How to use Brave browser for BAT?

I'm completely stuck: How to use Brave browser for BAT?

I just made the switch away from Chrome. Best decision ever.

My laptop battery isn't draining like a cracked bucket anymore, but I've hit a seriously frustrating roadblock trying to decode the built-in crypto rewards system. Seriously, I keep staring at this little orange triangle icon sitting in the corner of my URL bar. Nothing happens. If I genuinely want to learn how to use Brave browser for BAT, what are the actual, literal steps to get the engine running?

I scrolled through a bunch of fragmented forums yesterday morning. Total chaos. Some folks claim you literally just surf the web normally, while others swear you have to manually tweak labyrinthine notification settings or immediately bind a third-party custodial account—like Uphold or Gemini—just to accumulate a microscopic fraction of a token.

I need someone to explain how to use Brave browser for BAT without making it sound like I need a graduate degree in cryptography.

My current setup and friction points

I'm sitting here scratching my head.

Specific questions for the veterans:

• Ad frequency mechanics: If I max out the slider to 10 push notifications an hour, does my token payout actually scale up proportionally? Or will I just get endlessly spammed with random VPN pop-ups?
• The Auto-Contribute trap: I strongly suspect I accidentally dumped my tiny, invisible balance to a random Wikipedia author last night. Where is the absolute kill-switch for that specific feature?

Honestly, if any seasoned user could share a realistic, step-by-step playbook on exactly how to use Brave browser for BAT—from a completely fresh install to actually holding the coins—I'd owe you immensely.

I don't want abstract theories. Just raw, functional steps.