Originally published in 2009, this post is updated regularly with the latest workarounds for viewing the desktop versions of mobile sites in mobile browsers.
Last update 30-Jan-2012: Added Gmail and Google Reader workarounds. Updated Yahoo Mail, Facebook, MySpace and Orkut workarounds. Removed broken workarounds for CNN, MSN and Friendster. Removed Newsweek because it no longer has a mobile site so no workaround is needed.
One of the biggest frustrations of using the web with mobile browsers is web sites that force them to use dumbed down mobile versions. I have nothing against mobile sites, obviously. I build them and I write about them here at Wap Review. It's not redirecting mobile browsers to the mobile versions of sites that bothers me. The problem is with mobile sites that lack essential features or content found in the equivalent full web versions and don't offer users an easy way to view the full version. As I've been preaching for years, every mobile site needs to include a Full Version link.
Fortunately many mobile sites now include a link to the full version. For sites that don't it's possible to force the full-web versions of some sites in mobile browsers by using a special URL.
Here's a list of websites where getting to the full version with mobile browsers is harder than it should be along with a workaround. Note that the the ful version may not work well or at all in your mobile browser. But if there's a feature or content you like that's missing from the mobile site, it's worth trying the full version.
Facebook: Use facebook.com/home.php or www.facebook.com/home.php?m2w to load the full version in Opera Mini and most other mobile browsers.
Orkut: Has a link to the full version at the bottom of most mobile pages. Or you can go directly to it by using the URL: www.orkut.com/Home.
MySpace: In the iPhone and Android browsers there's a Full Site link on the MySpace Settings page. It's missing in Opera Mini and many other mobile browsers. No problem, just use www.myspace.com/?ucm=true to get to the full version in any browser.
The Yahoo homepage: use yahoo.com/?m=1 to open the desktop version
Yahoo Mail is a special case. us.mc1137.mail.yahoo.com/mc/welcome?ymv=0 loads the full version of Yahoo Mail but only if you haven't upgraded to the "New" version of Yahoo Mail. Switching to the new mail seems to set a flag that forces the mobile version of mail in nost mobile browsers. You must switch back to Classic Yahoo mail in order to restore mobile access. There doesn't seem to be anyway to switch back using a mobile browser, you have to find a PC to do it.
- Go into Yahoo Mail with a PC browser. Click the "Mail Classic" link at the top of the page and switch to Classic Mail.
- Launch your mobile browser and go to us.mc1137.mail.yahoo.com/mc/welcome?ymv=0 and you should be in Mail Classic.
- The key thing is that you must switch your account to use Mail Classic. You need to use a PC browser to make that switch. There doesn't seem to be any way to use the "New" Yahoo Mail on your PC and the Classic version on your phone.
More full version direct links:
Google News: news.google.com/nwshp?hl=en&tab=wn
Gmail: mail.google.com/mail/h/
Google Reader: www.google.com/reader/view/
ESPN: espn.go.com
Wall Street Journal: online.wsj.com/home-page
Twitter: mobile.twitter.com/settings/change_ui
Hall of Shame: There are a few sites that stubbornly refuse to let Opera Mini users view their full web version.
- Microsoft: Is the worst offender. Just about all Microsoft sites including Hotmail, MSN and Skydrive force mobile users to a limited mobile version with no known workaround.
- Picassaweb and iGoogle: These two sites are exceptions to Google's generally good job of providing links to the "Classic" non-mobile versions.
If you find workarounds for other sites that are blocking mobile users from their full-web versions please leave a comment and I'll add your discoveries to this post.
For problem sites try changing your browser's user agent
Web sites are able to tell that you are using a mobile browser by reading the HTTP User-Agent header that browsers send. Some mobile browsers let you change the User-Agent to spoof the site into thinking your are using a desktop browser. Here are the browsers that I know about that allow changing the User Agent and how to do it.
Android browser: On most Android phones you can enable a hidden UAString menu item by typing about:debug in the URL bar and pressing Enter. Nothing will seem to change but if you go to Settings and scroll all the way to the bottom you'll see the UASting option. It lets you choose between an Android, Desktop, iPhone or iPad User-Agent
Opera Mobile 11.50 on Symbian and Android: A User Agent option in the Advanced Settings menu lets you choose between mobile and desktop versions.
UC Browser: Java and Symbian 8.0 versions have User Agent option in the Settings (Java) or Settings > Preferences > Network (Symbian) menu.
Empty
Wap UA
Web UA
Some sites will recognize that you are using a mobile browser and send the mobile version no matter which you chose. If you use empty, a few sites might block you as the user agent isn't supposed to be empty.
You have to experiment, there's no setting that will give the best result with every site.
empty
wap UA
web UA
But none of there give me desktop view option.
Please tell me. THANK YOU.
Both work for me in Opera Mini 6.5 and Opera Mini Next but with some browsers you may need to use the 2nd one.
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Mozilla FireFox..
ThiS Is Easy And Fun...
ToolS.. OptionS.. Content..
Disable Javascript..
Boom! Go To Your Yahoo! Email..
Refresh The Page..
Switch Back To The ClaSSIc Yahoo! Mail..
That You Love The Most!
Go Back!
Don't Forget To Re-Enable Javascript!
All you can do is file a bug report with Opera and hope they fix it. In the meantime use the Yahoo Mobile version for sending mail with Opera Mini.
I filed a bug report with Opera and posted about it onthe Opera Mini Forum: http://my.opera.com/community/forums/topic.dml?id=1290182&t=1328044456
A workaround to get to your contacts is to start a new message and click the "To:" link
What about rediffmail.com
How can we see full website of rediffmail.com on operamini.
Thanks
if i type picasaweb.google.com it automatically changes in to picasaweb.google.com/m please help me i need the full version of picasa.
after Orkut on opera mini, now its facebook that's not providing any full site link on its page, . .not even on opera 11. What should i do?
Menu Key | More | Settings | User Agent | Desktop
That fixes everything that can be fixed. Why can't Opera Mini alter the user agent string? Oh well, Dolphin Browser HD works great.
I am not able to access picasa in full version if i type it as picasa.com it automatically changes in to picasa.m.com please help me i need the full version of picasa i have tried in 5.1 and in opera mobile 10 also
enjoyyyy
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2205031654
I am using my new handset Nokia c3. And I access the internet by opera 5.1, but there is a problem to access orkut in full desktop view. But when I access orkut very first time, It shows in full desktop version. Even I can't show my Images in my mobile view version.
Please tell me how can I access full desktop view of orkut???????????????????????????
However the mobile site will appear again if we access some feature on facebook (i forgot the feature), and we can't give comment on status too. Opmin is sucked when accessing facebook. Even i have to login every time i access m.facebook.com
reload the fullsite over again before clicking on any link like profile, inbox,notification,photos ETC
IT WORKS FOR ME
1. type opera:config in the url
2. search for "agent" as quick lookup
3. put in e.g "opera/9.5" as custom user agent.
U can always go to http://www.useragentstring.com/ to check yr current agent string
I referred you to the comments on http://wapreview.com/blog/?p=581 for a suggested workaround. Did you try that?
Also, Please stop posting the same question over and over again.
"Until recently it was possible to to access the full version of Facebook using Opera Mini and other mobile browsers by visiting http://www.facebook.com/home.php?m2w
But that URL now loads the mobile version. I prefer the full version to the dumbed down mobile version. Please restore this feature."
I suggest that you also submit a similar suggestion.
As a temporary alternative try:
Facebook Lite: http://lite.facebook.com/
or
Facebook Touch: http://touch.facebook.com/
at the very top you'll get an option "click here to access main site" you'll be able to access the full version
I can access it with skyfire but I'd love to use opera instead.
thanks a lot for he tips...
I've updated the post.
http://www.weather.com gives me the full version of Weather.com. The weather map URL works too if you refresh the page after it loads. It's not animated because Opera Mini doesn't support animation but you can step through the frames one by one with the ">" key.
http://www.weather.com/maps/maptype/currentweatherusnational/usinfraredsatellite_large_animated.html
As stated in the post. "Just about all Microsoft sites including Hotmail force Opera Mini users to a mobile version with no known workaround."
If you find a way to do it please let us know.
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One website I use forces a re-direct to the mobile site which is a pay site, while the normal full website is free.
This even happens when using Opera Mini.
I tried using various anonymous proxies, but the website would still not work in Opera Mini.
Then I found http://www.boltbrowser.com. It's a java webbrowser like Opera Mini (in beta), but it worked first time and like a bomb.
The Opera guys NEED TO PICK UP THEIR GAME!!!
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I tried extracting the iGoogle url from the Google cache results but failed to come up with anything that works.