We stay on top of updates in the world of browsers and website design. Every so often, we update the list of browsers we support so that you know what to expect when working with us. The list is driven by trends in browser usage, and updates from the software developers themselves - if they no longer support a version of their software then we won’t either.
We focus on usability and accessibility rather than pixel perfect rendering across all available browsers. We do recognise that in some cases, for some clients, there may be a clear and defined need for us to build to add support for additional browsers and devices. We are happy to work with our clients to make sure their site works for all their users. You can check what your customers are using to access your site in Google Analytics.
Your site is built on the browser version that is current at the time your website launches. We cannot predict changes by the browser developers and, as a result, we do not guarantee that the site will work fully on future versions. If changes to your site are required in order for the site to work on a new browser version then we will tackle that at the appropriate time.
Supported browsers for desktop:
- Chrome (PC & Mac) - version current at site launch
- Firefox (PC & Mac) - version current at site launch
- Safari (Mac) - version current at site launch
- Microsoft Edge (PC) - version current at site launch
During the testing/QA phase of a project, we will test the site across all of these browsers and expect you to do so as well. Often the latest version of a browser will require the latest version of the device’s operating system to be installed. This is worth bearing in mind when you are carrying out your own testing and when managing feedback from customers.
Browser version and updates
All of these browsers have an auto-update feature available. If you do not have this enabled, please check that you are up to date before you test the website. We have found that some IT networks have this feature disabled and our clients sometimes discover that they are running outdated (and therefore unsupported) versions of the browser.
We recommend using the latest browser version available to your operating system. See your browser’s documentation to learn more about checking and updating your version:
Your version of Safari, Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer depends on your device’s operating system.
Unsupported browsers
We do not support the following desktop browsers:
- Internet Explorer (any version) (Note that Microsoft’s own support for IE11 is ending soon)
- Opera
- Safari (PC)
Depending on the requirements of your site, some aspects of layout, styling or functionality may not work in these browsers. Some of these issues may be fixable but the work involved will be estimated and charged due to the extra effort required in scoping the fixes and applying them. It’s always worth checking the Browser Market Share of these browsers (and Google Analytics) to see how many users could potentially be affected.
Mobile / Touch devices
We test on a range of mobile devices including tablets and smartphones. Testing is carried out on either Safari (iOS) or Chrome (Android) and we will work to sort out issues within those. We cannot guarantee testing in non-standard browsers, especially those which are the device’s own-brand ones. We try to agree, during the design phase, the obverall ‘breakpoints’ used within the site so that there is a consistent look to the website across all devices and screen sizes.
There are now a wide range of devices and resulting widths, even within one brand:
- Latest iOS versions devices (inc. iPhone 8, iPad Pro + 8th generation, iPad Air 4th generation)
- Current Android devices
- 13" Macbook
- PC
- A 24" monitor
As this trend continues, this requires more and more time in testing.
CMS Support
We have found that both WordPress and Drupal CMS work best in Chrome, Firefox and the latest version of Edge.
We advise clients to ensure that one (or both) of these are installed on the relevant staff members’ computers prior to CMS training.
Customer queries
From time to time, you may get queries or complaints that your new site doesn’t work on a customer’s device. Often this comes about because the customer is using an out-of-date version of a browser - occasionally one that is no longer supported by the company who made it. Always take the details of the device and browser that a customer has a problem using. We need this information in order to investigate whether it’s worth fixing.
Google Analytics holds stats about how many of your customers are using any particular browser or device. This means that if the customer query is about an unsupported browser then you can check how many people are affected. That way you can make an educated decision as to how this should be addressed.
Sometimes the best solution is to advise the client to upgrade their browser. Browser updates will incorporate security updates as needed. So if you have a customer using an outdated browser then your best course of action may be to advise them to upgrade. This is for their own protection and peace of mind when using the internet generally.
Anything else?
We will update the blog as often as required to ensure that this information is complete. We regularly review both our clients’ analytics, global usage statistics and announcements from the developers to identify what is most useful to our clients. Occasionally, a client’s needs may vary from these and we tackle that on a case-by-case basis. The sooner we are notified of any additional requirements, the better we can plan to meet your requirements.
If you are reporting an issue with how your site works on a browser, don’t forget to tell us what you are using and include links and screenshots to help us identify the problem. If you have any questions about this, drop your account manager a line or email us.
