Shade Browser.
We are building a browser with built-in protections and more control over your data. Open source, built on Chromium.
Windows 11 x64 / Open source
01 / Built-in protections
Privacy starts before a request leaves your browser.
Shade checks network requests, removes tracking identifiers from links and lets you choose the protection level for each site. These mechanisms are already implemented in development builds.
Blocking inside the browser
EasyList and EasyPrivacy, integrated into the request path. Third-party ads and trackers are checked without an extension. The page's WebSocket and WebTransport connections are covered too.
Links without identifiers
Identifiers such as fbclid and gclid are removed from navigations arriving from outside a site. Strict also removes utm_* campaign parameters. Internal links and forms follow separate rules.
Fewer background connections
Third-party cookies blocked, Global Privacy Control enabled and HTTPS-First. Page preloading, search suggestions and Privacy Sandbox advertising APIs are disabled by default.
One site. Three levels.
Protections you can control.
A toolbar shield opens the panel for the current page. Choosing a level reloads the page in the browser; the preference stays local to your profile.
Third-party cookies, GPC and HTTPS-First remain independent of this level.
The current count covers the page, its frames and dedicated workers. Shared and service worker blocks are not yet attributed to the tab.
Privacy modelBlocks third-party ads and trackers. Removes click identifiers from eligible navigations.
Local count. No data sent to STRAT.example.com/article?fbclid=example&utm_source=exampleexample.com/article?utm_source=exampleThe click identifier is removed.
A representation for this page. The count and site are examples, not measurements of your browsing.
02 / The next layer
Separate contexts. One browser.
We are working toward distinct browsing identities: personal accounts, work and projects, each with their own cookies, storage and permissions. The model is documented; the full implementation is a future stage.
On the roadmapA session that really ends.
Disposable Ghost sessions are designed to be isolated from each other and to discard session data when their last window closes. They do not automatically hide your IP or erase downloads or traces retained by the operating system.
Fewer distinctive signals.
The roadmap includes standardizing values exposed to sites and deterministic per-site variation for selected hardware-derived data. Fingerprinting protections and the privacy report are future stages, with their own test criteria.
03 / Behind the interface
Building a browser continues after the first build.
Web compatibility comes from Chromium. Our work includes protections, distribution and a process for delivering security updates. The code and decisions are public.
Chromium, with tracked changes
A documented patch series, a pinned upstream version and tests that check changes with every update. Chromium remains the rendering engine.
Verifiable updates
A pipeline for official builds, test signing, an SPDX component inventory, provenance and checksums. The updater and staged delivery are verified on test machines; public release criteria remain open.
Observed traffic
Audits on fresh profiles, with browsing scenarios and a reviewed destination list. Those documented for tested builds found no unexpected destinations. That result describes those scenarios, not every possible situation.
chromium / patches / shadeArchitecture ↗04 / Project status
Public progress. Explicit limits.
Shade is pre-alpha. Builds and tested mechanisms exist, while broader features are developed in stages. There is no public release for everyday use yet.
Roadmap ↗- ✓Implemented in development
Foundations and branding
Architecture, privacy model, Windows builds, installation and the Shade identity.
- 02In progress
Distribution and updates
Pipeline and updates on test machines. A measured move to a new Chromium milestone remains open.
- 03In progress
Network protections
Blocking, link cleaning, defaults and panel implemented. General settings and between-release list updates are next.
- 04On the roadmap
Sessions and identities
Isolated disposable sessions, persistent identities and domain rules.
- 05On the roadmap
Fingerprinting and report
Engine-level protections, an explainable score and per-identity routing. macOS and Linux are planned after alpha.
FAQ
A few straight answers.
Can I download Shade now?
We are not offering a public download here yet. Current builds carry a test identity and are not for daily use. Follow the repository and roadmap for a public release.
What happened to Project Ghost?
Shade is the product name, chosen in October 2026. Ghost remains the internal name in the code and GitHub repository. This page's address is retained for existing links.
Does Shade provide anonymity?
Shade aims to reduce tracking and give you control over local data. It does not provide anonymity against a network observer. A proxy does not turn the browser into Tor Browser, and a disposable session does not automatically hide your IP.
Will I be able to use extensions?
Installing a Chrome Web Store extension has been verified in the development build. Our protections are built into the browser and do not depend on an extension. Compatibility must be maintained as the project evolves.
Why open source?
So the implementation, test criteria and declared limits can be inspected. The project's code is public under MPL-2.0; Chromium and dependencies retain their own licenses.
Building Shade in public.
Follow the next build.
See what changed, read the technical decisions or contribute to the project.