Today, Microsoft is releasing the new Edge browser, built on Chromium, as a stable release for Windows and macOS. The new version, which is available to download now, no longer uses EdgeHTML but Chromium as standard, which will work with Chrome extensions, a similar browsing experience to Chrome and a familiar look.
The browser has been redesigned from scratch, so you'll find it works less like the legacy Microsoft Edge and more like Google's Chrome and other browsers. It's got tracking protection built in, Picture in Picture video, 4K video support for streaming websites, and lots more. The move to Chromium is key – it has allowed Microsoft to support Windows 7, 8.1 and 10, alongside macOS, Linux (coming in the future) and mobile apps on iOS and Android. The browser is much more universal, easier and quicker to use and is compatible with more websites.
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The stable version of Microsoft Edge Chromium can be downloaded from the official web site:
Download Microsoft Edge 79 Stable
The stable version is Build 79.0.309.65, same as the current Beta build (see below).
Microsoft has got some interesting features that will be unique to the Edge Chromium browser. Internet Explorer mode targets business users, and will allow them to load up legacy sites that would typically only work with IE. Collections, due to be released soon, will let you collate images, text, links and more content from any website, into lists, and quickly access them. Tracking prevention provides three levels of blocking for trackers and adverts on websites.
A huge benefit of using Chromium is that Microsoft can now release updates to the Edge browser when they like. It will allow them to easily fix a bug, or launch new features, that would've only been possible through Windows Update with the legacy Edge. The company has already been running three preview rings of Edge Chromium – Developer, Canary and Beta, where it has tested new features, and it will continue to run this.
The actual pre-release versions of Edge Chromium at the moment of this writing are as follows:
- Beta Channel: 79.0.309.65
- Dev Channel: 81.0.389.2
- Canary Channel: 81.0.394.0
Microsoft hopes to gain some market share with the new Edge, and also wants to improve the web-browsing experience whilst doing so. Throughout the testing period of the new Edge browser, they've consistently contributed to and improved the Chromium source code.
If you run Windows 10, the browser will be rolling out through Windows Updates in the next few months. Microsoft will roll it out in groups, and aims to have it on all compatible Windows 10 machines by the summer. You'll find that it will replace the current Edge browser, so, if you aren't happy with that, you may want to block the automatic installation. Also, Edge Chromium won’t automatically install for enterprise users.
Windows 7, 8.1 and macOS users will need to manually install the update. You heard us – although Microsoft just ended support for Windows 7, they'll continue support Edge on the ageing operating system for 18 months or more.
You will find many Edge tricks and features covered in the following post:
Hands-on with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge
Also, see the following updates.
- Show or Hide Collections Button in Microsoft Edge
- Edge Chromium Won’t Automatically Install For Enterprise Users
- Microsoft Edge Receives New Customization Options for New Tab Page
- Change Default Download Folder in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Make Microsoft Edge Ask Where To Save Downloads
- Enable QR Code Generator for Page URL in Edge Chromium
- Edge 80.0.361.5 Hits the Dev Channel with Native ARM64 Builds
- Edge Chromium Extensions Web Site Is Now Opened for Developers
- Prevent Microsoft Edge Chromium From Installing via Windows Update
- Edge Chromium Receives Pin To Taskbar Wizard
- Microsoft Enables Collections in Canary and Dev Edge with Improvements
- Edge Chromium Has Got New Tab Page Improvements in Canary
- Edge Receives Colorful Title Bars for PWAs
- Microsoft Reveals How Tracking Prevention Works in Edge Chromium
- Edge Receives Tight PWA Integration with Windows Shell
- Edge Chromium Will Sync Your Extensions Soon
- Edge Chromium Introduces Insecure Content Blocking Feature
- Enable Strict Tracking Prevention for InPrivate Mode in Microsoft Edge
- Edge Chromium Receives Full Screen Window Frame Drop Down UI
- Edge Chromium for ARM64 Devices is Now Available for Testing
- Enable Classic Edge and Edge Chromium Running Side-by-Side
- Export Favorites to HTML File In Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Edge for Linux is officially coming
- Edge Chromium Stable Is Coming on January 15, 2020 With New Icon
- Microsoft Edge Gets a New Logo
- Enable Dark Mode for All Sites in Microsoft Edge
- Edge Chromium Is Now Default PDF Reader, Here is How to Change This
- Edge Chromium Receives Weather Forecast and Greetings on New Tab Page
- Edge Removes The Block Option from Media AutoPlay Blocking
- Edge Chromium: Tab Freezing, High Contrast Mode Support
- Edge Chromium: Block Third-party Cookies for InPrivate Mode, Extension Access to Search
- Microsoft Gradually Gets Rid of Rounded UI in Edge Chromium
- Edge Now Allows Disabling Feedback Smiley Button
- Block Potentially Unwanted Apps For Downloads in Microsoft Edge
- Global Media Controls in Microsoft Edge Receive a Dismiss Button
- Microsoft Edge: New AutoPlay Blocking Options, Updated Tracking Prevention
- Turn Off News Feed on New Tab Page in Microsoft Edge
- Enable Extensions Menu Button in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Remove Feedback Smiley Button in Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Edge Will No Longer Support ePub
- Latest Microsoft Edge Canary Features Tab Hover Cards
- Microsoft Edge Now De-Elevates Itself Automatically
- Microsoft Details Edge Chromium Roadmap
- Microsoft Enables Global Media Controls in Microsoft Edge
- How to Use Cloud Powered Voices in Microsoft Edge Chormium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Never Translate, Prepopulate Find with Text Selection
- Enable Caret Browsing in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Enable IE Mode in Chromium Edge
- Stable Update Channel Made its First Appearance for Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Receives an Updated Password Reveal Button
- What are Controlled Feature Roll-outs in Microsoft Edge
- Edge Canary Adds New InPrivate Text Badge, New Sync Options
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Clear Browsing Data on Exit
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Now Allows Switching Theme
- Microsoft Edge: Support for Windows Spell Checker in Chromium Engine
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Prepopulate Find with Text Selection
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Gets Tracking Prevention Settings
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Change Display Language
- Group Policy Templates for Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium: Pin Sites To Taskbar, IE Mode
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Will Allow Uninstalling PWAs as Desktop Apps
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Includes YouTube Video Info in Volume Control OSD
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Canary Features Dark Mode Improvements
- Show Icon Only for Bookmark in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Autoplay Video Blocker is coming to Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium is Receiving New Tab Page Customization Options
- Enable Microsoft Search in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Grammar Tools Are Now Available in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Now Follows System Dark Theme
- Here’s how Microsoft Edge Chromium looks on macOS
- Microsoft Edge Chromium now installs PWAs in the root of the Start menu
- Enable Translator in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Dynamically Changes Its User Agent
- Microsoft Edge Chromium Warns When Running as Administrator
- Change Search Engine In Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Hide or Show Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Install Chrome Extensions in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Enable Dark Mode in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Chrome Features Removed and Replaced by Microsoft in Edge
- Microsoft Released Chromium-based Edge Preview Versions
- Chromium-Based Edge to Support 4K and HD Video Streams
- Microsoft Edge Insider extension now available in Microsoft Store
- Hands-on with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Edge Insider Addons Page Revealed
- Microsoft Translator is Now Integrated with Microsoft Edge Chromium
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Why would you encourage people to get this new browser asap? Have you forgotten all the problems the last new browser M$ released had?
This is simply phase 2 of beta testing, M$’s standard operating procedure. I’ll stick to my own SOP of letting everyone else find and report the bugs and not updating until it’s actually stable.
Well, simply because it is much better than the classic Edge.
In an article I read that you can uninstall edge chromium, I now see that it appears in the list of programs. My question is, does uninstalling egde chromium return the classic?
yep you are right. This will restore the classic Edge app.
Bit confused as my Edge Beta has – Version 80.0.361.33 (Official build) beta (64-bit)
The version number is higher than your list.
Could you give any reason for this
My version number is the number recently released to the beta channel.