iCab then sets automatically when visiting these pages.

In the event that very specific browser IDs are required that are not listed in iCab Mobile, you can also define these yourself.

Security

The option Use HTTPS instead of HTTP attempts to switch an insecure connection via “http” to a secure encrypted connection via “https”. Normally this is unproblematic, but theoretically it can also go wrong, so you can disable this option.

The option Allow old TLS protocols allows connections with outdated encryption to be supported. Outdated encryption can be potentially insecure and should no longer be used today. However, a few websites may still rely on it. If you disable this option, these websites can no longer be accessed.

Proxy

A proxy server can be configured via the Proxy setting, via which all connections then run. Normal HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS proxies are supported.

An exception list of domains can also be specified. Optionally, only the domains from the list are redirected via the proxy, or all domains except those from the list.

Web Storage

You can use the web storage settings to view the data (caches, cookies, web storage) that websites have stored in the browser and, if necessary, delete them manually.

Filters are provided specifically for cookies to determine which cookies will be accepted or blocked, and also to explicitly retain cookies if all cookies are deleted across the board (e.g. as part of private mode). The explicit retention of cookies can be useful if you regularly delete cookies but do not want to lose the login status of frequently visited websites (which is stored in a cookie).

Downloads

You can choose to download files only after confirmation to avoid unwanted downloads if you visit websites that start downloads automatically. However, as this rarely happens, it is usually sufficient to only be notified of downloads that have started so that you do not miss any downloads.

All downloaded files can be saved in the app so that they can be copied to a PC or Mac via iTunes or the Finder. Alternatively, the files can also be saved in such a way that they can be accessed from other apps via the iOS file management. With both options, the files are also accessible via the iOS Files app. And you can also keep downloads completely private so that they are not accessible from other apps or a PC or Mac. This can all be set via the Downloads Sharing option

The option Include downloads in backup ensures that all newly downloaded files are included in an iTunes or iCloud backup. By default, the iOS does not include downloads in backups.

Normally started downloads are carried out by iCab Mobile itself and have the advantage that they are started in the context of the respective website and can therefore also access all the information on the website. However, this has the disadvantage that when the iOS suspends iCab when it is in the background, all downloads that are still running are stopped. This is not a problem for most downloads, as they finish quickly. But with large files this can become a problem, as there is a high probability that you will leave the app before the download is finished.
The option Force background downloads ensures that the download is no longer carried out by iCab itself, but is transferred to the iOS. The iOS then handles the download on behalf of iCab Mobile and can therefore continue it even if iCab Mobile is no longer active. However, as the iOS does not have access to the context of the respective website, it can happen in a few cases that the download does not work in the background. However, this should only occur very rarely, e.g. if a website explicitly restricts the download artificially (e.g. only users with a subscription are allowed).

The settings for the Download file types allow you to specify which files iCab should and should not be downloaded. Rules can be defined for file extensions and the MIME type. The automatic function usually works well, but since not all websites specify the correct file type (MIME type) or file extension for files, it can also happen that a file is displayed that should actually be downloaded.