Items tagged with microsoft edge
Microsoft hopes that Windows 11 will be its next big triumph in the desktop computing realm. Because of this, it has made tons of visual improvements along with updates under the hood to make it superior to the current-generation Windows 10 operating system. Given the dominant grip of the operating system market that Microsoft has with Windows, it appears that it is now trying to annoyingly boost the adoption of the Microsoft Edge internet browser. According to a report from The Verge, Microsoft is making it more challenging to change the default browser in Windows 11 from Edge to your preferred choice (i.e., Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox). How Default Apps greets you when attempting to change...
Read more...
Which do you prefer when browsing the web—raw speed or a combination of security and privacy? Generally speaking, modern browsers deliver the whole kit and caboodle, which is the way it should be. That said, Microsoft is testing a new "Super Duper Secure Mode" for its Edge browser that puts more of an emphasis on the latter. Or to put it another way, an experimental feature in Edge sacrifices a bit of speed to make the browser more secure and to enhance user privacy. It does this by tooling around with the V8 JavaScript engine that motors the Chromium foundation of Edge. Microsoft's reasoning for experimenting in this manner is because "JavaScript engine bugs are a mainstay for attackers."...
Read more...
While Microsoft is off fighting leaks and device-breaking bugs within Windows 10, the company silently released Microsoft Edge 92 without much fanfare earlier this week. The new version of the browser is a large update bringing new features and changes for all users, including limiting autoplay content. Have you ever opened a webpage to then be serenaded by the most beautiful songs? Unfortunately, this is probably not the case, as many of us have experienced a loud video blasting our eardrums out when wanting to read local news or scroll through Facebook. However, this hopefully will not be a problem anymore, beginning with Edge 92, in which Microsoft has switched the media autoplay setting to...
Read more...
It seems almost impossible that four technology titans could possibly be on the same page. It's not totally unprecedented, however, considering Apple and Google managed to work together on COVID-19 contact tracing. However, it's much more common to read about companies taking potshots at one another over their differences. After all, Google and Apple went after one another over privacy privacy concerns. Microsoft took shots at Apple in advertisements architecture and platform differences. Mozilla is just trying to keep its head above water. They've all got a lot going on. So when the Four Horsemen of Web Browsers -- Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla, that is -- agree on something,...
Read more...
As we slowly say goodbye (and good riddance) to Internet Explorer, the millions of users still using it will need a replacement. Microsoft is trying to make sure that the replacement is its own Microsoft Edge browser based on Chromium. The company is now claiming that Edge will be the best-performing browser on Windows 10, but is it just marketing, or is the browser up to snuff? Today, Microsoft’s Build developer conference kicked off, and with it comes a slew of announcements concerning developers, businesses, and consumers alike. One of the bigger announcements was about the upcoming Edge version 91, bringing some new features to the platform. The first feature is called “startup...
Read more...
Just as we’ve finally been cleansed of the bug-riddled software infestation known as Adobe Flash, Microsoft this week announced efforts to kill off one of its most loathed software packages. We’re, of course, talking about Internet Explorer, which first burst onto the browser scene way back in 1995. The demise of Internet Explorer won’t come all at once, however. According to Microsoft, the first step of the phaseout will occur on August 17th, when Microsoft 365 and other services end support for the Internet Explorer. Then, on June 15th, 2022, the Internet Explorer desktop application will be officially “retired” and no longer supported by Microsoft. “We can’t...
Read more...
Even though Microsoft and Google are currently involved in a war of words regarding paying for aggregated news content, things are a lot more cordial when it comes to browser software. Google announced earlier this week that it is shifting to an accelerated four-week release cycle for the browser. "As we have improved our testing and release processes for Chrome and deployed bi-weekly security updates to improve our patch gap, it became clear that we could shorten our release cycle," said Google at the time. Given that the Microsoft Edge browser also uses the Chromium engine, it was only a matter of time before the Redmond-based software giant made the same shift in its release...
Read more...
Google is stepping up its game by shortening its Chrome release cycle, but it's not like other browser makers are standing still. Such is the case with Microsoft, which just released Edge 89. Microsoft is touting the performance of Sleeping Tabs, which launched in beta earlier this year. As its name implies, Sleeping Tabs allows unused tabs to go dormant; hence they consume fewer system resources. Microsoft's analytics shows that the feature has resulted in a 26 percent reduction in CPU utilization and a 16 percent drop in memory usage. That's great news for laptop users that are frequently away from a power outlet. Vertical tabs in Edge 89 Next, Microsoft revealed that vertical...
Read more...
Browser extensions like password managers and shopping aids can be very handy tools, or they can be up to no good, such as hidden crypto miners and keyloggers. Some of them even embed game console emulators and ROMs as a means to bypass typical download sites or torrents. In one weird case, however, Microsoft itself advertised illegal copies of many classic games hidden away in browser extensions on its own Edge Extensions store. Microsoft's @MSEdgeDev Twitter account tweeted a link to download extensions that hosted Sega and Nintendo properties like Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros, and Mario Kart 64. Nintendo in particular is often particularly quick to catch illegal downloads of...
Read more...
It's been roughly a year since Microsoft released the first public/stable version of its Chromium based Microsoft Edge browser. Before that point, Edge had been using Microsoft's own EdgeHTML engine, and wasn't doing much to gain market share in the browser space. However, the switchover to Google's Chromium project has led to a quickening pace of development and an increase in market share for Microsoft. To celebrate its 1-year anniversary, Microsoft has announced some big feature updates for Edge. One such addition is a new sidebar search feature, which can be invoked when highlighting a word on a website and clicking "search in sidebar". The sidebar will then slide over...
Read more...
If you're the proud owner of a new Apple M1-based Mac and have taken a shine to Microsoft's Edge browser, we've got some good news for you today. An official public channel release of the native M1 version of the browser will soon be upon us, as it just arrived via the beta channel. Microsoft first launched an M1-specific version of Edge via its Insider Canary Channel back in mid-December. Then, on January 7th, support was added via the Dev Channel. With support now being extended to the Beta Channel, an official Stable Channel release can't be too far down the road. For those that are not familiar with Microsoft's software channels, Canary builds are the most unstable, and are released...
Read more...
Suppose you want to block ads or find a deal on a product; thus a browser extension could come in handy. Just a simple download from the browser’s extension store, and you are ready to rock holiday deals without popups. The only catch is, just like any software you download, it can contain malicious code. In fact, researchers at the digital security company Avast found at least 28 third-party browser extensions that included malware. According to Avast, the 28 malicious extensions found, made for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, could “redirect user’s traffic to ads or phishing sites and to steal people’s personal data, such as birth dates, email addresses, and active...
Read more...
While Microsoft is continuing efforts to kill Adobe Flash, this company is also trying to put Internet Explorer out of its misery. Next month, users who try to go to websites like YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and more will be automatically redirected to the page opening in Microsoft Edge. This “forced IE-to-Edge” action is part of Microsoft’s broader plan to extinguish Internet Explorer in favor of the newer Microsoft Edge browser. This month, Microsoft sent an email out to businesses warning them of the phaseout of Internet Explorer and how it would affect them. At that time, Microsoft said Internet Explorers support would be “ending for Microsoft...
Read more...
Microsoft Windows 10 users are finally receiving the October 2020 Update, and it brings some UI freshening and new features. The Windows 10 Start Menu is finally getting a new look with updated icons and transparent logos. Microsoft Edge is also getting some new features to streamline usage across the Windows experience. Microsoft is calling the update to the Start Menu “A refreshing Start,” and it certainly feels that way. Icons and tiles got a uniform, transparent background that “creates a beautiful stage for the redesigned app icons like Calculator, Mail, and Calendar.” This redesign works in both light and dark themes, and if you want some color, you toggle it in...
Read more...
Mozilla has definitely seen better days, and it is coming under increasing pressure in the browser market. Mozilla's Firefox was once in a distant second to Google Chrome in the desktop browser market, but has been recently supplanted by Microsoft Edge; a move that happened after Microsoft ditched its own EdgeHTML engine in favor of Google's Chromium (much to Mozilla's chagrin). Despite these obstacles, Mozilla is moving forward with Firefox development, and just released version 82 to the public channel. There are a number of updates with Firefox 82, including a new picture-in-picture button. The button has been completely redesigned to make discoverability easier. The browser also...
Read more...
When it comes to modern web browsers, Microsoft’s Chromium-based Edge browser is already pretty energy efficient compared to its peers; especially compared to Google Chrome. However, Microsoft is working on a new feature that could further improve your runtimes for those of you with laptops. Microsoft is introducing what it calls Sleeping Tabs, which in effect will suspend any of your inactive tabs that are lingering around in the background. By suspending activity, the hope is that resources will be freed up, thus improving the overall efficiency of the Edge browser. However, in order to access this new feature, you need to be running the experimental Canary version of the Edge browser...
Read more...
Microsoft has been working on their Chromium-based Edge web browser for quite some time. The company began rolling it out this past June, but a recent update will install this new browser on a much larger number of Windows devices. The KB4576754 update forces the installation of the new Edge browser on Windows 10 version 2004, version 1909, version 1903, and version 1809. The KB4576754 update will install the new Chromium-based Edge and remove the previous EdgeHTML-based version. Data from the old version of Edge, such as a user’s passwords, will transfer over to the new version. The same applies to start menu pins, tiles, taskbar pins, and shortcuts. The new Edge will automatically be...
Read more...
Just last month, dissidents of Microsoft Edge wished to get rid of the browser and sought workarounds for its removal. Now, Microsoft has updated their explanation on why it cannot be regularly uninstalled. Back in June, the Chromium-flavored Microsoft Edge began its rollout to Windows users through Windows updates. This struck a nerve with some people, so a movement to uninstall Edge began. When that happened, Microsoft released a note stating that because it was part of a Windows update, it could not be removed. Even though that was said, users still found a way to remove the browser and ignored the note. Now, Microsoft has updated what they have to say on the matter: Why can't I uninstall...
Read more...
Microsoft has announced that it will remove support for the Adobe Flash Player in its Edge Browser “at the end of 2020”. In Microsoft parlance, this refers both to Microsoft Edge Legacy (EdgeHTML engine) and New Microsoft Edge (Chromium engine) browsers. If you’re still using the crusty old Internet Explorer 11 browser, Microsoft is ending support there as well. There was one a time when Adobe Flash ruled the internet, providing everything from interactive content for websites, to addictive online games, to powering online ads. Its quick rise in popularity meant that it was also a frequent target for malicious content, and many malware writers used Flash to deliver disastrous...
Read more...
Internet Explorer long ago ruled that roost amongst web browsers and played a pivotal role in how many websites were designed for years. Internet Explorer's dominance faded, however, with the arrival of Google Chrome. And by the time Internet Explorer 11 rolled out in 2013, Microsoft had become an also-ran in the browser wars. Microsoft hoped to regain momentum with its all-new EdgeHTML-based Edge browser introduced with Windows 10 in 2015, but it too failed to attract much of an audience as internet users continued to flock to Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. With this in mind, Microsoft this week revealed its plans to sunset support for both Internet Explorer 11 and its legacy Edge Legacy browsers. ...
Read more...
Earlier this year, the Chromium-flavored version of Microsoft Edge began to roll out with updates beyond Windows 10 version 1803. Even though it looks and feels nice, some users wished to remove all traces of Edge and found that they couldn’t, so we have a handy workaround. It seems the issue of removing Edge became a bit of a regular complaint, as Microsoft has a support article talking about it. In this article, they essentially hand-wave away concerns by basically saying, “our platform is better and baked into Windows, so you cannot uninstall it.” The problem here is that if you tell people on the internet they cannot do something, they will find a workaround, and that they...
Read more...
Back in April, we reported that the Edge browser is quickly gaining market share now that Microsoft has transitioned from the EdgeHTML engine to the more widely used Chromium engine (which also underpins Google's Chrome browser). At the time, Edge slipped into the second-place slot for desktop web browsers, with a 7.59 percent share of the market. This dropped Mozilla’s Firefox – which has long been the second-place browser behind Chrome – into third place. Now, at the start of August, we’re getting some fresh numbers in for the desktop browser market, and things aren’t looking good for Mozilla. Microsoft increased its share of the browser market...
Read more...
