Can I make the browser stop autmatically refreshing pages that haven't been displayed for a while? If I surf to a page and then leave the browser for a while, when I open up the browser again it still shows the content of the page - but after a second or so it initiates a refresh. Is there a way to stop this behavior?

I have experienced the same behavior in Dolphin Browser, fwiw.
I've noticed this with Dolphin as well, but in my findings it is not actually refreshing the page, rather I think it is reloading the cached content of the page. I'm pretty sure this is whats going on because at work we have a guest wireless system that requires authentication. When I connect my phone to it and browse I have to login with credentials at a landing page. This page doesn't come up right away after opening Dolphin browser, even though I sit and wait for Dolphin to load up the page. I have to hit refresh and then I am redirected to the landing page to login.

I hunted for a cache setting that may improve this annoyance, but didn't find one. We might have to wait for an update to the app.

Update:

This should HELP solve the problem for root users, I say help because there still may be some refreshing that occurs.

The problem:

Android is set to offload the browser cache from memory to the local partition (where apps are stored) when you leave the browser. This is because most android phones still don't have much space in the partition where apps and such are installed. My Evo only has 400mb of space.

My best guess is that Android was set to work this way because originally phones didn't have much space to work with. No that is becoming less of an issue.

Possible Solutions:


For rooted users only: Download Swapper2. From what I have read in other forums, this makes a huge difference in how often the browser offloads cache to the local partition. And users have reported it makes a big difference.
Set Dolphin browser to store cache on the SD card. Maybe if the browser doesn't have to wait for cache to be shuffled around it wont refresh as much, or if it does still refresh, maybe it will take less time.


What did I do? I installed Swapper2 and wow. It really works. Now I can open Dolphin and not have to wait for refresh. Finally!!