Getting started with Opera

About Opera

Welcome to Opera help, covering the essential functionality of the Opera Web browser.

Opera is a "Web browser", a computer program which can be used to visit Web pages on the Internet. You can also read e-mail, read news and send instant messages in Opera.

More information on-line

There is a vast amount of information about Opera on-line. If you want more information than what is available in this help, try these links.

Tip: To search for help on a topic in Opera's knowledge database, for example "skins", type "o skins" in Opera's address field.

Getting on-line

If you have problems connecting to the Internet, first of all check...

Is your modem properly connected to your computer and telephone line?
Is your modem turned on?
Is your phone line available?
Have you paid your phone and Internet bill?

When these things are confirmed, try the following...

Go to the "File" menu on the main menu and make sure "Work off-line" is not checked.
Check that your Internet connection is set up like instructed by your Internet Service Provider or System Administrator. Contact them if you need assistance.
If you are using Windows 98 or Windows 2000, use the built-in dialer on the system, "Dial-Up Networking", accessed through the "My Computer" icon on the Desktop.
If using dial-up networking, you either need to configure the dial-up software to connect automatically when you try to access a Web page, or you will have to start the dial-up connection manually each time you want to connect to the Internet.

Sometimes things beyond your control will prevent you from getting on the Internet...

Your Internet Service Provider may be temporarily unavailable
Web sites may be temporarily unavailale
Internet traffic may be temporarily at peak level
Your computer equipment may be broken and need repairs

If other Internet programs on your computer are working, but Opera is not, visit Opera Support to look for help.

Downloading Opera

The latest version of Opera for supported operating systems and languages is always available from Opera Software's download pages.

Download Opera now

Installing Opera

Once you have downloaded Opera to your computer, run the installation program and follow the instructions in the installation procedure.

The free version of Opera comes with a banner ad. You have three options.

Run the free version with a generic selection of ads
Run the free version with ads that fit your interests
Pay for a license in order to run a registered version without ads

If you plan to use the free version, specifying your interests in the advertising preferences will give you more relevant ads.

Learn more about installing Opera

Buying Opera

If you wish to buy Opera so you can use it without advertisements, please visit our secure site.

Buy Opera now

When you have bought Opera, you will receive registration information, usually by e-mail. Carefully enter the registration information through Register Opera under the Help menu. Read the e-mail for details on how to register.

Learn more about registering Opera

Surfing for the first time

Here is a list of things that could be useful to people who are unfamilar with the Internet.

To visit a Web page, simply enter its Web page addresses, such as www.opera.com, in Opera's address field, then click the [Go] button.
To find the information on the Web, enter your search criteria in Opera's integrated search field, just right next to the address field, then click the [Search] button. Click the down arrow for different ways of searching.
Underlined text strings in a Web page are usually links. Links are pointers to other Web pages. This is how the Internet is interconnected. Click on links to get to other Web pages.
When you enter new Web addresses or click links in a Web page, you go to a new page. To go back to the previous page, click the "Back" button on the main button bar. Likewise, click "Forward" to go forward again.
You can also use Opera for e-mail, news groups and instant messaging.

Learn more about surfing the Internet

Opera concepts

If you are new to Opera, this list shows some essentials concepts in Opera.

Bookmarks	Your collection of links to Web pages	Ctrl + Alt + B
Contacts	Store information about your friends and contacts	Ctrl + Alt + C
Full screen	Use your entire computer screen to view Web pages	F11
Gestures	Use the mouse for frequent actions	Learn
History	Get a full list of all Web sites you have visited recently	Ctrl + Alt + H
Hotclick	Copy, translate, look up and search the Web for a word in a Web page	Double-click on the word
Preferences	Fine-tune Opera to work the way you want	Alt + P
Search	Find text in the Web page you are currently viewing, or search on the Web directly through Opera's user interface	Shift + F8
Shortcuts	Use the keyboard for a wealth of actions	Learn
Zooming	Move in closer on a Web page	Numeric + Numeric -

Be also aware that a lot of the things you usually click on with your left mouse button also have contextual menus with many choices if you click with the right mouse button.