Verified Sep 2026

ExperimentalChromium engine 27/30 documented

Helium

A community Chromium build based on ungoogled-chromium that adds blocking and fingerprint protections on top of removed Google services.

Published by imput (United States) · Verified September 2026

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Runs on

macOSmacOS: Available
WindowsWindows: Available
LinuxLinux: Available
AndroidAndroid: Unavailable
iOSiOS: Unavailable

Choose it when

Choose Helium if you want ungoogled-chromium's service removal with blocking and fingerprint protections already configured.

Avoid it when

Avoid it for primary use while it remains a beta from a small project, and whenever you need sync or mobile support.

Quick answers

Read straight off the verified record - every one of these is expanded with its source below.

Which platforms does Helium run on?: Documented on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Not available on Android and iOS.
Can I install Chrome extensions?: Yes - the Chrome Web Store is supported.
Does it block trackers out of the box?: Yes - tracker or ad blocking is on by default. Blocking is enabled by default.
Does it have built-in AI features?: No AI capability in this record is documented as built in.
Is it open source?: Open source project built on Chromium
Is it still being developed?: Experimental - Published as a beta by a small community project; interfaces and defaults are still changing.

What Helium does

Open any row for the wording and the source behind it

Privacy and tracking

2 built in · 1 partial · 1 not available

Blocks trackers by defaultBlocks trackers by default: Built in
Blocking is enabled by default.
Anti-fingerprintingAnti-fingerprinting: Built in
Fingerprint protections are documented as part of the build.
Telemetry postureTelemetry posture: Minimal or opt-in
The project ships no analytics and makes no web requests on first launch; opt-in crash reporting is documented.
Built-in VPN or proxyBuilt-in VPN or proxy: Unavailable
Private windowsAn incognito mode is available, inherited from the Chromium base.
An incognito mode is available, inherited from the Chromium base.
Default search engineConfigurable

Extensions and blocking

3 built in · 1 not available · 1 undocumented

Chrome Web StoreChrome Web Store: Supported
Firefox Add-onsFirefox Add-ons: Unsupported
Native content blockingNative content blocking: Built in
Blocking is built into the build.
Manifest V3Manifest V3: Built in
Chromium extension support is present.
Manifest V2Manifest V2: Unknown
Manifest policy is not documented separately.
Known limitationsChrome Web Store installs work through Helium's anonymised proxy path; behavior can differ from stock Chrome.
Chrome Web Store installs work through Helium's anonymised proxy path; behavior can differ from stock Chrome.

Workflow

5 built in · 4 not available · 2 undocumented

Vertical tabsVertical tabs: Built in
Vertical tab layout, docked left or right, has shipped since early 2026.
Tab treesTab trees: Unavailable
Workspaces or spacesWorkspaces or spaces: Unavailable
ProfilesProfiles: Built in
Profiles or equivalent browser identities are available.
Split viewSplit view: Built in
Native side-by-side split tabs are enabled by default.
SidebarSidebar: Built in
Side-panel position is a first-class setting.
Reader modeReader mode: Unknown
Reader mode is not documented.
Command paletteCommand palette: Unavailable
Sync across devicesSync across devices: Unavailable
Google account sync is removed upstream.
TranslationTranslation: Unknown
Translation behaviour is not documented.
Progressive web appsProgressive web apps: Built in
Progressive web apps are supported by the Chromium install flow.

AI features

9 not available

Built-in assistantBuilt-in assistant: Unavailable
Page summarisationPage summarisation: Unavailable
Acts on pages for youActs on pages for you: Unavailable
AI answer engineAI answer engine: Unavailable
Works across open tabsWorks across open tabs: Unavailable
Text or image generationText or image generation: Unavailable
Choice of modelChoice of model: Unavailable
Retention or training controlsRetention or training controls: Unavailable
Voice or image inputVoice or image input: Unavailable

On a phone

10 undocumented

Undocumented is not the same as absent - it means the publisher does not state it.

Extensions on mobileExtensions on mobile: Unknown
Extension support on mobile is not documented.
Can be the phone defaultCan be the phone default: Not applicable
Biometric lockBiometric lock: Unknown
Biometric locking is not documented.
Offline readingOffline reading: Unknown
Offline reading is not documented.
Desktop-site modeDesktop-site mode: Unknown
Desktop-site mode is not documented.
Download managerDownload manager: Unknown
A built-in download manager is not documented.
Background playbackBackground playback: Unknown
Background or picture-in-picture playback is not documented.
Web pushWeb push: Unknown
Web push support is not documented.
Data saverData saver: Unknown
Address-bar placementAddress-bar placement: Unknown
Address-bar placement is not documented.

Under the hood

Rendering engine: Chromium
JavaScript engine: V8
Upstream project: ungoogled-chromium
Release channel: beta
Code and licence: Open source project built on Chromium
Install method: Direct download from the project or its repository.
Hardware support: Builds target current 64-bit desktop hardware.

Source repository

Experimental. Published as a beta by a small community project; interfaces and defaults are still changing.

Editorial view

Helium occupies a specific gap. ungoogled-chromium removes Google's service integration but ships no blocking and expects you to assemble your own protections. Helium starts from that base and adds the protections as defaults, which makes it usable out of the box for people who wanted ungoogled-chromium's position without the setup work.

The record

Desktop builds for macOS, Windows, and Linux; no mobile
Release channel: beta, and the project describes itself that way
No analytics ship by default and the browser makes no web requests on first launch; opt-in crash reporting is documented
Blocking is on by default, and fingerprint protections are documented as part of the build
Native vertical tabs, split tabs, and a first-class side panel came with its 2026 releases

That combination puts its defaults closer to Brave's posture than to Chrome's, arrived at through subtraction rather than a vendor's product strategy.

The costs

They follow from the same decisions. Google account sync is removed upstream and therefore unavailable, so bookmarks do not follow you between machines without another mechanism. Extensions install from the Chrome Web Store through Helium's anonymised proxy, closer to Chrome's flow than ungoogled-chromium's manual path, though behaviour can differ from stock Chrome. Translation and reader mode are not documented.

The structural question

The one that applies to every community Chromium fork, asked plainly rather than waved away: Chromium ships security fixes frequently, a fork is only as safe as its maintainers' ability to rebase promptly, and a beta-stage project run by a small group carries more delivery risk than a vendor product. That does not make it a bad choice; it makes it a choice to revisit rather than install and forget.

The verdict

Helium is worth watching and worth using on a secondary machine, where its defaults are a real improvement and a delayed update is an inconvenience rather than an exposure. Want the same posture with a vendor behind it? Brave. Want the service removal without the added defaults? ungoogled-chromium, the base this is built on. Search is configurable with no preset engine, private windows behave like Chromium's, and there is no VPN, which fits the subtraction philosophy.

Where these facts come from

Every capability above is read from a primary source and dated. 3 of 30 fields stay recorded as unknown rather than assumed.

Helium browser official site
Product scope, platform availability, and privacy defaults.
Verified Sep 2026

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