Vivaldi this week released version 7.9 of its desktop browser, which includes a new UI Auto-hide feature that clears the entire browser interface from view while you read, watch, or work.
When enabled, UI Auto-hide removes the tab bar, address bar, toolbars, and status indicators from the screen entirely, and moving the cursor to any edge of the window brings everything back instantly.
The feature can be configured to hide only specific elements like the tab bar, the address bar, or the full set of chrome all at once. UI Auto-hide can be toggled via the keyboard shortcut Command-F10, or through a new icon in the status bar. All available options live under Settings ➝ Appearance ➝ UI Auto-hide.
This update also introduces Follower Tab, which is designed to let users explore links without losing their place on the current page.
Right-clicking a link gives you the option to open it as a tiled Follower Tab, which loads the linked page side by side with the original. Subsequent links clicked in the original tab continue opening in the follower pane, while the source page stays pinned in place.
Vivaldi's built-in email client also gains several improvements in the v7.9. The mail composer can now be popped out into its own independent window, making it easier to draft messages alongside the inbox or on a second monitor.
Meanwhile, a new toggle lets you switch between rich text and plain text within the composer. Vivaldi says memory usage in the mail list has also been reduced, which should help performance on larger inboxes. Mailing list reply routing has apparently been improved as well, and users can now save selected messages directly to disk.
Vivaldi 7.9 is a free download for Mac, Windows, and Linux from the Vivaldi website. As with previous versions, the browser ships with built-in ad and tracker blocking, extensive tab management tools, and support for Chrome extensions.
