[Review] Microsoft Edge (or Spartan) Web Browser in Windows 10

UPDATE: A brand new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser is also available for download:

Download Stable Version of Microsoft Edge Web Browser

Microsoft Edge” (previously known as Project Spartan) is the new web browser introduced in Microsoft’s latest OS Windows 10.

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Since when Microsoft has implemented Edge web browser in Windows 10, many people are confused about this new web browser addition and they all ask similar questions such as why another web browser when we already have the built-in Internet Explorer web browser in Windows OS? The answer is, to provide better compatibility, better performance and better support for modern web. Microsoft Edge web browser has been developed to attract more Windows users so that they don’t have to install other 3rd party web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Opera.

People also ask whether Internet Explorer is still a part of Windows 10 or not? Has Microsoft removed Internet Explorer from Windows 10 OS? The answer is NO. Microsoft will never remove Internet Explorer from Windows OS as its a main component of the OS. Windows 10 comes with both web browsers: Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. You can still access Internet Explorer web browser in Windows 10 as mentioned in following tutorial:

[Tip] Restoring Classic Programs and User Interface in Windows 10

In Windows 10, Internet Explorer remains almost unchanged from Windows 8.1. It continues to use its legacy rendering engine for compatibility with websites. The main purpose behind keeping IE in Windows 10 is the support for intranet and enterprises.

Microsoft Edge, on the other hand, features a new rendering engine to support modern HTML websites and to provide better compatibility and performance. Microsoft Edge is the new default web browser in Windows 10.

Now lets talk about new features and user interface of Microsoft Edge web browser in Windows 10:

Clean and Minimal UI

Edge web browser works as a modern (metro) app. It features a clean and minimal UI which looks very nice. The tabs are shown in the titlbar to save screen space. Addressbar along with toolbar buttons such as back, forward, refresh, reading view, bookmark, hub, web note, share, etc is shown below tab bar as shown in following screenshot:

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Windows_10_Spartan_Web_Browser.png

Menus and Options

The 3 dots (…) icon at the extreme right corner of toolbar launches the menu options which are as following:

  • New window
  • New InPrivate window
  • Zoom level
  • Cast media to device
  • Find on page
  • Print
  • Pin this page to Start
  • F12 Developer Tools
  • Open with Internet Explorer
  • Send feedback
  • Extensions
  • What’s new and tips
  • Settings

Windows_10_Spartan_Options.png

The “Open with Internet Explorer” option might come very handy if you want to open a web page in Internet Explorer directly from Edge browser.

You can download several useful extensions from Windows Store using Extensions option present in Edge menu. If you don’t like extensions, you can disable extensions feature completely using this guide.

The Settings page shows all available options in a single screen which is a nice idea as it saves time while changing settings. Following settings are available to change or customize:

  • Choose a theme (Light or Dark)
  • Open with (Start page, New tab page, Previous pages or Specific pages)
  • Open new tabs with (Top sites and suggested content, Top sites only or A blank page)
  • Favorites settings (Show the favorites bar, Import favorites from another browser)
  • Clear browsing data (history, cookies, cache, passwords, etc) (Related)
  • Sync your content (favorites and reading list)
  • Reading view style (Default, Light, Medium or Dark)
  • Reading view font size (Small, Medium, Large or Extra Large)

Windows_10_Microsoft_Edge_Settings.png

Some extra settings are given under “Advanced Settings” section:

  • Show the home button (On/Off)
  • Block pop-ups (On/Off)
  • Use Adobe Flash Player (On/Off)
  • Save downloaded files to selected folder
  • Ask me what to do with each download
  • Proxy setup (On/Off)
  • Notifications
  • Offer to save passwords (On/Off)
  • Manage my saved passwords
  • Save form entries (On/Off)
  • Send Do Not Track requests (On/Off)
  • Have Cortana assist me in Microsoft Edge (On/Off)
  • Search in the address bar with (Bing or Add new search engine)
  • Show search and site suggestions as I type (On/Off)
  • Optimize taskbar web search results for screen readers (On/Off)
  • Cookies (Block all, Block only third party cookies, Don’t block cookies)
  • Let sites save protected media licenses on my device (On/Off)
  • Use page prediction (or flip ahead feature) to speed up browsing, improve reading and make my overall experience better (On/Off) (More Info)
  • Help protect me from malicious sites and downloads with SmartScreen Filter (On/Off)

Windows_10_Microsoft_Edge_Advanced_Settings.png

Also Check:

[Windows 10 Tip] Change Downloads Folder Location in Microsoft Edge Browser

Dark Theme Mode

Microsoft has added an extra option to enable Dark theme in Edge browser. As mentioned above, you can enable Dark theme from Edge Settings -> Choose a theme option.

It looks amazing after applying Dark theme as shown in following screenshot:

Windows_10_Microsoft_Edge_Dark_Theme_Mode.png

[Tip] Enable / Disable Dark Mode or Theme in Microsoft Edge Browser

Related: [Dark Theme] Make Mozilla Firefox Look-Like Microsoft Edge Web Browser

BONUS TIP:

If you want to enable similar Dark theme for all Modern (Metro) apps present in Windows 10, check out “Enable Hidden Secret Dark Theme Mode” trick in following exclusive tutorials:

Collection of Windows 10 Hidden Secret Registry Tweaks

[Tip] Enable Dark or Light Theme Modes in Windows 10

Once you apply the tweak, you’ll see all modern (metro) apps running in Dark theme mode as shown in following screenshot:

Windows_10_Dark_Theme_Mode.png

Hidden Secret About:Flags Page

When Windows 10 was under development and testing, Microsoft added a secret “about:flags” page in Internet Explorer web browser to test experimental web platform features.

But when Microsoft added the new “Microsoft Edge” web browser in Windows 10, they removed the “about:flags” page from Internet Explorer and put the page into Edge web browser.

You can access this secret page by typing about:flags in Edge addressbar. It contains many interesting features in 2 categories:

  • Developer Settings
  • Experimental Features

About_Flags_Page_Edge_Browser_Windows_10.png

You can enable / disable many experimental features given on the page.

[Windows 10 Tip] Enable Hidden “Diagnostics” Options on “About:Flags” Page in Microsoft Edge

If you want to disable this secret about:flags page, following tutorial will help you:

[Windows 10 Tip] Disable “About:Flags” Page in Microsoft Edge Web Browser

Other Interesting Features

Following are other new and interesting features which have been implemented in Edge:

  • New rendering engine to support modern web
  • Cortana (digital personal assistant) integration to provide relevant information in web pages
  • Annotations (Inking support) to write or type directly on web pages to create web notes and then share them with friends
  • Reading view mode for distraction-free reading where only the text and images of the main article are shown without any extra thing
  • Reading lists to allow users to add web pages for future reading

Since Microsoft will keep updating Windows 10 operating system via future builds as a part of “Windows as a service” initiative, We may see many new features in Microsoft Edge browser in future and many things may change as well. But Edge looks really promising. Good job Microsoft…

Also Check:

[Tip] Reset or Repair Microsoft Edge Web Browser in Windows 10

[Windows 10 Tip] Remove Cortana, Microsoft Edge, Contact Support and Feedback Apps

Published in: Microsoft Edge, Windows 10

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. VG, how to launch spartan ? i’m only found ie not spartan (windows 10 dp build 10041)

  2. Would the microsoft employee who mixed together my Zen and Kromi 2 skins for Maxthon to make this “new” and revolutionary design, step forward please. I want to have a word with you.

  3. I’d like the ability to add icons to do tasks the way I can do on Firefox.
    It’s easier to just click on an icon to print the page rather than go through menus.

  4. Some day can we import bookmarks and/or history?
    I just switched to Pale Moon and found its importing tool is infected with a Trojan Horse.

  5. Hope Spartan will give a tough fight to chrome. I don’t like at all internet explorer due to the slowness.

  6. Well guys no offence. I’ve been using Windows ever since I was a kid. And as you all know folks, Windows went through a lot of innovations in terms of UI, performances and as well as the features that Microsoft fed to us through using the system. Modern design or a.k.a Metro was awkward in the first glance. Why? We were introduced of the said design in Zune Player and the Lumia phone series. In short, it is comfortable for small-screen devices but for a 23″ Full HD monitor, what the?! That was the reaction of the people who tested Windows 8 as it launched. But as what MS did on Windows 95, by which, START button was introduced back then. And not to count the Windows’ XP mave-over. So, make some time in your end pals to get used to Windows 8.1 or the Windows 10 UI. You will definitely love it and innovation is the most essential thing in technology.

  7. I will NEVER get used to metro!!!! I WANT AERO GLASS!!!!! That’s why I’m switching to Apple, Bill!!!

  8. And Bill, Metro is not modern….IT’S LIKE GOING BACK TO WINDOWS 3.0!!!!! Windows 3.0 had a similar “Start Screen”, Which makes Windows 8/8.1/10 NOT MODERN!!!! So I’m now going to switch to Apple, and if I ever use Windows again, It will definitely will be the BEAUTIFUL and MODERN Windows Vista!!!! Ahhhh, I’m now in love with Windows Vista…

  9. I’ve been using Windows since 1994… Spartan browser is not bad after all…and so with Windows 10 Build 10049… I will definitely upgrade all my Windows 8 to Windows 10…

  10. I have upgraded from Windows 7 and found ‘Edge’ as the default browser. However, I could not locate ‘Save as ” option anywhere.
    Will be glad to have some help.

  11. I HATE MICROSOFT EDGE!

    I cannot find a way to UNINSTALL IT.

    Please send instructions to uninstall.

  12. I hate it too!!!! Cant find an easy way to uninstall it!!! Please send easy insreutions. I’m going round in circles!!!

  13. hi there kathleen and linda, i have bad news, but better bad than nothing.

    Edge cannot be uninstalled from windows 10, its part of the core of this operative system.

    The good news is that there are alternatives, a lot of them for browsing the internet, for now I am happy with cliqz a nice browser similar to firefox, but with no support for addos zero addons, and probably because of that it is really fast. and cent browser very nice alternative to cromium and finally Kinza I found it two weeks ago it is very fast and until now seems compatible with all chromium features, but faster and do noeat lots of ram.

    The list is not extensive, but is is a start point instal any of these, all of them and life will be better.

    In my case I culdn’t stand the bricks it looked too retro, windows 3.0 like. neither the constant updates, most of them to make edge the default browser again, the nagging cortana telling me what to search or not, and worse windows 10 telling me that micrososoft office was not compatible with microsoft windows, well i just had headaches everyday so I went back for my old windows 7 and reinstall everithing.

    Well that was my final solution, perhaps it is not yours.

    Thank you askvg for your site.

  14. Uninstalling and or Stopping Microsoft Edge..

    You can Uninstall it through the App in the Settings.. However it doesn’t stop it from running in the background.. The same goes for Internet Explorer which I heard that Microsoft got rid of, apparently not.. They both run in the background even though you don’t use them. Another words they both are still sending and receiving data while you are using another browser i.e. Chrome or Firefox or whatever browser you are using.

    The other thing about Edge is that it is very intrusive. When I am in Chrome and go to print the document it will go into Edge and apparently it won’t me let me print it from there. When I go to save the document to PDF and then print it from PDF it will revert it to Edge and I can’t print it.. There is no printer icon or even drop down menu to look for a printer.. This is very irritating!!!!!!!… I’ve gone into the Apps Settings and changed everything to Chrome and PDF and yet it sill does it.. It is just ignoring me.. Very irritating!!!!.. I DO NOT LIKE WINDOWS 10!!!!

    Another thing is, I don’t like Apps on my computer.. I like them on my phone or car. But not on my computer!!!.. I don’t like something telling me what I should like or anticipating what I am going to do!!!.. That is intrusive!!.. How come Geeks don’t use common sense and simplify.. What good is it with all the Junk/ Apps if you are not going to use them.. I liked Windows 7 it was great.. But this (Windows 10) is got to be the worse Microsoft ever came out with.. All those Apps when you shut them off keep running in the Background and interfering with what you want to do INCLUDING Edge..

    Thank you for listening and have a good day..

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