Microsoft today released Microsoft Edge 123.0.2420.53 to the stable branch. It is notable for several quality of life improvements, bugfixes and new policies. Let's look at the changes closely.
Category: Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is getting AI Notebook and Designer Image editor
Microsoft has updated the Edge browser by adding two AI features, named AI Notebook and Designer Image editor. Both are currently experimental features and need to be enabled manually.
Microsoft will keep the classic PDF viewer in Edge until at least 2025
Microsoft has decided to use the classic PDF reader as the default PDF viewer in the Edge browser until mid-Summer 2024. By that time, the company will roll-out Adobe PDF engine integration, but the classic viewer will remain available until 2025. So the new timeline greatly postpones the earlier announced dates of the removal.
Microsoft has stopped promoting Edge when you change the default browser
In order to adhere to the regulations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Union, Microsoft is implementing adjustments to its services and apps. As a result, pop-up advertisements for Edge will no longer appear when users attempt to change their default browser in Windows 10 and 11.
Microsoft Edge 122 has been released
Microsoft has started rolling out the stable version of Microsoft Edge 122 (122.0.2365.52), which brings with it several new features, changes, and bug fixes.
Microsoft Edge gets a separate search box
Microsoft Edge may soon get a dedicated search box, resembling the look of many browsers from the early 2000s. Unlike the address bar, the search box will allow you to pick the desired search engine for the typed terms, which adds extra convenience. On the other hand, it steals the toolbar space, so a smaller part of a URL will remain visible.
Microsoft Edge for Android is getting extension support
Shortly after Firefox, Edge mobile is getting support for extensions. Microsoft is already testing the new capabilities with a small select group of users.
Tab auto grouping in Edge leaks your open sites to Microsoft
Since March, Microsoft is testing the tab auto grouping feature in the Edge browser. By selecting the "group similar tabs" in the tab menu, you can make it create several tab groups united by the topic and domain. However, Microsoft forgot to mention that this feature will send URLs of open websites to their servers.
With KB5034204, Edge forcibly imports Chrome tabs, here’s a workaround
After installing the KB5034204 update for Windows 11, the Microsoft Edge browser automatically opens all tabs from Chrome. It silently imports them even if you have earlier disabled the appropriate option.
Microsoft Edge 121 released, adds AVIF and AV1 support, Typo protection
Microsoft today released Edge 121 stable. The update is notable for adding support for AVIF and AV1 media formats. Organizational branding for customers, updated experience into Browser Essentials, and Typo protection policies for URLs are among other changes.