Google Chrome and Firefox are solid web browsers, but if you want to stay in the Microsoft family, Chromium-based Edge is a modern and streamlined option. Since its launch, Edge has continued to add new features and capabilities to establish itself as a better choice than Internet Explorer and Microsoft’s previous iterations.
However, before getting the most out of Edge, it’s important to understand the many features of the browser that you can take advantage of and use effectively. Here are some of the best tips for Edge.
1. Update Edge
Microsoft has been adding new features to Edge, like the new AI-powered Bing . Although updates occur automatically, you may need to manually update your browser from time to time.
If you click the ellipsis icon in the upper right corner, then go to Help & Feedback > About Microsoft Edge, you can see which version of Edge you’re currently running. If an update is available, it will be installed automatically. Then, you need to click Restart Edge to reset the browser and provide the latest features.
2. Add web pages to favorites
Microsoft Edge allows you to store your favorite websites as favorites. Add to favorites by opening the page you want to add. Click the star icon in the Edge toolbar to open the Edit Favorites menu. From here, you can rename pages and add them to specific folders to better organize your favorites. Click Add to put it in the Favorites list.
3. Use edge extensions
As a Chromium-based app, you can enhance Edge with extensions from the Microsoft Store and Chrome Web Store. Start finding out by clicking the jigsaw extension icon on the toolbar at the top of your browser , then select Manage Extensions from the menu . Here you can manage all existing extensions.
Click “Get Extensions for Microsoft Edge ” in the left sidebar to view add-ons on the Microsoft Store (opens in a new window) . To install a specific extension, click the ” Get ” button, then the ” Add Extension ” button .
To install an extension from the Chrome Web Store, you must first turn on the switch next to Allow extensions from other stores and click the Allow button to confirm. You can then browse the Chrome Web Store (opens in a new window) , select an extension, and click the Add to Chrome button.
4. Save web content in collections
Edge allows you to create your own collections of web pages, text snippets and images. This is helpful if you are doing research or looking for specific information and want to collect all relevant content. You can start a new collection by clicking the “Favorites” icon on the top toolbar .
To save a web page, first open it in your browser, click Collections, and select the Add Current Page link. You can also save highlighted text and images by dragging the selection to the Favorites pane. Click the Add Note icon to type a note or add a description for this collection.
The collection can then be sent to Excel, Word, OneNote , or Pinterest by clicking the ellipsis 5. icon and select a destination. You can also use this settings menu to open or copy everything in the collection to the clipboard.
The next time you want to visit a collection, go to the Collections pane and select the grouping you want to view, or simply click the Collections icon on the toolbar. You can create new collections, edit existing collections, delete individual items in a collection, and delete entire collections.
5. Turn a website into an app
You can manage websites more easily by turning them into apps with Microsoft Edge. By doing this, you can pin a website to your desktop or Start menu. In some cases, you can also use the site offline .
To set this up, browse to the site and click the ellipsis icon on the top toolbar. Open Applications > Install this site as an application , then name the application and click Install to open the website in a separate window.
To manage a website installed as an app, click the ellipsis icon and open Apps > Manage Apps . Right-click the site you want to manage. You can then open it in Edge, view site permissions, pin it to the desktop or Start menu, or uninstall it as an app.
6. Pin a webpage to the taskbar
Suppose there is a web page that you visit frequently. Instead of going through the hassle of opening Edge every time you want to access a page, save it to the Windows taskbar . To set this up, click the ellipsis icon, go to More Tools > Pin to Taskbar , then name the site and click the Pin button. The website will now appear on your taskbar.
7. Try Vertical Tabs
Are your open browser tabs difficult to navigate? Edge offers a vertical tabs feature that lets you view your open tabs in a list format. To try this out, click the Tabs action menu icon in the upper left corner and select Open Vertical Tab . Edge opens to a sidebar on the left listing all the tabs.
8. Put the tab to sleep
Having too many tabs open in your browser can slow things down . With the Sleep Tabs feature, you can tell Edge to stop using system resources on pages that have been inactive for a period of time.
To set this up, click the ellipsis icon and open Settings > System and performance, then scroll to the Optimize performance section. Find the Put inactive tabs to sleep after a specified time option and use the drop-down menu to select a time between 30 seconds and 12 hours.
9. Customize the sidebar
Edge offers a sidebar for quick access to websites and apps. Click an icon on the sidebar, and the linked website or app will open in the side panel. You can customize the sidebar by clicking the plus icon.
In the Customize sidebar window, you can select Add Current Page to add the current web page to the sidebar, or use the search bar to find other pages to add . In the Apps section, turn the switches on or off, depending on which apps you want to see in the sidebar .
10. Read articles from an immersive perspective
Have you ever found an article online that you wanted to read, but the layout wasn’t particularly appealing? You can change this setting by turning on Immersive Reader, which reformats the page so that the content looks like a virtual book or magazine article. In order to use this feature, the website must support the format.
For pages that offer support, you can click on the book icon that appears at the right end of the address bar. The layout will then change to remove ads and other distractions so you can focus on reading. Click the icon again to close Immersive Reader.
11. Read PDFs and books in full screen
If you regularly read PDFs and eBooks on your Windows PC or tablet, here’s a trick you’ll love. Open the PDF or eBook in Edge and press F11. The page jumps to full screen mode so you can read without the distraction of top toolbars and browser menus. When you’re done, press F11 again to exit full-screen mode.
12. Let The Edge Read To You
If you prefer the audiobook experience, you can have Edge read PDFs, eBooks, or web pages. Right-click anywhere on the screen and select the ” Read aloud ” option to have Edge start reading a book using its text-to-speech feature. Click the Speech Options button on the toolbar to change the voice and control your reading speed.
13. Save with Coupons and Promo Codes
Everyone loves this deal, and Edge will now alert you whenever you’re on a site with an available coupon or promo code. You’ll see a price tag icon in the URL bar. Click on the icon to see how to save.
14. Viewing and deleting cookies
Edge now gives you more control and deletion of cookies . Click the ellipsis icon and select “Cookies and site permissions > Settings “, then click “Manage and delete cookies and site data”, then select “View all cookies and site data “.
In this menu you can view each individual site that has created and stored cookies. Click the down arrow, then click the trash can icon to delete cookies for any sites you don’t want to keep.
15. Enhanced password protection
Edge offers a password monitor to alert you that one of your passwords may have been compromised, and a password generator to suggest strong passwords for new accounts . To use both features at the same time, click the ellipsis icon and go to Settings > Profiles > Sync, then enable Turn on Sync .
To use Password Monitor, click on the password entry on the “Your Profile” page . Tap the ” More Settings ” link, then turn on the switch for ” Show an alert when passwords are found in online leaks .” Edge will now alert you if any of your saved passwords are exposed in a data breach .
To use the password generator, turn on Offer to save passwords . Then, the switch for “Suggest strong passwords” should also be turned on. Next time you’re on the screen to create a new account for a website, click in the password field. Edge should then suggest strong and secure passwords.
If you don’t like the generated password, you can click Refresh until you find one you like. Select a password to add it to the field.
16. Control your privacy
Microsoft has built a lot of privacy options into Windows, so it makes sense that Edge would have its own too. The browser offers three privacy levels to help stop online trackers from monitoring your activity and collecting information about you for targeted advertising.
To customize this feature, go to Settings > Privacy, Search & Services . There are three levels under the Tracking Protection heading: Basic, Balanced, and Strict. Each option is described in a gist, so you can understand how it works and weigh the pros and cons.
If you want to enforce your privacy as much as possible, you may want to select the “Strict” option. However, this may prevent full functionality on some sites, so if you experience any issues, using Balanced may be a better option.
After selecting your preferred option, review the additional settings here to view blocked trackers, add exceptions to blocking, and clear browsing data.
17. Control your security
You can also control browser security under Settings > Privacy, Search & Services . Under the ” Security ” section, all switches should be left on for complete security. Scroll down to see Basic, Balanced, and Strict security levels. You may want to start with a strict level, then switch to a balanced level if you encounter any hiccups .
18. Change your DNS provider
Edge uses the DNS provider set by your ISP unless you change it. For extra security or privacy, some people prefer to use an alternative DNS provider such as Google, OpenDNS, or Cloudflare. You can easily change your DNS servers under Privacy, Search & Services > Settings .
Under the ” Security ” section, make sure “Use secure DNS” is turned on to specify how to find the web address of the website . Click the Select Service Provider option, then click in the text field and select a provider from the pop-up list.
19. Change default search engine
Microsoft uses its own Bing search engine as the default way to search on Edge. If you prefer Google, DuckDuckGo, or another search engine, you can set a new default under Privacy, Search & Services > Settings.
Under the Services section, click the drop-down menu next to the Search engine used in the address bar and change it to the search engine of your choice. If you don’t see your favorite Web site listed, click Manage Search Engines, and then add a search engine by typing its name and URL.
20. Set the start page
By default, Edge opens to display a start page with a newsfeed of current top stories, but you can change that. Go to Settings , then select Start, Home, and New Tab . For the start page, you can open a new tab, continue where you left off, or open a specific page.
If you want to open a specific page, click Add New Page and type the associated URL. Multiple pages can be added this way, each opening in a separate tab. You can also choose to see all currently open tabs on startup.
21. Darken the edges
Like all major web browsers, Edge allows you to change the color theme to set a dark mode . Open Settings > Appearance, and select the thumbnail for Dark . Edge will also follow the default theme found in Windows 10, Windows 11 and macOS.
