Hello!

Opera has unveiled version 108 (108.0.5047.0), featuring a significant upgrade to Chromium 121.0.6156.3. This update brings enhanced performance and resolves critical issues, ensuring a smoother and more secure browsing experience.

Most importantly, we changed the way how Opera Browser is starting for Windows. Previously Opera was started using launcher.exe binary which picks the appropriate opera.exe file. Starting from 107 the launcher.exe was removed, and Opera will be started directly through opera.exe file, located in installation directory.

As non-default shortcuts (created by the user) will stop working after this change, we created hard link (‘launcher.exe’) to allow users to adapt to this change.

This works as follows:

• For old installations, which contain launcher binary – the hard link will be created (to make sure that users custom shortcuts will still working after update)
• For new installations – the link will not be created

The hard link is temporary solution and will be removed in the future. Please make sure that your custom shortcuts will point to opera.exe file after this update. The default Opera shortcuts should be updated during the update procedure, so no action is required. Along with this change, opera_autoupdate binary was moved from versioned folder (f.e. 105.0.4970.76) to folder called ‘autoupdate’.

Stay tuned for further updates as Opera continues to evolve. Here’s the link to the full changelog.

Happy browsing!

Installation links:

• Opera developer for Windows (Using the Opera developer for Windows installer means you have accepted the Opera for Computers EULA)
• Opera developer for Windows (Portable version)
• Opera developer for macOS

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