[FAQ] Everything You Want to Know About Microsoft Edge Web Browser

Microsoft has released stable and preview/testing builds of Chromium-based Microsoft Edge web browser to public. Now you might be having several questions in your mind regarding this new version of Microsoft Edge browser. Should you download and install it? Which version should you install? etc.

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Today in this FAQ article, I’ll try to answer all these frequently asked questions about Microsoft Edge web browser:

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Q.1. What is this new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge web browser and how is it different from the classic Microsoft Edge browser present in Windows 10 operating system?

Ans. Initially Microsoft Edge (codename Spartan) was the default and built-in web browser of Windows 10 operating system which came preinstalled with Windows 10. Microsoft developed Edge as an UWP (modern or metro) app similar to other apps downloaded from Microsoft Store. It was based on EdgeHTML and Chakra web rendering engines which made the browser different from others.

But the classic Microsoft Edge version didn’t get expected response from users and since Microsoft Edge was exclusive to Windows 10, other Windows version users were unable to use it.

That’s why Microsoft decided to develop a new version of Microsoft Edge browser based on Chromium project. This new Microsoft Edge browser is based on popular Blink engine which is also used by Google Chrome browser. Since new version of Microsoft Edge is based on Chromium, you’ll get similar features and functionality that you get in Google Chrome browser.

Unlike old Microsoft Edge browser, this new Microsoft Edge browser will be available for Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10 and MacOS.

You can consider it as a normal software program. Just download and install it and use it like other programs.

Q.2. What will happen to old Microsoft Edge browser in Windows 10? Will Microsoft discontinue it?

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Ans. Once new Microsoft Edge browser becomes stable enough for primary use, Microsoft will replace the old Microsoft Edge browser with new one in future Windows 10 versions i.e. feature updates. It’ll take some time for sure.

Q.3. How can I download and install Microsoft Edge in Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 and MacOS?

Ans. At the moment, Microsoft Edge browser is only available for Windows 10 operating system. But very soon Microsoft will release it for other Windows versions and MacOS. We’ll update you as soon as Microsoft Edge is released for Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 and MacOS.

UPDATE: Microsoft Edge is now available for download for Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10 and MacOS:

Download Chromium-Based Microsoft Edge Web Browser

Q.4. Will Microsoft Edge release for Windows XP and Windows Vista too?

Ans. No. Microsoft has no plans to release Microsoft Edge for these older Windows versions.

Q.5. Can I install Microsoft Edge in Linux?

Ans. Microsoft has not announced any information regarding Linux support so currently we don’t know whether Microsoft Edge will release for Linux or not. But we should not lose hope.

Q.6. When I opened Microsoft Edge download page, it listed Beta, Canary and Developer versions of the browser. What are these versions? Which version should I download and install?

Ans. Beta, Canary and Developer versions are testing versions of Microsoft Edge browser. You may get bugs and issues in these versions. Generally people install stable version of a browser for primary use.

For more information about Canary, Developer, Beta and Stable versions of a web browser, check out following articles:

What are Chrome Canary, Firefox Nightly and Opera Developer Versions?

Update Channels: Nightly, Aurora, Developer, Beta and Release

Microsoft Edge Beta/Canary/Developer Builds Updates

Q.7. If I install new version of Microsoft Edge browser in Windows 10, what will happen to old version of Microsoft Edge which came preinstalled with Windows 10?

Ans. Don’t worry! Since both versions of Microsoft Edge browser are different, you’ll be able to use them side-by-side. Both versions will run separately without affecting each other. Both versions use different executables, different profiles and different useragent strings. So you can test the new version of Microsoft Edge along with using the old version.

Q.8. Can I install Beta, Canary and Developer builds of Microsoft Edge together in my Windows 10 computer?

Ans. Yes. You can download and install all builds (stable, beta, developer and canary) of Microsoft Edge browser in your Windows 10 device. All builds will be installed in separate folders and you’ll be able to run them simultaneously side-by-side.

Q.9. Can I download and install Microsoft Edge without having Windows Insider account?

Ans. Anyone can download and install Microsoft Edge browser. You don’t need to be a Windows Insider to be able to use it. Windows Insider account is only used to install Windows 10 preview builds.

Q.10. Do I need a Windows 10 Insider Preview build to install Microsoft Edge browser? Or can I install it in any Windows 10 device?

Ans. You can download and install Microsoft Edge in any Windows 10 device whether it’s a stable public release or Insider Preview build.

Q.11. When I downloaded Microsoft Edge, I got a small online installer which needs Internet connection at installation time. How can I download Microsoft Edge offline installer to use it in multiple computers?

Ans. Microsoft has not released standalone offline installer for Microsoft Edge but there is a trick to get a working offline installer of Microsoft Edge to use it in multiple computers.

Check out following exclusive tutorial to learn how to get offline installer of Microsoft Edge browser:

[Tip] How to Get Microsoft Edge Full Standalone Offline Installer

UPDATE: Download Microsoft Edge Full Standalone Offline Installer

Q.12. How does Microsoft Edge update itself? Does it download updates using Windows Updates?

Ans. No. Microsoft Edge uses a standalone executable “MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe” to download and install new version updates. It doesn’t use Windows Updates.

If you have any other queries regarding Microsoft Edge browser, feel free to ask in comments section.

Also Check:

Fix Errors and Problems While Installing Microsoft Edge Web Browser

Published in: Microsoft Edge

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. Is new version of Microsoft Edge is safe for net banking, online transaction and payment through online method?

  2. ^^ Since it is based on latest Chromium version, its safe but I’ll advise to use a stable version.

  3. So – the old EDGE does not allow me to review the web pages saved as .mht files.
    Will the new one allow IE saved web page files to be viewed, or will I still need to keep IE.
    Also – will the print to PDF facility accurately save pages with animated (gif?) images imbedded in the page – as in how-to’s where manipulation of data and commands in an app window such as excel is shown with the changes and results shows as the processes being demonstrated are undertaken.
    A how to that just shows the start page is not a lot of help when all the actions to be taken are missing.
    Also – I have found that webpages from some sites are saved accurately as .mht, but the attempt at print to PDF generates useless files of under 2K with (almost) no images or text when the text and images in the page may be as much as 5MB

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