Microsoft’s New Chromium-Based Edge Browser Is Now Available

Microsoft’s new Edge browser is now finished and available for download. This new browser is based on Chromium, which forms the basis of Google Chrome. Windows 10 users will also get the new Edge browser automatically delivered via Windows Update in the next few months.

Edge is available for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, macOS, iPhone, iPad, and Android. Microsoft has even promised Edge for Linux in the future—no surprise, as Chrome already runs on Linux.

The new Edge browser offers many of the features found in Google Chrome, features found in the older Edge like support for inking PDF files with a stylus, and new features like Internet Explorer Mode for accessing older websites without actually opening Internet Explorer. And yes, the new Edge works with Chrome extensions.

Microsoft is also betting hard on privacy protection with “tracking prevention,” which is enabled by default on Edge and blocks many types of trackers on the web.

After you install the new Edge, the old Edge browser will be hidden on your system. The new Edge browser can automatically import the old Edge browser’s data, so you won’t lose anything.

Microsoft has more information about Edge available in its announcement post. We look forward to using it more.

Even if you stick with Google Chrome, Microsoft’s cooperation will make Chrome better.

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