Teams developing government online services for access via each of the two main mobile operating systems now have an additional browser to include in checks, an updated guidance document reveals
Government has updated its Service Manual to require additional testing of citizen services on the Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge web browsers.
The manual – a guidance document intended to help departmental digital teams build services that meet government’s service standard – has updated its advice on “designing for different browsers and devices”.
Testing instructions have been expanded for each of the two major mobile web browsers.
For iOS, services must now be tested on the latest stable version of Edge, as well as on the previously required Safari and Chrome.
Government teams testing on Android, meanwhile, should ensure their service works with Firefox. The Mozilla browser is added to existing requirements for testing on Chrome and Samsung Internet.
The testing regime for Windows and macOS machines remains essentially unchanged. Both operating systems require service testing on Chrome and Firefox, while Windows services should also incorporate Microsoft Edge trials, and macOS services must encompass Safari checks.
The previous list of required checks, which was published in September 2024, claims that the regime addressed about 95% of all browser usage. In the updated version, including additional Edge and Firefox checks, this figure is raised to 98%.
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The amended document also makes stronger encouragements for service teams to probe further and, if there is evidence of user demand, to conduct potential additional technical checks.
The version from 2024 suggests that development teams should “consider the impact on users… [and] consider doing some user research to learn more”.
The February 2026 iteration says: “Some users may access your service using older or unsupported browsers. You should use analytics to understand how your users access the service and decide whether additional support is needed.”
Elsewhere, the document explains the importance of browser testing to ensure that government services are “universally accessible”.
“Technology is always changing, so users’ experience of your service will vary according to the technical capabilities of their browsers and devices,” it says. “Different browsers handle technologies like CSS, HTML and JavaScript in slightly different ways. It’s fine if there are small, visible differences in how a page renders – as long as it does not make it harder for the user to understand the content or interact with the page. Services do not have to look perfect in every browser. But users must be able to access and use all the information and features they need, regardless of which browser they use.”
