Brave recently announced that its highly anticipated Brave Origin feature is rolling out across multiple platforms as part of the v1.91 update. Naturally, I couldn’t wait for the official Google Play Store rollout to see it in action. While my colleagues and I were stuck on last week’s v1.90.128, I pulled a few strings, grabbed the early v1.91 APK, and took it for a spin to see exactly what this update brings to Android ahead of its wider release.

While Brave Origin is the undeniable star of the show, leading the charge for both mobile and desktop platforms, my deep dive into the changelog reveals it is far from the only addition.

Under the hood, Android’s Brave v1.91 has been merged with Chromium v149.0.7827.59. This is a significant leap from the v1.90 build which ran Chromium 148, bringing the mobile browser fully up to speed with the broader Chromium family.

Brave-v1.91-now-on-par-with-Chromium-v149

Having tested the build and dug through the Github commits, I found several highly requested quality-of-life improvements. The standout for power users is the long-awaited ability to add custom search engines on Android. However, this feature is hidden behind a flag that must first be enabled for it to work.

Brave-custom-search-engines-for-Android
Brave-custom-search-engines-in-settings
Adding-custom-search-engines-in-Brave-for-Android

Additionally, Brave has re-enabled the autofill service and finally implemented favicons for the Android Password Manager, making credential hunting much easier on the eyes. Performance gets a welcome boost as well; the browser now caches adblock DATs client-side, which noticeably speeds up startup times.

The update also packs several UI and ecosystem enhancements, many of which align directly with the desktop v1.91.168 release that just dropped. If you use Brave’s Leo AI, you will notice that attachment previews in the input box now cleanly flow horizontally rather than vertically. For crypto enthusiasts, the Wallet line charts now feature a dotted texture, alongside new “Get Started” and “Assets Distribution” sections in the Portfolio.

I also noticed crucial bug fixes baked into this release. Brave has patched a containment UI misalignment that occurred when closing the VPN banner under settings, fixed a frustrating AI Chat infinite loop, and improved the settings page transition for foldable devices.

It is worth noting the slight version discrepancy: my Android APK sits at v1.91.164, while desktop users are currently receiving v1.91.168 (running Chromium 149.0.7827.54). We will undoubtedly see the final differences once the stable version officially hits the Play Store and iOS App Store. Until then, rest assured that v1.91 is packing some serious heat, and Brave Origin is just the beginning.

Here’s the full changelog for Brave v1.91 for Android:

  • Upgraded to Chromium 149.0.7827.59, bringing the latest Chromium security patches and stability improvements.
  • Support for custom search engines on Android, allowing users to add their preferred search providers.
  • Android autofill service re-enabled, improving password and form-filling functionality.
  • Password Manager now displays website favicons, making saved credentials easier to identify.
  • Faster browser startup thanks to client-side caching of adblock DAT files.
  • Improved Settings experience on foldable devices, with smoother transitions when folding or unfolding the phone.
  • Fixed UI issues with the Brave VPN banner and corrected VPN icon colors in both light and dark modes.
  • Brave Leo attachment previews now scroll horizontally, creating a cleaner chat interface.
  • Fixed an AI Chat bug that could cause an infinite loop during certain tool requests.
  • New Wallet and Portfolio enhancements, including a dotted texture for line charts plus new “Get Started” and “Asset Distribution” sections.
  • Fixed oversized Add Widget button labels in Japanese, addressing a localization issue.
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Hillary Keverenge
2647 Posts

Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.