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Vanadium
What it is
Vanadium is an Android browser and WebView based on Chromium, included by GrapheneOS as its default browser and WebView implementation. It adds hardware memory tagging for its main allocator, type-based control-flow integrity, a strong stack protector, automatic zero-initialized variables, strict site isolation, and sandboxed iframes. Browser JavaScript JIT is disabled by default and can be enabled per site; WebView has separate controls. Content filtering uses EasyList, EasyPrivacy, Adblock Warning Removal List, and regional lists based on enabled languages. Third-party cookies, payment support, background sync, sensor access, protected media, and hyperlink auditing are off by default. Android autofill and credential-manager support provide passkey functions without sandboxed Google Play. Vanadium disables WebGPU, offers a WebRTC IP handling toggle, and connects mainly to GrapheneOS servers for updates. It is free and open source, with no extensions or cross-device sync planned.
For and against
For
- Included as GrapheneOS's default browser and WebView
- Adds hardware-backed and compiler-oriented security protections
- Content filtering uses multiple established filter lists
- Native Android passkeys and autofill support
- Free and open source
Against
- Currently built for GrapheneOS
- No browser extension support is planned
- Cross-device sync is not planned
- Most browser data is excluded from OS backups
The verdict
Vanadium focuses on security and privacy defaults within GrapheneOS. Its platform scope and lack of extensions or broader synchronization are important trade-offs.
Who it suits
Vanadium suits GrapheneOS users who want a Chromium-based browser with hardened defaults and built-in filtering. It is intended for Android through GrapheneOS rather than listed desktop or iOS platforms.
Plans and prices
Vanadium
Included with GrapheneOS; Android browser and WebView
Read 10 Oct 2026 · grapheneos.org
On the record
- Autofill and passkeys
- It has native Android autofill and credential manager support for passkeys, avoiding the need for sandboxed Google Play for those functions.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
- Availability
- Vanadium is currently built for GrapheneOS, and the project says it plans to make it available outside GrapheneOS once it has more features.grapheneos.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Browser engine
- chromiumgrapheneos.org · read 23 Sep 2026
- Browser security
- Vanadium adds hardware memory tagging for its main allocator, type-based CFI, a strong stack protector, and automatic zero-initialized variables.grapheneos.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Built-in ad blocking
- Yesgrapheneos.org · read 23 Sep 2026
- Compatibility trade-off
- Content filtering and other compatibility-impacting features are mostly available in the browser rather than the WebView library.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
- Content filtering
- The browser includes a content-filtering engine using EasyList, EasyPrivacy, and EasyList’s Adblock Warning Removal List as primary filters, with supplementary regional lists based on enabled browser languages.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
- Cross-device sync
- Nographeneos.org · read 23 Sep 2026
- Extensions
- Extension support is not planned because GrapheneOS says it conflicts with site isolation and anti-fingerprinting.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
- Extension support
- nonegrapheneos.org · read 23 Sep 2026
- JavaScript
- JavaScript JIT is disabled by default in the browser, with a per-site toggle; WebView JIT behavior for user-installed apps has separate global and per-app controls.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
- Open source
- Yesgrapheneos.org · read 23 Sep 2026
- Passkeys and autofill
- Vanadium includes native Android autofill and credential manager support for passkeys, avoiding the need for sandboxed Google Play for those features.grapheneos.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Platform availability
- The maker describes Vanadium as the browser and WebView included with GrapheneOS, a mobile operating system; the cited Vanadium feature page does not list desktop or iOS versions.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
- Privacy defaults
- Third-party cookies, payment support, website background sync, sensors access, protected media, and hyperlink auditing are disabled by default.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
- Project
- GrapheneOS describes itself as a non-profit, open source project and says it was founded in 2014.grapheneos.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Project model
- GrapheneOS describes itself as a collaborative open-source, non-profit project supported by donations and company support.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
- Remote services
- Nearly all remote services are disabled or removed; by default, Vanadium only connects to GrapheneOS servers, with component updates and optional DNS-over-HTTPS connectivity checks listed as default services.grapheneos.org · read 10 Oct 2026
