Microsoft Edge facts for kids
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Screenshot of Microsoft Edge
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| Original author(s) | Microsoft | ||||||||||
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| Developer(s) | Microsoft | ||||||||||
| Initial release | April 29, 2015 | ||||||||||
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| Written in | C++ C# | ||||||||||
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| Predecessor | Internet Explorer | ||||||||||
| License | Proprietary software, based on an open source project | ||||||||||
Microsoft Edge, often called just Edge, is a web browser made by Microsoft. It was first released in 2015 with Windows 10 and Xbox One. At first, it used Microsoft's own special technology called EdgeHTML. Later, it was also made for Android and iOS.
In 2018, Microsoft decided to rebuild Edge using a different technology called Chromium. This is the same technology that Google Chrome uses. This change allowed Edge to work on macOS too. The new version of Edge came out in January 2020. The older version of Edge is now called Microsoft Edge Legacy and is no longer supported. Edge is also available on Linux and older Windows versions.
Edge was made to replace Internet Explorer (IE). Even though IE11 was available for a while, it was removed in 2023. In Windows 11, Edge is the main browser from Microsoft. It even has an "Internet Explorer mode" to help with older websites.
As of late 2023, Microsoft Edge is one of the most popular web browsers for computers. It is used by many people around the world.
Contents
What Edge Can Do
Microsoft Edge is the main web browser for Windows, taking the place of older browsers.
Edge has a special "Hub" where you can see your favorite websites, reading lists, browsing history, and downloads. This is like a control center for your browsing.
It also has a built-in PDF reader, so you can open PDF files right in your browser. Edge used to have Adobe Flash Player built-in, but that was removed in 2021.
Edge does not support very old internet technologies like ActiveX. Instead, it uses a modern system for browser extensions. These extensions are like small apps that add extra features to your browser.
Edge works with Microsoft's online services. This means you can use voice commands and search features easily. You can also draw or write notes on web pages and save them to OneDrive. There's a "Reading Mode" that removes extra stuff from web pages, making them easier to read. Edge also has "vertical tabs," which let you move your tabs to the left side of the screen.
In 2016, Edge started supporting extensions. By December 2022, there were over 9,000 extensions available for Edge.
In 2023, Microsoft updated Edge with a new look and added a button for Microsoft Copilot, which is an AI assistant. Edge also lets you view two tabs at the same time using a split screen. A new feature called "Workspaces" lets you create different areas for different tasks. These workspaces can even be shared with friends or classmates for group projects.
How Edge is Updated
The older version of Edge was updated when Windows updated. But with the new Edge, updates happen more often. Microsoft has different "channels" for testing new versions: Canary, Dev, Beta, and Stable. This means new features and fixes come out regularly, usually every four weeks.
=Surf (video game)
In May 2020, Microsoft Edge added a fun game called Surf. It's a game where you control a surfer trying to avoid obstacles and collect power-ups. You can play Surf when your internet is off, or by typing edge://surf into the address bar.
The game has different modes, like classic, time trial, and slalom. You can also change your character. You can play with your keyboard, mouse, touch, or a game controller. Many people say it's similar to the old Microsoft game SkiFree. In 2021, Surf even got a special update that made it look like SkiFree, where you ski down a mountain and are chased by a yeti.
How Edge Was Made
Early Edge (2014–2019)
In 2014, there were rumors that Microsoft was working on a new web browser code-named "Spartan". It was meant to be a new product, separate from Internet Explorer.
Microsoft officially showed off "Spartan" in January 2015. It was first available to the public in a test version of Windows 10 in March 2015.
In April 2015, Microsoft announced that "Spartan" would officially be called Microsoft Edge. The logo was designed to look similar to Internet Explorer's logo. Edge was fully released to the public on July 29, 2015.
Later, in November 2017, Microsoft released versions of Edge for Android and iOS. These versions could sync with the desktop version on Windows computers. However, they used different underlying technology to work on those mobile devices.
Microsoft stopped supporting this older version of Edge (Edge Legacy) on March 9, 2021. A month later, it was replaced with the newer Chromium-based Edge.
EdgeHTML Technology
EdgeHTML was the special technology (called a browser engine) that the first version of Edge used. It was built from an older Microsoft technology but was updated to work better with modern internet standards. EdgeHTML was designed to be very similar to WebKit, which is used by other popular browsers like Safari.
New Edge (2019–present)
In December 2018, Microsoft announced a big change: they would rebuild Edge using the Chromium technology. This is the same technology that powers Google Chrome. This change meant that Edge could work better and be updated more often. It also allowed Edge to be available on older Windows versions and macOS.
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The first test versions of the new Edge for Windows came out in April 2019. In May 2019, test versions for macOS were released. This was the first time a Microsoft browser was available on Mac computers in 13 years!
In October 2020, Microsoft also released a test version of Edge for Linux.
The new Edge was officially released on January 15, 2020. It was slowly rolled out to all Windows 10 users through Windows Update. Support for the new Edge on older Windows versions ended in January 2023.
In April 2022, Microsoft announced that Edge would get a built-in VPN (Virtual Private Network) feature. This helps keep your online activity more private. There's a free version with a limit on how much data you can use.
How Edge Performs
When Edge first came out, it showed good performance, especially with its new JavaScript engine. In some tests, it was faster than other browsers.
Over time, Edge has continued to improve. Microsoft has shown that Edge can be very efficient with power, meaning it uses less battery on laptops compared to some other browsers. However, other tests have shown different results, with some finding Chrome to be better for battery life at times.
Privacy
Edge has features to help protect your privacy. However, it's good to know that by default, Edge sends images you view online to Microsoft's servers. Microsoft says they encrypt these images before sending them, which means they are scrambled to keep them private.
See also
In Spanish: Microsoft Edge para niños
