Microsoft Edge is the successor to Internet Explorer (IE) and comes installed with Windows. Formerly code-named Spartan, Edge boasts a lightweight structure designed to support multiple device platforms.
Edge is built on Chromium and compatible with Chrome extensions, featuring Immersive Reader to make reading a seamless experience and Tracking Prevention to protect your privacy online.
Features
Microsoft Edge was designed to be the optimal browser for Windows 10. Based on Chromium, which powers Google Chrome, but slightly faster and with reduced memory usage and user telemetry collection. Furthermore, some Chrome extensions might work but users may experience compatibility issues.
The browser also offers various security and privacy settings, such as protecting against phishing and malware websites, offering three levels of privacy from Basic to Balanced to Strict for individual users. Furthermore, Immersive Reader allows them to simplify pages by removing images or other distractions to make text more readable.
Other features include Tab Management and Split Window. The latter allows you to view two tabs side-by-side, making web comparison easier. Furthermore, tabs can be pinned so they will open automatically each time Edge launches.
Another useful feature is being able to create Collections – groups of related websites and bookmarks you can quickly access at any time. Collections can serve a multitude of functions, from managing shopping wishlists and research topics for school or work to planning travel arrangements and organizing travel plans across devices. Plus, collections can even be synced across devices! Microsoft is working to integrate Bing Search into your browser, enabling natural language commands to ask Copilot for information or take actions on your behalf. The search engine also displays contextually relevant files and SharePoint sites in search results; for instance, when searching OneDrive account files or images stored there will display as results on screen.
Syncing
Microsoft Edge features a feature that lets you synchronize browsing data across devices. It is automatically activated when signing in using your Microsoft account (or domain account linked to one), giving you consistent settings, reading lists, bookmarks and settings across devices with whom you sign in using that email address. Syncing takes place both locally (on each device) and remotely (cloud-wise).
Edge offers the ability to synchronize all kinds of browsing data including bookmarks, settings, form-fill data (including addresses and more), passwords, extensions, open tabs and collections created during an InPrivate session as well as favorites created within InPrivate sessions. All this data is regularly backed up to the cloud for restore after restarting the browser.
Edge’s syncing is fast, reliable and simple to set up – not only on computers but also smartphones and other devices – I have never had an issue with it!
To activate Edge Sync, to click or tap the three dot menu at the top-right corner and then Settings, followed by Profiles on the left side. When your profile name displays below it, Sync should be on. To switch on or off specific types of syncing simply tap or click its respective switch found to its right.
Reset sync in Edge will sync and merge data on your device with that stored on Microsoft servers to fix any problems you might be encountering. To locate this feature, tap or click the three dot menu in the top-right, select Settings, then scroll down until you see Reset sync as an option.
Extensions
Microsoft Edge Store currently provides several extensions that enhance your browsing experience, such as those that help download and store content offline, translate foreign languages, block ads and trackers, type flawless text and emails, type effortlessly without mistakes and more. Furthermore, there are other useful extensions like Grammarly which provide various kinds of functionality – it offers real-time spelling, grammar and punctuation checks while writing as well as suggested corrections for typos or grammar issues – making writing error free an essential requirement of developers who aim for error free work.
Mouse Gestures is another useful extension, which enables you to perform basic browsing functions using mouse gestures. Simply swipe left or right to switch tabs, up and down for browsing history, close tabs with right click, close all open ones with one right-click, return to previous page by shifting mouse cursor down-right, etc. This extension also lets you close tabs by right-clicking, close them entirely by shifting down-right mouse cursor, close current tab right click right click etc.
Microsoft Edge also features several interesting extensions, such as LastPass which helps manage passwords and make it easier to log into websites, while saving money when shopping online thanks to built-in support for coupon codes. TreeClicks enables shoppers to contribute towards tree planting while shopping online.
Overall, Microsoft Edge is an outstanding browser with several unique features that distinguish it from its competitors. However, it should be noted that its operation requires relatively new computers or mobile devices and lacks support for Linux which may deter some users.
Performance Mode
Microsoft Edge browser has steadily been making strides against Chrome since it first made an appearance, initially being seen as slow and cumbersome at launch. Since based on Chromium, Edge has seen numerous feature upgrades over recent months in order to try to gain an edge against its rival; one such update was an optimized CPU usage profile to provide a superior browsing experience with Performance Mode enabled for enhanced browsing experiences.
Edge Canary testers can access and enable the “Performance Mode” button (which looks like a pulsating heart) via the Settings page, making it simple and accessible to toggle performance settings and determine when they kick in – you can set this as always on, only when unplugged from power sources or running low on battery, or set custom options as required.
With the performance setting enabled, browsers will reportedly discard tabs after two hours of inactivity and prevent certain websites from closing them automatically. You can still wake them up if necessary – they’ll simply be greyed out to make finding them easier.
Start-up boost is another feature included in Performance mode that aims to decrease CPU load on startup, accessible through the Settings page in the three-dot menu. Once activated, pages loaded will have reduced scripts and styles in order to improve performance without hindering website display; additionaly, this browser will disable its autoplay function if websites enable it and detect audio/video content to avoid draining devices’ resources.
Tabs
Searching for an address or browsing new websites requires keeping track of multiple tabs simultaneously, and Microsoft Edge makes this easier by offering various features to manage them such as vertical tabs that make viewing each page easily possible and the option of creating groups of tabs so you can categorize your work – for instance grouping all project-related pages together or making one just for YouTube video viewing.
Microsoft Edge not only features tab management tools, but it also allows you to duplicate a tab by right-clicking it, so you can simultaneously view two copies of the same web page – something which is especially handy when working on projects which require total concentration without distractions.
Another great feature is its automatic reopen of tabs you accidentally close, accessible via the browser settings page. Furthermore, users have the ability to enable or disable fade sleeping tabs which put inactive tabs to sleep after a preset period of time has elapsed.
Notable features of Microsoft Edge’s latest version include its lightweight design, which requires less memory than Internet Explorer and reduces initial load times. Furthermore, its super-smooth scrolling makes an improvement over jerky scrolling found in older versions of Edge browser. In addition to basic features, Edge’s Chromium-based version offers customizable new tab pages where users can place quick links, news feeds and other items; you can even alter their order on this new tab page!
