Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge. It is a cross-platform web browser developed by Microsoft. Initially launched in 2015 as the successor to Internet Explorer on Windows 10, it was rebuilt in 2019 using the Chromium open-source project. The browser is designed for performance, security, and integration with the Microsoft ecosystem, including services like Microsoft 365 and OneDrive.

History

The development of this browser was announced by Microsoft in 2014 under the codename "Project Spartan." It was officially released alongside Windows 10 in July 2015, replacing Internet Explorer as the default browser. The original version utilized the proprietary EdgeHTML engine and was praised for its improved performance over its predecessor. In December 2018, Microsoft announced a major shift, revealing plans to rebuild the browser on the Chromium engine, a move influenced by broader web standards compatibility and the Google Chrome development model. The first stable Chromium-based version was released in January 2020 for Windows 10 and macOS, marking a significant departure from its original architecture. Subsequent development has focused on integrating features from the Microsoft ecosystem and contributing back to the Chromium open-source project.

Features

The browser offers a suite of features emphasizing productivity and privacy. It includes built-in tools like **Collections** for organizing web content and **Vertical Tabs** for managing many open pages. Its **Immersive Reader** mode provides a distraction-free reading experience, stripping away ads and non-essential elements. For security, it incorporates tracking prevention with multiple configurable levels, SmartScreen filter for phishing and malware protection, and support for Windows Hello for biometric authentication. Deep integration with Microsoft 365 allows users to access and edit Office Online documents directly. The browser also supports extensions from both its own Add-ons store and the Chrome Web Store, owing to its Chromium foundation.

Platforms and availability

It is available as a native application across a wide range of operating systems. On desktop, it is the default browser on Windows 10 and Windows 11, with dedicated versions for macOS and Linux. For mobile devices, it is offered on iOS through the App Store and on Android via Google Play. The browser supports synchronization of favorites, passwords, history, and open tabs across all these devices when signed into a Microsoft account. It is also integrated into the Xbox Series X/S system software for web browsing on consoles.

Reception

Initial critical reception of the original EdgeHTML version was mixed, with praise for its performance and battery efficiency on Windows 10 but criticism for its limited extension ecosystem. The transition to a Chromium base in 2019 was widely seen as a positive step by reviewers from publications like The Verge and Ars Technica, who noted vast improvements in website compatibility and extension support. Privacy advocates have commended its robust tracking prevention features, which are often enabled by default. However, some critics within the open-source software community have expressed concerns about further cementing the market dominance of the Chromium engine, potentially harming web standards diversity.

Market share and usage

According to data from analytics firms like StatCounter and NetMarketShare, its global usage share on desktop has seen significant growth since the Chromium relaunch, often ranking as the second or third most used browser behind Google Chrome and ahead of Mozilla Firefox. This growth has been particularly notable on Windows 10 and Windows 11, where it is pre-installed and actively promoted. Its share on mobile platforms like iOS and Android remains considerably smaller, facing intense competition from Safari and Google Chrome. Microsoft reports hundreds of millions of monthly active users, leveraging its position within the Microsoft ecosystem to drive adoption among users of Office 365 and other services.

Category:Web browsers Category:Microsoft software Category:Windows components