Microsoft is working hard to make Edge a great browser -- but is it too late?
Bundling Internet Explorer in Windows 95 was enough for Microsoft to win the "browser wars" and consign Netscape to history, but a lot has changed since then. Bundling Edge in Windows 10 has had negligible effect on Chrome and Firefox’s dominance. After a year and a half, Microsoft Edge still only has a little over 5 percent share, according to NetMarketShare.
It didn’t help that Edge was only partially baked when Windows 10 debuted. Why swap your existing browser for one missing core features and with a far-from intuitive interface? (How to change the default search engine in Microsoft Edge quickly became one of my most viewed stories here). Microsoft is promising a wealth of new features for Microsoft Edge in Windows 10 Creators Update, but will that be enough to persuade users to give the browser a second chance?
Vivaldi CEO: 'Stop your anti-competitive practices with Edge, Microsoft!'
Microsoft is no stranger to pissing people off, particularly when it comes to Windows 10. There have been endless cries about forced updates, complaints about ads, moaning about privacy, and now the CEO of Vivaldi has lashed out at the company for its anti-competitive practices with Microsoft Edge.
Jon von Tetzchner says that Microsoft has forgotten about the "actual real-life people that use technology in their daily lives." He takes particular umbrage at Windows 10's continued insistence of resetting the default browser to Edge.
Leaked Windows 10 Creators Update Build 14997 reveals new features
Earlier in December, Microsoft warned Insiders that there would be no more new builds released this side of the New Year. Of course, this does not mean that a new build did not exist, and now build 14997 has leaked online.
Coming from the internal development branch (rs_onecoe_base, specifically), it's possible that build 14997 will never be officially released, but the leak does give a tantalizing glimpse of what we can expect. On the menu in this build of Windows 10 Creators Update is an updated version of Microsoft Edge, an improved OOBE and important tweaks to the Start menu.
Want to watch 4K Netflix content in Windows 10? You'll need Microsoft Edge
Despite being the default browser in Windows 10, Edge really hasn’t taken off in the way that Microsoft would have hoped. According to the latest usage figures from NetMarketShare, the new browser currently has just 5.26 percent share.
In a bid to improve matters, the software giant has started using pop-up notifications to push Edge in Windows 10, and bash its "rival" Chrome on both security and battery life. But if those arguments aren't enough to persuade you to switch, maybe the lure of 4K content from Netflix being exclusive to Edge will do the trick.
How to block Windows 10 popups for Microsoft Edge and Bing Rewards
Just the other day users started to notice that Microsoft was using Windows 10 to push ads for its Edge browser. Already riled by ads for Windows 10 itself and the appearance of app ads in the Start menu, people were soon asking how to stop the unwanted popups.
One suggestion that started doing the round was that simply unpinning Microsoft Edge from the taskbar does the job -- but it doesn’t seem to work for everyone. Here are a few more things you can do to prevent the appearance of Microsoft's ads.
Here we go again! Microsoft throws more ads into Windows 10
With Windows 10, Microsoft faced criticism for its heavy promotion of the new operating system. Windows 7 and 8 users became more than a little annoyed by the presence of persistent nagging upgrade prompts, and others have been irritated by the addition of 'promoted apps' to the Start menu.
Now Microsoft is at it again. Apparently unhappy with the number of people using its Edge browser, the company is now trying to encourage people to switch from rivals by using popup ads to push Edge and Bing Rewards. Will the company never learn?
Microsoft Edge is way more secure than Chrome and Firefox
While Microsoft Edge might be a little lacking in features, compared to more established browsers like Chrome and Firefox, one area where it is better than its rivals is security.
That’s according to NSS Labs which today announced the results of its latest Web Browser Security comparative test. The test pitted Chrome, Firefox and -- for the first time -- Edge against each other to see how effective the browsers are at protecting against threats.
Mozilla announces Project Mortar to bring Chrome plugins to Firefox
The browser wars continue as Chrome, Opera, Firefox and Edge all vie for attention. One of the biggest draws to any browser is plugin support, and the absence of a particular plugin can make the difference between a user switching allegiances or sticking with their tried-and-tested browser.
With this in mind, Mozilla launches Project Mortar. Its aim is to make the development and maintenance of Firefox as cheap and easy as possible. To do this, it is investigating the possibility of borrowing plugin functionality from other browsers, including PDF and Flash support from Chrome.
How to enable the dark theme in Microsoft Edge
Windows 10 Anniversary Update introduced a cool dark theme to the operating system, transforming the look of the user interface.
It’s a fairly global theme -- it affects much of the UI, although not all elements of it. File Manager, for instance, keeps the light look.
Microsoft takes security to the Edge with Windows Defender Application Guard
With many cyber attacks now initiated through the browser, endpoint security is something all businesses need to take seriously.
Among today's announcements at Ignite, Microsoft trailed security enhancements across a range of its products, including the Edge browser. Windows Defender Application Guard will be available to Windows 10 Enterprise users from next year and aims to make Edge the most secure business browser.
Microsoft re-runs Google tests and shows that Chrome has worse battery life than Edge
The bitch-fest that has been rumbling on between Microsoft and Google is showing no signs of abating. We’re all used to the concept of companies engaging in games of one-upmanship, and this has certainly been the case when these two stalwarts have been slugging it out with their respective web browsers.
The most recent battles have been fought over which browser is the most battery efficient. It’s only very recently that Google claimed that Chrome trounced Edge in battery tests -- Microsoft disagrees. The company has re-run Google’s tests and says that it produced very different results. Rather than showing that Chrome offers the best performance when it comes to playing video, this second batch of tests shows -- unsurprisingly -- that Edge is the best by quite some distance.
Changes to Microsoft Family make it possible to block Chrome and Firefox in Windows 10 Anniversary Update
Windows 10 Anniversary Update introduced a number of changes to the operating system, and Microsoft has started to email users about changes to Microsoft family settings. As the name implies, this is about keeping things family-safe, family-friendly, but one of the changes is unlikely to go down well with rivals.
While new Microsoft family options make it easier to place limits on what children are able to do with a computer, a controversial option forces the use of Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge. Microsoft has made it possible to block the use of Chrome, Firefox and other rival browsers.
Microsoft Rewards replaces Bing Rewards -- collect points to get free stuff!
Microsoft's point-collecting program Bing Rewards is being renamed Microsoft Rewards. It will work in very much the same way as before (collect points and use them to buy games, apps, movies and so on), but there are a few changes that accompany the rebranding.
As before, Microsoft Rewards will be limited to the US and India, and the program lets you earn points by shopping in the Microsoft Store and Windows Store as well as searching with Bing and simply browsing with Microsoft Edge. If you're a seasoned user, there are a few changes to note.
How to install and manage extensions in Microsoft Edge
One of the biggest changes in the new Windows 10 Anniversary Update is the introduction of extension support in Edge.
Admittedly, this is something that should have been included in the browser from day one, not popping up a year later, but hey ho, it’s here now. There aren’t many extensions at the moment -- just an unlucky 13 -- but there are some very useful ones available.
Adblock Plus arrives for Microsoft Edge in Windows 10
Today is the day that Windows 10 Anniversary Update rolls out to the masses, but this is not the only big Windows 10 news of the day. The version of Microsoft Edge included in the latest update features support for extensions -- and this means that millions of Windows 10 users can now take advantage of Adblock Plus.
Of course, this is not entirely new news. Windows Insiders have been able to use Adblock Plus for a little while now, but now that same option is available to anyone running the latest version of Microsoft's operating system.
Recent Headlines
BetaNews, your source for breaking tech news, reviews, and in-depth reporting since 1998.
Regional iGaming Content
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.