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.

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 the following:

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?

If this did not help, 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 as instructed by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or system administrator -- contact them if you need assistance
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 (ISP) may be temporarily unavailable
Web sites may be temporarily unavailable
Internet traffic may be temporarily at peak level
Your computer equipment may be broken and in need of 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 Apple 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 unfamiliar with the Internet:

Visiting a Web page
- Enter a Web page addresses, such as www.opera.com, in Opera's address field
- Click the "Go" button
Finding information on the Web
- Enter your search criteria in Opera's integrated search field, next to the address field
- Click the "Search" button
- Click the down arrow for more search options
Links
- Underlined text strings in a Web page are usually links
- Links are pointers to other Web pages
- Clicking on links will take you to other Web pages -- this is how the Internet is interconnected
Navigation
- When you enter new Web addresses or click links in a Web page, you are taken to a new page
- To go back to a previous page, click the "Back" button on the main button bar
- Click "Forward" to go forward again

Learn more about surfing the Internet

Opera concepts

This list shows some essential concepts in Opera:

Bookmarks	Your collection of links to Web pages	Cmd + B
History	Get a list of all Web sites you have visited recently
Preferences	Fine-tune Opera to work the way you want	Cmd + ;
Search	Find text in the Web page you are currently viewing, or search on the Web directly through Opera's user interface
Shortcuts	Use the keyboard for a wealth of actions	Learn
Zooming	Move in closer on an entire Web page, or move out for an overview	Cmd + and Cmd -

Also, note that a lot of the things you usually click on with your mouse button also have contextual menus, with many choices, that pop up if you press Ctrl while clicking.