• Cloudflare and web browsers to develop new internet protocol
• PACT protocol will help to verify legitimate web access from human and bots
• Users will be given an anonymized "personhood" token to show they have a real reason to access a website

Now that bot traffic on the internet has officially surpassed human HTTP requests, both web browsers and web infrastructure providers agree something needs to be done, especially as AI agents enter the fray.

Today, Cloudflare has announced a joint initiative with Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge to launch a new internet protocol designed to verify if web access is legitimate or malicious - without intruding on user privacy.

Private Access Control Tokens (PACT) will act as anonymous tokens that verify legitimate access by both humans and authorized agents without the need for user logins or CAPTCHAs that cause friction and harm the browsing experience.

Cloudflare establishes PACT with web browsers

To start, PACT won’t deny access to automated traffic completely. According to Cloudflare, the protocol is designed to recognize legitimate access from certain bots. As consumers and businesses turn to new automations provided by AI agents, there is still a legitimate case for allowing certain bots to access websites.

For many AI agents, there is still a human at some point in the loop with a real reason for accessing a website. PACT offers an anonymous “personhood” token that is attached to the user’s browser. This token uses “trusted information from contexts that have authentic relationships with people” to verify legitimate access “while keeping that information private.”

StatCounter places the combined market share of Chrome, Firefox, and Edge at around 77%, meaning that the PACT protocol will likely roll out to the majority of internet users.

“PACT will further empower businesses to identify genuine visitors, ensuring they can focus their resources on the traffic that matters to them,” Cloudflare said in the announcement. “Using PACT on Cloudflare’s network raises the bar for trustworthiness and integrity online without the traditional costs.”

“In commerce, every extra challenge, delay, or false positive can turn a purchase into an abandoned cart. Merchants need effective protections against automated abuse, but buyers shouldn’t have to pay for them with unnecessary friction or invasive tracking,” said Ilya Grigorik, Distinguished Engineer at Shopify.

“Shopify is proud to help develop PACT as an open, privacy-preserving standard that can help the millions of businesses on our platform distinguish legitimate shoppers and authorized agents from abusive traffic while preserving buyer privacy."

With demand for artificial intelligence straining supply chains across the entire development cycle, the tech sector has never been under so much pressure to perform.

But the race to build even more AI tools, to train frontier models and to automate workflows has led to a global construction boom, with hyperscalers investing hundreds of billions in huge data center projects that are themselves under social and environmental scrutiny.

Companies now face backlash over resource use – electricity and water consumption, land occupation and grid expansion are some of the biggest challenges hyperscalers are now having to address, besides tackling strained supply chains.

We’re starting to see on-device, edge and local compute emerge as a viable alternative to cloud compute, and the benefits are broad. For example, besides tackling objections to large campuses, it also delivers lower latency connections and predictable costs for enterprise customers.

AI and cloud have been synonymous, but owning edge AI could be the next competitive advantage

Tighter integrations into hybrid and on-prem deployments could also be seen as the next progression of AI, because while generative AI chatbots and basic productivity tools are well served within browsers, workflow automation and full context requires us to rethink the infrastructure layer.

For Amit Shah, co-founder and CEO of InstaLILY AI, competitive advantage now comes in the form of owned intelligence, where company systems can learn from organizational operations, workflows and knowledge.

The company’s Small Data Center approach claims to have already cut logistics routing times from 15 minutes to three, and reduced field-team training time by 60% for industrial operators.

To better understand whether the future of enterprise AI is indeed becoming more distributed, I spoke with Shah about cloud’s limits, why enterprise-grade AI has different needs to consumer tools, and the role hyperscalers could play in this evolution.

• InstaLILY launched what it calls "The Small Data Center" approach. How is that different from edge installations that have been around for years? Is the secret sauce the middleware then?

Edge installations have historically been meant for single-purpose devices running narrow inferences at the perimeter. Our “Small Data Center” operates differently with a full intelligence stack.

Our reasoning, workers, and governance all run privately, close to where work happens, and connected to the cloud as one system.

Powered by the same InstaBrain, an intelligence layer built from proprietary enterprise knowledge, with InstaWorkers™, AI workers that execute directly inside existing systems that reason the cloud runs locally that centrally executes on-site and the same InstaControl governs both.

The secret sauce isn't middleware as we stopped treating cloud and edge as a tradeoff. Deep reasoning belongs where centralized computation makes sense and high-frequency operational execution belongs closer to the work. The intelligence layer knows the difference, that is the shift.

• What's wrong with relying exclusively on "massive remote cloud infrastructure"? For all intent and purposes, the fact that they offer redundancy by default and operate an OPEX model make them a perfect combination for businesses of any size.

There’s nothing wrong with relying exclusively on a massive remote cloud infrastructure as long as your work lives in a browser tab. The hyperscale cloud is excellent at elastic reasoning and pristine redundancy. Though it’s a poor fit for operational execution in the physical economy.

The assumption that industrial AI will simply live in the cloud ignores how industrial operations actually work. Factories, warehouses, and logistics networks operate under tight latency requirements, inconsistent connectivity, and relentless pressure to control costs.

Even when connectivity isn't an issue, a generic model endpoint lacks the operational context that matters most, which are company-specific catalogs, workflows, exception logic, and decades of institutional knowledge.

No matter how capable the model becomes, manufacturers won't hand critical decisions to systems they can't govern, audit, or ultimately trust. OPEX and redundancy are real benefits, but they solve the wrong problem when the workflow itself doesn't live in the cloud.

• We have had distributed computing for decades now: from Blockchain to P2P, from bit-torrent to Skype. What's different this time around? Is AI amplifying the need for something different and acting as a catalyst?

Earlier waves of distributed systems moved files, transactions, or compute cycles around networks. This time around, computing moves intelligence through a categorical change.

AI is the catalyst because it is the first workload where value compounds at the edge. Every decision, exception, and workflow contributes to a private intelligence layer that becomes more capable over time.

Previous distributed technologies helped organizations share resources more efficiently because they didn't create proprietary knowledge. BitTorrent doesn’t get smarter the more you use it although the intelligence layer does.

The next era of enterprise competition won't be defined by who has access to AI but instead will be defined by who owns the intelligence their operations create.

• If distributed computing is such a boon for all players in the AI ecosystem, why aren't we seeing hyperscalers putting their weight behind this technology set?

Economics reward centralized consumption. Distributed inference compresses per-token and complicates a roadmap built around ever-larger central training runs. They aren’t ignoring it. They’re moving carefully because cannibalizing centralized inference is uncomfortable when it is their core business.

The pull is coming from the physical economy outward, not from hyperscalers inward. The companies leaning in hardest are those whose customers feel the pain of cloud-only architectures most acutely, such as manufacturers, industrial operators, field service businesses and logistics networks. Anyone whose work doesn't happen in a browser tab.

• You've witnessed the evolution of AI (or rather generative AI) as an integral part of it. How do you see it evolving over the next 5 years? PS: Are we in an AI-induced bubble?

The defining divide in enterprise software over the next five years will be between companies that rent intelligence versus companies that own it. The frontier-model arms race continues, but value will accrue to the layer that turns model capability into operational execution.

Autonomous AI moves from suggestion to action, from interface to infrastructure, and from a tool you use to a system that runs work.

The capital environment is certainly exuberant, but the underlying technology shift is not. This kind of exuberance is how every major platform transition in history has started.

The long-term winners will be the companies that build operational intelligence into a compounding asset, not those that merely bought the most GPUs.

• Microsoft retires Edge master password feature
• Passkeys and biometrics replace old authentication
• Users may turn to third‑party managers

Microsoft is killing the master password feature in Edge, and is moving to newer, more secure solutions.

Edge is Microsoft’s internet browser, based on Chromium. Among other things it has a built-in password manager that allows users to store not just passwords, but other secrets, too, such as usernames, payment info, or in some cases, addresses.

Until now, users who wanted to log into the tool and manage their secrets, could do so via a password, but Microsoft has been pushing to replace the old authentication method with passkeys. In a press release shared with TechRadar Pro, NordVPN said that as of June 4, the master password feature in Edge is finally retiring, to be replaced by device-based authentication methods such as Windows Hello (PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition).

A step in the right direction

For Ignas Valancius, VP of engineering at NordPass, this is a logical step forward, since biometrics and passkeys are “considered more convenient and secure than passwords”.

“When people manage too many passwords, they tend to reuse them or create simple variations, such as changing a single letter or number,” Valancius stressed. “This practice creates significant vulnerabilities — if one of these accounts is breached, all other accounts sharing the same or a similar password become compromised.”

Still, he expects at least a little backlash, because humans are “creatures of habit”, and old habits die hard. Such people can find comfort in alternative, third-party password managers, which still allow users to log in using a master password. “But personally I think a push toward passwordless authentication is a positive development,” he stressed.

Passwords have long been considered one of the weakest links in the cybersecurity chain, mostly because people can’t be bothered to create, and safely store, strong ones. Instead, they end up using simple, easy-to-guess passwords across a wide range of services, risking losing access to numerous services in one fell swoop.

• A new Surfshark study found that over 50% of the top 15 mobile browsers collect user location data.
• Microsoft Edge, Aloha, Yandex, and Phoenix collect precise location data, with Edge and Aloha openly sharing it with third parties.
• Privacy-focused browsers like Tor, Brave, and DuckDuckGo do not collect app-level location data, proving that continuous tracking isn't technically necessary.

Google Chrome recently introduced approximate location sharing to give users more control over their whereabouts. While that’s a step in the right direction, a new study indicates that the mobile browser industry still has a massive location-tracking problem.

Cybersecurity firm Surfshark analyzed 15 popular mobile browser applications and discovered that over half of them actively gather user location data. Even more concerningly, four of those apps are scooping up your precise location, rather than a generalized area.

While using the best VPN is a fantastic way to spoof your IP address and encrypt your online traffic, granting app-level location permissions on your smartphone can completely bypass those protections, giving away your physical whereabouts.

“Your browser maps your daily routine and weekend plans before you’ve shared them with anyone. This location tracking is a profit-driven exploitation of personal habits, rather than a technical necessity for the browser to function,” said Justas Pukys, Senior Product Manager at Surfshark.

To help you understand exactly what data you are handing over, here is how the top 15 mobile browsers stack up when it comes to tracking your physical location.

The worst offenders

Precise location collection is far from an industry standard, but four browsers in the study, Microsoft Edge, Aloha, Yandex, and Phoenix, declare that they collect both approximate and precise location data.

Most browsers that collect this data keep it internal, but Microsoft Edge and Aloha are glaring exceptions. Both companies openly acknowledge that they share this location data with third parties, severely elevating the privacy risks for their users.

Phoenix collects this data under the guise of "App functionality" and "Personalization," while Yandex claims it needs your location for five distinct purposes: "Personalization," "Advertising or marketing," "App functionality," "Analytics," and "Fraud prevention, security, and compliance."

Approximate location tracking

Four popular mobile browsers collect only your approximate location: Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Opera, and Mozilla Firefox.

However, the intent behind this collection varies wildly. According to Surfshark's analysis, Safari limits its location collection strictly to personalizing the user experience.

Opera, on the other hand, relies on your location exclusively for advertising and marketing purposes. Chrome and Firefox fall into the same boat as Yandex, citing a wide spectrum of five distinct purposes ranging from analytics to marketing.

Browsers that don't track you

The good news is that seven browsers in the study do not collect location data at the app level at all. This proves that continuous location tracking is a lucrative choice, not a technical requirement for rendering web pages.

If you want to keep your daily routines entirely private, Surfshark’s research points to privacy-branded browsers like DuckDuckGo, Brave, Tor, and Ecosia, alongside Samsung Internet, UC Browser, and Mi Browser. All of these declare no app-level location data collection in their Google Play Data Safety disclosures.

The real-world risks of location tracking

Mobile browsers simply do not need to harvest your location data. As Pukys points out, websites that genuinely need your location, like a local weather or delivery site, can request one-time location access directly through the browser.

Allowing your browser app to continuously monitor your movements leaves your daily habits vulnerable.

Constant surveillance exposes your weekly routines to potential malicious entities and data brokers. By opting for approximate location settings in your device menus, or simply switching to less intrusive apps, you can easily reclaim your physical privacy.

• UK startup wants to bring compute even closer by embedding micro data centers inside lampposts
• Self-destructing Nvidia chips will ensure sensitive information remains private
• Some challenges need to be addressed before this becomes a reality

UK startup Conflow Power Group Limited (CPG) has proposed a major shakeup to the world’s data centers by embedding micro units directly within urban street infrastructure such as lampposts, rather than concentrating compute inside the hyperscale facilities as we know today.

Besides dispersing compute across cheaper and more manageable micro locations, the plan also centers around local solar energy generation and battery backup systems to tackle one of the biggest criticisms data center campuses face – sustainability and environmental impacts.

Under the new proposals, CPG aims to bring AI compute closer to users and devices, which would reduce latency and ease pressure on national telecoms infrastructure.

Future data centers could be located just outside your front door

The BBC reports $2,000 Nvidia AI accelerators could be used instead of high-end and flagship GPUs like H100 and B200 systems, which cost tens of thousands of dollars per unit.

Using self-destructing chips is also a noteworthy addition to the scheme, with Nvidia including firmware locking, encryption and other anti-tampering protections that can effectively disable hardware if compromised, relocated or accessed by unauthorized methods or people.

Such anti-tampering technologies already exist for export compliance, and are generally seen when AI accelerators are sold into restricted or edge deployments to ensure maximum safety.

Tens of thousands of micro data centers could spread compute throughout cities, with each one handling localized AI workloads that could span applications like traffic monitoring, CCTV, autonomous vehicle coordination, telecoms, environmental sensing and more.

Though the idea of embedding data centers into lampposts might be a novel one, bringing AI to the edge is a trend that’s accelerating as AI workloads become more sensitive to bandwidth and latency. Putting the compute physically closer to where it’s being applied would also likely reduce costs associated with data transfers.

The energy implications are also compelling, with hyperscale data centers facing constraints from delayed grid connections and unsustainable supplies. Spreading out power consumption geographically certainly addresses the current bottlenecks, with some of the biggest campuses consuming as much electricity as small towns.

Lampposts in particular are appealing due to their existing electrical connections, their dense distribution in urban environments like towns and cities, and the fact that many are also already connected to fiber networks.

Many have already been multipurposed into small 5G cells, traffic camera mounts, Wi-Fi access points and electric vehicle chargers.

Interestingly, there are also significant geopolitical benefits to positioning micro data centers across existing street infrastructure networks. Increasing sovereign compute concerns in Europe and the UK are causing governments to drive forward schemes that support more local processing.

For these to work at scale, CPG would have to address the many challenges that come with embedding compute within lampposts, though. Existing infrastructure may need upgrading to ensure protection against the weather and vandalism. There are also concerns around thermal management, with large-scale data centers slated for their excessive water consumption for cooling.

While upgrading existing infrastructure may not be economically viable, building multipurpose networks in the future could allow a single element, such as a lamppost, to serve far more functions than we’d previously imagined.

• There's a new update for the Edge browser on desktop and mobile
• Microsoft has retired Copilot Mode, which came to the browser last year
• It's been replaced by a raft of separate AI features, including one that can (with your permission) scan across all your open tabs

Microsoft is dropping Copilot Mode from Edge, but if you thought that AI was going away from the web browser, think again, as AI features are actually being baked directly into the app instead.

Microsoft announced that as part of the latest update for Edge, Copilot Mode is being retired from the browser, but there are new AI features coming in for the desktop version of the app (and the mobile one, too).

The biggest change here is that Copilot can now scan over all the tabs you have open in Edge and pull information to answer your queries.

The idea is that if you are, for example, planning to book a meal and you're mulling over different choices for restaurants across multiple tabs, you can get Copilot to compare those options without having to leave your current web page.

There's no setup required for this; you can just click the Copilot icon and get it to do the legwork for you in terms of pulling details from across those open tabs.

Microsoft explains: "Copilot in Edge, with your permission, reads across every tab you have open, so you can compare options, surface what matters, and make decisions with less tab-hopping."

Copilot can go further than this, and — with your permission again, Microsoft underlines — the AI can access your browsing history to improve its responses. It can remember and draw from previous queries, too.

As Microsoft notes: "Now, with long-term memory on desktop and mobile, Copilot not only builds on what you've seen but also can reference your past chats to provide more relevant help. You're always in control of what Copilot can access."

Extra AI functionality is also being added in terms of a 'Study and Learn' mode, which can break down a topic on a web page you're viewing to create a guided study session, or you can even have Copilot compile a quiz on the subject to test your knowledge.

Another AI feature is an in-line writing assistant, essentially summoning Copilot to write (or edit) things like social media posts for you in Edge. Copilot can also generate a podcast based on the content of any given web page.

In terms of Edge for mobile, the browser also gets Copilot's ability to work across all your open tabs to concoct better answers to your queries, as well as other functionality pulled from the desktop browser. (That includes 'Journeys,' which organizes your browsing history into topics, letting you pick up where you left off with those threads).

Note that some features are for the US only, for the moment — namely, the writing assistant and Journeys on Edge mobile.

Analysis: Copilot cloak engaged

So, the tack Microsoft is now taking is to effectively cloak Copilot. The AI isn't going away from Edge, but the more in-your-face presence — Copilot Mode, introduced almost a year ago now — is being shelved, with AI functionality instead being woven more subtly into the browser in different ways.

And granted, some of the features outlined above could be pretty useful. The worry for some is on the privacy front, although Microsoft is clear enough that Copilot only gets access to nose around in your tabs if you click the button for the AI.

The company makes clear: "With Copilot in Edge, your data stays yours. Microsoft only collects what's needed to improve your experience — or what you choose to provide via Personalization settings."

If you steer clear of clicking the Copilot icon and don't enable any of these features in Edge's settings, there will be no privacy issues. Or there shouldn't be, anyway, but that hasn't stopped some predictably negative reaction to Microsoft's latest Edge update.

There are certainly a few Redditors who don't trust what Microsoft is up to here, and comments like this aren't uncommon: "Microsoft Edge and privacy don't go in the same sentence."

Microsoft is busy trying to change the bad reputation it has been saddled with since Windows 11 arrived — which very much worsened with the advent of Copilot in the OS — and notably, we now have the big drive to fix everything that's wrong with Windows 11.

However, with skeptical Redditors saying things like "K2 will mean nothing" in reaction to this latest move for Edge — K2 is the codename of the project to streamline Windows 11, debloat the OS, and make it more performant — it looks like Microsoft still has a good deal of trust-building to do.

Earlier this week, Microsoft's CEO added to all the promises that've been made about how the company is taking the drive to fix Windows 11 very seriously, although there was an element here which I found less reassuring.

Windows Central picked up on chief executive Satya Nadella's little speech, which came as part of Microsoft's recent earnings call (following its fiscal Q3 results).

Nadella said: "When it comes to our consumer business, we are doing the foundational work required to win back fans and strengthen engagement across Windows, Xbox, Bing, and Edge. In the near term, we are focused on fundamentals, prioritizing quality and serving our core users better."

"With Windows, we recently announced performance improvements for lower memory devices, streamlined the Windows Update experience, and brought back focus to core features and fundamentals that matter most to our customers."

Nadella further referenced Xbox along the same lines, stating that Microsoft is "recommitting to our core fans and players" and citing the changes to Game Pass last week as an example of how the company is "staying responsive to customer feedback" (another major theme with Windows 11 of late).

What's interesting here is that the CEO wouldn't normally be drawn to comment so directly on Windows, especially not from a consumer point of view as seen here. And he's also addressing how Microsoft wants to "serve" those consumers better, and even referring to them as "core users", as if they're more important than corporations. (And it's true that while consumers are more numerous, just about, the business side of Windows makes a lot more money for Microsoft).

It's great to see Nadella comment so frankly on the situation with consumers, and it's telling about the importance of overhauling Windows 11 and making the OS much better. It shows that the CEO – and the company – realizes the gravity of the situation that Windows 11 has found itself in, and that Microsoft really is taking this seriously, which, as already noted, underlines a whole lot of signs in a similar vein of late.

Bing it on

So, that's all good, but I'm about to nitpick somewhat, because there's something that worries me in Nadella's key statements above. Let's rewind back to this sentence, on the "work required to win back fans and strengthen engagement across Windows, Xbox, Bing, and Edge."

Bolstering Windows, yes, that's great, and Xbox, fine and dandy, all good — but Bing and Edge. Wait a minute — where do Bing and Edge come into it?

Yeah, I know. Bing and Edge are important to Microsoft, clearly. But this is messaging from the CEO which is specifically aimed at consumers, and acknowledging these "core users", remember? How much does the average consumer use Bing or Edge?

Not a lot, frankly. Okay, so Edge is the second most-used desktop web browser, but it's a long way behind Chrome, and adoption has remained lackluster going by the market share figures I've seen (just over 10% or so).

And yes, Bing has hit a billion active users for the first time, which Nadella also announced, but how much does the average consumer care about it? Not much, I'd argue, and if you look at search engine market share (on desktop), Bing is on about 10%, which is as far behind Google as Edge lags Chrome. I'm guessing a lot of Bing's billion users are from the business world (and that a good deal of fresh traffic has been driven by Copilot queries).

So, the question is: why bring Bing and Edge into a statement that's firmly targeted at consumers?

True, this is all part of an earnings report, and Nadella evidently has investors in mind here, too, as a result. But this kind of encapsulates one of my concerns about the big Windows 11 revamp: that Microsoft wants to please consumers, yet it constantly has one eye on investors, and the monetary part of the equation.

Of course it's interested in the financial side of the equation, you may well be muttering to yourself under your breath at this point: it's a business, it exists to make money. However, I worry that the mention of Bing and Edge in the same breath as Windows 11 and Xbox in a speech focused on consumers is a somewhat concerning glimpse into the inner workings of Microsoft's collective mind here.

Remember that one of the promises of the 'fix Windows 11 initiative' was to chill out on all the upselling activity in the OS? That was the response of a key Microsoft exec to a jab at Windows 11 and specifically about pushing Edge and Bing in an advert-like way within the operating system's interface.

And yet, here we are, basking in the glow of Nadella's commendable promises to 'win back fans' with Windows 11, which in the same breath has a nod to the shareholders along the lines of 'don't worry, we've not forgotten about Bing and Edge either'.

I've never had much faith that Microsoft is going to relent with the kind of promotional activity that has been a hallmark of parts of the Windows 11 interface (the Start menu, Settings app, and notifications center in particular), and this thorn amongst the rosy consumer-targeted comments from Nadella does little to convince me otherwise.

A dominant desktop force

It's noteworthy that Nadella also took the time to share news of a new high for active Windows devices, which now exceed 1.6 billion globally. This is a clear reminder of the dominance of Windows in the desktop world, in a time where people are increasingly talking about the threat Linux poses. (On the latter score, it's notable that Microsoft is also making promises relating to better gaming performance for Windows 11 versus that seen on SteamOS, too).

I don't want to detract too much from what Nadella said here — it represents a mainly comforting backing up of what Microsoft has already laid out on the table. However, while it's a telling reinforcement of intent, I do find it ironic that Bing and Edge were mentioned alongside Windows and Xbox here, when for consumers, their main desire is to see the latter two forces banished from Windows 11 for good. (Well, that's not entirely fair, but it's certainly true for some folks going by many of the comments you see on the likes of Reddit — although the less noisy majority simply just don't care about either Bing or Edge, one way or another, I suspect).

I really hope that Microsoft can make a key move in improving Windows 11 by reining in all the promos and upselling for Edge, Bing, OneDrive, Microsoft Accounts, and so forth. This would be a huge fan-pleaser, and I'd rank it as close to the importance of fixing QA and testing for Windows 11 (which I've already banged on about recently).

However, I have my cynical hat on here (along with my skeptical shades), and I remain unconvinced that much will change about upselling in Windows 11 at all. And Nadella's comments here haven't helped soothe my fears, let's put it that way. I think Microsoft needs to tread carefully and look at some of the reaction to this online, because while the CEO is talking about 'winning back fans', there are Redditors pouring scorn on the idea that there were fans of the OS in the first place.

As one Reddit poster phrased it: "Windows 11 fans? Are there any? I thought people use Windows because it runs games and most software, not because they're fans."

And another in the same thread observed: "IDK if I've met a Windows fan in the last decade. It's more like 'tolerators.'"

Microsoft is priding itself on listening to feedback now, so I think it must take note, and focus on turning 'tolerators' into users with a good deal more enthusiasm for Windows 11. And here's a clue — the key to swaying those opinions very definitely doesn't involve anything to do with Bing or Edge.

• Intel extends Xeon 6 roadmap with 18A-based processors targeting AI in telecom networks
• 288-core Clearwater Forest reduces rack power and improves performance per watt
• Testing shows 38% lower runtime rack power versus comparable Sierra Forest systems

At MWC 2026, Intel introduced its upcoming Clearwater Forest Xeon 6+ processors, built on the 18A process and aimed at edge AI and early 6G infrastructure.

The update adds a higher density option to the Xeon 6 lineup for network and data center deployments.

Clearwater Forest, which was first previewed in October 2025, follows the current Xeon 6 generation and is expected to arrive by 2027.

AI in networks isn’t “CPU vs. GPU”

Intel is expanding Xeon 6 across radio access networks, or RAN, which connect devices like smartphones to the broader mobile network, as well as mobile core systems and edge sites.

The strategy keeps network functions, security workloads, enterprise services, and AI inference on standard server hardware.

Kevork Kechichian, executive vice president and general manager of Intel’s Data Center Group, said: “AI in networks isn’t “CPU vs. GPU” — it’s right compute for the workload”.

The idea is that not every AI task inside a telecom network requires a separate accelerator. In many cases, inference can run directly on Xeon processors depending on performance and power constraints.

In the RAN, Xeon 6 SoC integrates Advanced Matrix Extensions and vRAN Boost, allowing inference workloads to run on the same server that handles virtualized network software. That can limit the need for extra hardware in certain deployments.

Rakuten Mobile is working with Intel to train and deploy AI models for low latency RAN workloads using Xeon 6 SoC. Vodafone has committed to adopting Xeon 6 SoCs for Open RAN and vRAN modernization projects across Europe.

Clearwater Forest, branded simply Xeon 6+, increases core density and shifts to Intel’s 18A process.

In testing by Ericsson, a single 288-core Xeon 6990E+ Clearwater Forest processor reduced runtime rack power by 38 percent, delivered more than 60 percent better performance per watt, and improved overall performance by 30 percent compared with a dual socket 288-core Xeon 6780E Sierra Forest system.

Higher core counts and lower power consumption sit at the center of Intel’s pitch as AI workloads expand inside telecom infrastructure and networks move closer to early 6G development.

• Microsoft Edge has a new feature on the roadmap
• When you click a link in an Outlook message, it'll open that link in Edge with a Copilot side pane
• This side pane will provide 'contextual insights and actionable suggestions', but I'm betting the idea won't be well received

Microsoft is preparing a feature for its Edge browser that automatically opens Copilot AI in a sidebar, and I can tell you now that this idea isn't going to be popular.

Windows Central spotted the addition to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap which means that when a Windows 11 user clicks a link in an Outlook message that opens in Edge, the Copilot side pane will automatically pop into view on the right of the browser window with extra details.

Microsoft explains: "When users open links from Outlook, Microsoft Edge can automatically open the Copilot side pane to provide contextual insights and actionable suggestion chips based on email and destination content – such as highlighting key points, and recommending next actions — without disrupting the browsing flow.

"This experience helps users quickly understand content, take action with fewer steps, and get more value from Copilot while extending productive browsing time in Edge."

The feature is under development currently, and is expected to be rolled out starting from May 2026, according to the provided timeline on the roadmap. So in theory — if nothing derails the concept — it might be just a few short months away.

Analysis: tread carefully, Microsoft

Despite the big AI backlash that started late last year, Microsoft clearly isn't downing AI tools – but did we think it would? No, of course not, as AI agents are the next-big-thing (TM) in Windows 11, and there's no getting around that.

Development of other AI features will continue as well, and Microsoft isn't putting any of this on ice to fix Windows 11. The promised work to address the fundamental issues that have blighted the desktop OS for a long time will happen alongside more AI being introduced to Windows 11 — it won't push AI aside.

The problem lies in what kind of AI features Microsoft is ushering in, and the sort which automatically pop up in your face in certain scenarios are the very unwelcome variety.

Granted, we don't know how this particular feature will be implemented, and we know very little about it at all save for what we can infer from a paragraph of description. Presumably it won't be on by default – the use of the word 'can' in Microsoft's blurb suggests that — but why do I worry that it might be?

Probably because Microsoft has pulled that kind of trick in the past, but given the anti-AI sentiment from many Windows 11 users these days, it'd be very foolish to try these kinds of shenanigans in 2026.

We shall see, and indeed Microsoft could even abandon this idea entirely — just because it's on the roadmap now, that doesn't rule out the feature getting pushed aside and abandoned. However, this is one addition that Microsoft will need to tread very carefully with, if the company does forge ahead with the idea.

Remember the days when your web browser was just a web browser, and not an AI-pushing, shop-selling, sponsored-content-shovelling annoyance? Corbin Davenport does, and he's made a tool to take all of that stuff out of the most common browsers: Chrome, Edge and Firefox.

The tool is a little script that works on the Windows, Mac and Linux versions of the three browsers (except for Edge on Linux, which is not currently supported). And as you'll see in a moment, it's pretty simple to use.

It's worth noting that Just The Browser changes your browser's settings, not the sites you visit – so Google.com will still answer your queries with AI summaries. If you want to get rid of that too you'll need to use the workaround. There are extensions for Chrome and Firefox that you can use to remove it automatically; there's also an Edge no-AI extension but it seems to nuke image search as well.

What does Just The Browser remove?

Just The Browser will remove AI features such as Firefox's tab group suggestions and CoPilot in Microsoft's Edge browser, although it's not intended to throw babies out with bathwater so it doesn't remove Firefox's useful page translation.

It doesn't stop at AI, though. It also removes price tracking and buy now pay later (BNPL) integration; sponsored site suggestions and suggested articles on the New Tab page; pop-ups asking if you want to change your default browser, and first-run features such as welcome screens that ask if you want to import data.

The script also removes telemetry features that collect data, with the exception of crash reporting that can notify the browser developers of bugs.

Each browser has a different set of features, and that means Just The Browser will remove different features in each. You can see a full list of the features removed from each browser on the Chrome, Edge and Firefox pages. They also contain detailed instructions about how to install Just The Browser if the script doesn't work on your computer.

How to install Just The Browser on your computer

The simplest way to install Just The Browser is to run the script. There's one script for Windows and one for Macs and Linux, and you'll find them both on the main Just The Browser web page. Copy the appropriate script with Ctrl-C (Windows) or Command-C (Mac).

In this tutorial we'll change the browser settings on our Mac. If you're on Windows it's essentially the same, but instead of the Mac Terminal you'll need to open a PowerShell prompt as the PC administrator. To do that, just right-click on the Windows button in your taskbar and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin). Paste the code and follow the on-screen instructions.

1. Go to the Terminal

Terminal lives in your Applications folder, and the quickest way to launch it is via Spotlight: press Command-Space and start typing Terminal, then hit Enter or double-click on the app.

2. Paste the code

Press Command-V to paste the code you copied from Just The Browser. As you can see, it includes a URL: that's the GitHub location where the script you need for your computer lives. When you hit Enter the script will run.

3. Choose the browser

The browsers you see here will depend on what's on your system, so here we have a choice of Chrome or Firefox. The Update Settings option removes the features; the Remove Settings feature removes Just The Browser's changes.

4. Make the changes

We'll change Chrome, so we'll press 1 for Google Chrome: Update Settings. This downloads a new device profile to our Mac, and macOS's security means the profile needs to be reviewed by you. Click on OK and the appropriate Systems Setting page should be waiting for you.

5. Review the profile

If the page didn't load automatically you can find it in System Settings > General > Device Management. You should see "Google Chrome settings" in the Downloaded section. Double-click on it.

6. Install the profile

This screen shows you what the profile is going to do, so in this case it shows it's going to change some of the settings in com.google.Chrome. That’s exactly what we want it to do, so click Install to make the changes.

7. Say you're sure

macOS really wants you to be sure about this, so it'll ask you to confirm your choice. Click Install again.

8. Exit System Settings

The warning triangle is now gone from the Device Management page and "Google Chrome settings" is now listed as a user. You can close this window now.

9. Do it again

If you want to change another browser, repeat the process by choosing Update Settings for that app in the Terminal window. If you want to reverse your changes, use the Remove Settings option. If you're happy, quit Terminal.

10. Open your browser

When you open your web browser it'll look the same, but there's one big sign that the script has done its job and changed the settings on our copy of Chrome: the "AI Mode" button that usually sits in the main search bar is no longer there.

• Microsoft is redesigning the interface of Edge in testing
• The overhaul takes heavy inspiration from the Copilot app
• This is symptomatic of a broader push towards all things AI, and has provoked more bad feeling and accusations of 'Microslop'

Microsoft's Edge browser looks like it'll be getting an AI makeover of sorts, with a redesigned interface that adopts a very similar appearance to the Copilot app – and it's a move that isn't going down at all well with those fed up of Microsoft pushing AI harder with Windows 11.

Windows Central reports that new builds of Edge in the Canary and Dev channels (the earlier testing avenues) have this revamped interface, which takes some weighty cues from the Copilot app.

That includes context menus and settings panels for the web browser that borrow colors and fonts from the Copilot app, and there's evidence of another hallmark of said app – more pronounced rounded corners – in the design, too.

As Windows Central notes, the redesigned interface elements are being applied to the browser universally, whether or not you have Copilot Mode turned on in Edge.

However, the Copilot-based New Tab Page (which rolled out to Edge last year) is still only presented to those who've enabled Copilot Mode, so others will still get the basic MSN news and Bing feed when they open a new (blank) tab in Edge.

Analysis: a Micro-slippery slope into more slop?

Okay, so we need to caveat this, as per usual with anything that's still in testing. Preview stuff doesn't necessarily make the cut for release, but that said, it's hardly surprising to see Microsoft trying to revamp Edge along these lines, as the browser already has Copilot Mode on the alternative New Tab Page (and has long been infiltrated by Copilot).

In short, it looks like Microsoft is committed to making Edge more Copilot-like as a way to try to sell its browser to more people. But of course, if you read some of the feedback about this latest attempt to expand the scope of Copilot – including from many of the people posting on this Reddit thread – it's already a seriously unpopular idea that they most definitely aren't buying into.

Not everyone hates AI with a passion (or wants to strip it all out of Windows 11), though, and perhaps Microsoft feels it needs to do something more radical to try and fire up Edge adoption. The browser has been faring badly in recent times, after all, so you might argue that it can hardly do any worse.

I'd argue back that it can indeed get worse, though, and that this is all part of a larger worrying picture. Namely that Microsoft is pushing AI ever more forcefully in Windows 11, and this Copilot-ification (ahem) of Edge may yet extend further into other apps, or even the interface of the desktop OS itself.

As I've said for some time now, I don't think the next version of Microsoft's operating system will be called Windows 12; it's likely to be Windows Copilot, or maybe Windows AI, but Microsoft seems very much all-in with the Copilot brand, and this latest redesign move is another piece of evidence as to how heavily the company intends to push with it.

The AI rebellion has been strong, though, and as the new year began we witnessed comments from Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, about how "we need to get beyond the arguments of slop vs sophistication" with AI. Just look how quickly that's led to the coining of a new term on social media: 'Microslop' (as well as folks urging everyone to Google it a few times a day, to make sure the nickname sticks).

For those unfamiliar, AI slop is a derogatory term for anything AI-related that's shoveled into a product for the sake of it, bloating things and making them slower (well, more or less – and some might argue that this pretty much encompasses every AI feature). 'Microslop', then, is a slogan that (again, arguably) fits the cap that Microsoft has chosen to don not just in relation to Windows 11, but across much of its product suite (notably with the renaming of Microsoft Office to Microsoft 365 Copilot in the past).

Where does all this end for Microsoft? Nowhere good, I'd suggest, if the approach is simply to bury its head in the sand regarding the criticisms leveled at AI, which are reaching fresh heights as 2026 begins. There's a hell of a lot of eggs going into the Copilot basket, and should these AI features (specifically agents) fail to deliver – or worse still, make a name for themselves as unreliable, or even hazardous – then that could leave the reputation of 'Windows Copilot' in tatters.

Besides this, there's very much a feeling that Microsoft is losing more of the trust of Windows users – a commodity which has already been eroded significantly since Windows 11 launched – and that the least the company can do is address the concerns of those people who are rebelling against the AI trend and rebalance its approach here, instead of berating them for standing in the way of progress.

I remember how when Windows 11 came out Microsoft was busy banging the drum around it listening to feedback from users – but that sentiment seems to have fallen by the wayside for the company when it comes to the AI gold rush.

• Microsoft is testing a new banner message in Edge
• Its aim is stop people downloading Google Chrome
• The message highlights Edge's security features

Microsoft appears to be getting even more heavy-handed in its attempts to stop Windows 11 users downloading Google Chrome, with a new pop-up appearing for some people in Edge, Microsoft’s rival internet browser, trying to convince people to stick with its product by highlighting its security features.

As Windows Report… uh… reports, a new banner has appeared for some Windows 11 users who use the Edge browser, which is installed by default, to go to Google’s Chrome download page. The new pop-up suggests that you can “Protect your privacy and security with Microsoft Edge,” and then highlights private browsing, password monitoring, and advanced threat defense as reasons why you’d want to stick with Edge.

If you click on the ‘Browse securely now’ button, Edge will open a page from Microsoft’s website that goes into further details about the browser’s online safety features.

Old game, new rules

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has used tactics like this to try and convince people to stick with Edge. Many people, myself included, who get a new Windows 11 PC will often open up Edge for the first and last time simply to download Chrome. Despite Edge having the advantage of coming pre-installed in Windows 11, it remains a rather unloved web browser, and we recently reported on how it’s actually lost users, with just 10.37% of the web browser market compared to Chrome’s 73.81% share.

This is clearly frustrating for Microsoft, which to be fair has worked hard on improving Edge, hence the new push to keep people using its web browser. What’s noticeable about its latest nag is that it focuses on online safety and how sticking with Edge can boost your security.

Now, while I don’t agree with its methods (more of that in a bit), I think this is a wise decision by Microsoft. Previous pop-ups leant more heavily on how Edge compares to Chrome, and highlights the fact that they both use the same Chromium web engine (which powers the browsers). I don’t think there are many regular users of Windows 11 who care about web engines, and trying to win over users by saying how similar your product is to your main competitor’s isn’t a terribly exciting way to sell something.

Online security is a much bigger concern for a lot of people, so I can see the logic with switching focus like this – but will it do anything to stem the tide of Windows 11 users dropping Edge for Chrome? I don’t think so.

The one time I want Microsoft to copy Apple

I’ve been getting increasingly frustrated with Microsoft’s attempts to stop me from using Chrome on my Windows 11 laptop. While Chrome is far from perfect, and I have my own reservations about Google as a company, there’s a reason why I (and millions of others) want to use Chrome over other web browsers.

So, when I load up Edge on a new PC or fresh install of Windows 11, and type ‘Chrome’ into the Bing search engine, it’s not a mistake, and I don’t appreciate Microsoft putting a big ‘All you need is right here’ banner that claims ‘Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft’ that appears above the page I’m actually looking for.

Putting aside that ‘with the added trust of Microsoft’ is nonsense (what does it even mean, and how could you quantify that?), it comes across as desperate. The fact that another pop-up appears when you finally get to the Chrome download page just deepens that sense of desperation, and ironically makes me even more determined to install Chrome and never return to Edge, no matter how good the browser is these days.

The thing is, I do exactly the same when reviewing a new Mac device. I open up Safari, Apple’s default web browser, and go to the Chrome download page and install Google’s web browser. The difference is that Apple doesn’t nag me about sticking with Safari – there are no annoying pop-ups or notifications pleading with me to stay, and changing the default web browser to Safari in macOS is also very easy, unlike in Windows 11.

The results are the same – I ditch the built-in web browser for Chrome – but I don’t feel exasperated and irritated by Apple, compared to Microsoft’s attempts.

So, while I understand Microsoft’s switch to talking about online safety, the fact that it’s still using heavy-handed methods and exploiting its advantage by having Edge and its search engine Bing, being the default, continues to annoy me.

That’s before I even get to the fact that some of the features Microsoft hypes up, such as InPrivate browsing, password monitoring and malicious content blocker, are also available in Chrome and other web browsers.

At the moment, this new pop-up appears to be in testing by Microsoft, so you might not see it if you try to download Chrome. However, if it is successful, be prepared to see it pop up more often.

But what if, as I suspect, it isn’t successful in getting people to stop using Edge just to install Chrome? Rather than treating its users like adults and going the Apple route, I fear Microsoft will get even more aggressive with its nagging. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

• Microsoft is trying to promote its Copilot AI in the Edge browser
• When people visit ChatGPT or Perplexity they may see a 'Try Copilot' button
• This fires up Copilot in Edge's sidebar, and the idea is to poach traffic from these rival AI services

Microsoft's latest idea to promote its services is an attempt to get people who are using ChatGPT or Perplexity AI to try Copilot instead.

Windows Latest reports that this is happening for those using Microsoft Edge. When you visit either the ChatGPT or Perplexity websites in Microsoft's browser, there's a button that appears on the far-right of Edge's web address bar which urges you to 'Try Copilot' instead (with a small Copilot icon next to it).

It's relatively subtle - by Microsoft's standards - but visible enough, and if you click on it, Edge will open Copilot in its sidebar. Obviously, the hope is that you'll use Microsoft's AI rather than either ChatGPT or Perplexity, and therefore Microsoft is trying to poach traffic here.

I tried opening both these rival AI websites in my Edge browser, and just as Windows Latest promised, this button popped up in the URL bar. Oddly enough, it didn't appear the first time I went to the ChatGPT site, but it did appear on the second visit.

Analysis: Hey ChatGPT - how do I stop Copilot nagging me?

This appears to be happening with ChatGPT and Perplexity (plus Deepseek, the Chinese AI), but notably not with Google's Gemini AI - which seems odd, as Microsoft has no qualms about trying to warn Edge users off downloading Chrome, as we've seen in the past, and that's still true today.

In fact, navigate to the Chrome download site in Edge and you'll get a full pop-up, not just a tiny icon, trying to dissuade you from defecting to Google. It explains that Edge uses the same tech as Chrome - namely the Chromium engine - but with the "added trust of Microsoft", whatever that means.

So, these kinds of nudges are quite commonplace for Microsoft's browser, and indeed in the interests of fairness, Google gets up to the same kind of online cajoling in the reverse direction.

At any rate, this promotion of AI isn't anything new. We've seen this kind of thing before with Microsoft trying to hijack a Bing search for rival AI services and redirect people to the Copilot AI in Edge, after all. And given Microsoft's overall big push with AI - which is now becoming very obvious with all the latest developments in Windows 11 - it's really no surprise to see more of this type of activity.

That doesn't make it any less disappointing, though, as Microsoft seems to be getting increasingly heavy-handed with all its promotional tricks in Windows and Edge. That suggests the company has evidence that this kind of nudging works, but for me, it's just an annoyance, and one that makes me less likely to use any given product. Edge, Copilot, or other Microsoft services should stand on their own merit (and indeed the irony is that Edge very much does, seeing as it's our current pick for the best web browser).

Incidentally, I asked ChatGPT whether it was aware of Microsoft Edge's behavior while visiting its site, and as you'd expect, the AI acknowledged reports around this - though it remained implacably neutral in terms of its general tone. Interestingly, ChatGPT did suggest turning off the Copilot button (to the right-hand side of the address bar) to get rid of this particular 'Try Copilot' nudge, and would you believe that this worked for me. With the main Copilot button disabled, I didn't see Microsoft's nag in the address bar any longer (at least in my brief testing).

If you're wondering how to turn off that Copilot button, in the Edge address bar, type the following to access this part of the browser's settings:

edge://settings/appearance/copilotAndSidebar

At the bottom in the 'App specific settings' panel, click on 'Copilot' and where it says 'Show Copilot button on the toolbar', turn this off. You'll no longer have a Copilot button, and hopefully won't see any Copilot-related suggestions in Edge's address bar - or at least fewer of them.

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• BYOD is here, whether companies like it or not
• IT teams lack visibility across all company and worker devices
• Zero trust principles limit the damage potential, yet few companies are there yet

With ransomware and other cyberattacks dominating headlines globally, new Ivanti research claims BYOD policies really aren’t helping.

Assessing the state of BYOD, Ivanti found that 44% use personal phones for work and 32% use their own personal computers. Three in four IT workers agreed BYOD is common, whether their organization allows it or not.

Only half (52%) of organizations officially allow it, and where BYOD is banned, four in five (78%) workers still do it, adding to the cyber risks that companies are already battling with.

BYOD weakens your cybersecurity posture

With an amalgamation of BYOD, edge and cloud computing comprising many organizations’ portfolios, 38% of IT professionals admit they lack sufficient data about devices on their networks – a fact that’s more pronounced among shadow IT (45%).

Apart from personal devices, 40% of edge devices like IoT sensors, cameras and other remote equipment are unmanaged. Ivanti’s research found that 90% of ransomware attacks start with an unmanaged device.

Field CISO and Network Security Group SVP Mike Riemer highlighted the benefits of staying on top of upgrades and implementing least privilege access to limit potential damages from cyberattacks.

Ivanti’s report also explored zero trust principles in cybersecurity, noting threats can come from both inside and outside of an organization. Four fifths (79%) of IT professionals agree that stronger access controls are vital, but at the moment only around one in three use zero-trust network access (34%) and privileged access management (30%).

Although VPN usage (62%) and MFA (58%) adoption are reasonably widespread, it’s clear that further work could be done to ensure maximum protection against threats.

“IT and security leaders should focus on taking inventory of all IT assets and bringing them under management,” Ivanti Chief Security Officer Daniel Spicer concluded.

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• Microsoft Edge has dropped to a 10.37% browser market share
• Statcounter figures show it has lost a lot of users since May
• Meanwhile Chrome has never been more dominant with a 73.81% share

Microsoft Edge continues to plummet in popularity, and Google Chrome hasn't been more dominant in a long time, according to fresh stats on desktop web browsers.

Statcounter's figures for September 2025 show that Chrome now holds 73.81% of the overall browser market on PCs, and while Edge is still in second place, it sunk to 10.37% last month.

That represents a loss of 1.36% over this past month, and a very worrying drop since May 2025, when Edge had a 13.64% market share going by Statcounter's estimation (and of course, it is just that – an estimation). Matters just seem to be going from bad to worse for Microsoft here.

In September, Safari (in third) also slipped to 5.69% from 6.34%. Firefox is in fourth place on 4.45% and also dropped from 4.93%, all of which fuelled Chrome's gains.

Analysis: Microsoft needs to rethink its browser strategy

It's Edge which is the clear loser here, though, and to have shed almost 3.3% of its desktop browser share in the past five months is really bad news. While that percentage figure may not sound like that big a deal, remember that it's a fall of 3.3% relative to a high point of 13.64% this year – so that's actually a relative loss of a quarter of the browser's user base.

Can Microsoft afford to go backwards like this? No, absolutely not. More to the point: why is Microsoft's share in reverse like this? That's a good question, and I have an answer which is purely speculation, but I feel it's very likely that there's some truth to it: Microsoft is simply too pushy with Edge.

Yes, I've said this before, but the more the Edge browser is promoted in one way or another in Windows 11 (or indeed Windows 10), the more people are likely to be put off. When something is consistently shoved in your face over the years, the automatic reaction for many people is to start to get suspicious. Why is Microsoft so keen to get me to use Edge? Why does it keep telling me to make Edge my default browser? It sows distrust that there must be something wrong with Edge that it needs the backing of this much nagging.

It might also be a source of annoyance for some that Microsoft has given license to Windows 11 users in Europe to remove Edge (and stop the nagging related to it), due to data regulations - but nobody else gets that privilege.

Another possible reason folks are leaving Edge is a perception that the browser might be bloated with extra features that nobody wants. That's a trickier area, though, because in more recent times, Microsoft has realized this is an issue and has been enacting streamlining measures. What Microsoft does keep doing, though, is adding more AI capabilities – as part of its overall Copilot AI drive – to the browser, which may be a turn-off for some. (Although in this case, I don't agree – there are some genuinely useful AI trimmings, at least in my book).

So, we could argue about pinning down the exact reasons, but my strong feeling is that promoting Edge is the root cause of this exodus, and that the various ads and promos for the browser are very much backfiring.

It seems to be becoming clear enough that Microsoft needs to try a different approach - so how about laying off the nagging, and giving users across the globe the same choices regarding Edge? Okay, that means granting folks the chance to remove it, and while uninstalling Edge to get more users may seem counterintuitive, this is really about meaningfully changing perceptions - and building trust that there isn't some kind of hidden 'agenda' with the browser.

Most of all, it's a shame to see Edge failing as 2025 rolls onwards, as it is actually a good browser – the top dog, in fact, in our roundup of the best web browsers. Something is very wrong somewhere, then, for it to be flailing around as badly as Statcounter's figures indicate.

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• Microsoft could make the Windows 11 taskbar search box fire up your default browser and search engine, rather than Edge and Bing
• This is based on clues in an early test version of its Edge browser
• The EEA region already has the benefit of this change, so the hope is very much that Microsoft is considering rolling this out globally

Microsoft might just make a much-wanted change to Windows 11 in terms of having the search box open up a query in the operating system's default web browser rather than Edge.

Windows Latest reports that there are flags in a test build of the Edge browser (in the Canary channel), which are a hint that Microsoft is working on this functionality, though it may not ever come to fruition.

The flags in question are for features related to the 'WSB' or Windows Search Bar – meaning the search box on the taskbar – or so Windows Latest theorizes, and this seems likely (though technically WSB could refer to Windows Sandbox, which doesn't fit with the context).

One of the flags indicates that the default browser will be used from the search box instead of Edge, and there's also a flag for the default search engine to be used instead of Bing. On top of that, Windows Latest further uncovered a flag to invoke both of those behaviors.

In that latter case, it would mean that if you ran a search in the taskbar that produced a web result, instead of using Edge and Bing automatically, Windows 11 would bring up your chosen default browser and search engine (Chrome and Google, perhaps, or Firefox and DuckDuckGo – whatever you've picked).

Note that these are hidden developments in Edge so far, but they'd theoretically be linked to broader changes in Windows 11 whereby the mentioned defaults would be respected by Microsoft.

Analysis: leveling the Windows playing field

Respecting your default service and app choices is, of course, exactly how things should work, but they don't. Microsoft would rather summon its own browser and search engine in Windows 11 whenever it can. If that annoys Windows 11 users, then so be it – things have been this way for a long time.

Well, that's not quite true for everyone, as notably, not so long ago, Microsoft tweaked Windows 11 in the EEA (European Economic Area) to follow this behavior. Yes, folks in Europe have their default browser and search engine choices adhered to by the Windows search box due to legislation in the EU (the Digital Markets Act).

So, what this move – if it happens – will be about is bringing everyone else in the world in line with those European countries. That'd be a big step forward for Microsoft in my book, and doubtless a popular move, helping to diminish the perception around Windows 11 starting to become a two-tier OS based on what region you live in. (This is a point I recently discussed regarding a helpful change to extended free updates for Windows 10 that's happening in the EEA only.)

However, before we get carried away with the notion of this great levelling of the search box playing field, this is still a nebulous hint indeed. Flags tucked away in an early test build of Edge are a very vague clue, and even more so because we're guessing somewhat at their meaning.

Even so, this is a tantalizing suggestion that Microsoft might be moving in the right direction, though I'll only believe it when I see it.

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• Microsoft Edge is adding malicious sideloaded extension detection
• Other productivity and AI enhancements are in the works
• Edge still struggles with market share (vs. Chrome)

Microsoft has announced plans to add a new security feature to its Edge browser to protect users against malicious sideloaded extensions as it continues with plans to entice more users away from Chrome.

Sideloading allows developers to install extensions locally, but attackers have also exploited sideloading to trick users into installing harmful extensions, bypassing the checks that extensions usually undergo via the Edge Add-ons store.

The company confirmed its browser “will detect and revoke malicious sideloaded extensions” in a roadmap entry.

Edge will soon detect malicious sideloaded extensions

Microsoft said that this new security feature is currently in development, but is set to roll out in November 2025.

The company refrained from sharing any details, such as the detection methods – all we have is the limited roadmap entry (tracked as 503593) to go by.

However, it’s not Microsoft’s first stab at making Edge a more secure web environment. It has also rolled out warnings for extensions that harm Edge’s performance and an HTTPS-first mode to upgrade from HTTP to HTTPS wherever possible.

It’s not just security updates that are finding their way into Microsoft’s native browser. The company also hopes to make it a more productive place to be, with plans to introduce a built-in Adobe-powered PDF reader as soon as October 2025. Of course, Copilot generative AI tools are also finding their way into every aspect of the browser too.

All of that being said, Microsoft continues to struggle with Edge adoption, as recent figures claim the browser accounts for around 12% of all desktop browser sessions worldwide, compared with 70% for Chrome. Still, it’s twice as far ahead as Safari (6%) on desktop, at least.

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• 'Journeys' uses your browsing activity to produce AI-powered "helpful summaries"
• This could be a very convenient touch - the catches are it may require a Copilot Pro subscription and some privacy worries are attached

Microsoft has another AI feature planned for its Edge web browser – or at least that appears to be the case – but there's something of a catch here.

Windows Latest noticed the new functionality, called 'Journeys', in testing with Edge, where it's currently hidden in the latest Canary build of the browser. You need to set a flag to enable it, but even then, the feature doesn't actually work yet.

All you can see is the option for turning on Journeys in the interface, which lives in the 'AI Innovations' panel in Edge's settings, and the accompanying text that explains what Journeys is all about.

We're told that Journeys uses AI to turn your browsing activity, including the content of web pages, into "helpful summaries" to make it easy for you to revisit past work or resume whatever tasks you may have previously been carrying out in Edge.

Let's come back to the aforementioned catch with this new AI trick for Edge, which is that it won't be free. At least if it's implemented as the interface shows in testing, because next to the slider to enable it is an 'Upgrade to Pro' button.

In other words, this feature looks like it'll only be available to those who subscribe to Copilot Pro (at the price of $20 per month currently).

Of course, you wouldn't be paying that $20 just for access to Journeys, but a whole bunch of other stuff that's provided in the Copilot Pro package. Still, the fact remains that this isn't something your average Edge user will benefit from - unless Microsoft changes its mind about the positioning of the feature between now and release.

Analysis: how Journeys might work – and some privacy concerns

Of course, Microsoft may never realize this concept as part of Copilot Pro, or in any other form. This is still very early work in testing. However, the company is obviously keen to push AI hard in Edge (and more broadly, Windows 11), so I'd bet that this is a fairly likely development for the future.

As to how it might work, we don't get much in the way of clues, although the name 'Journeys' suggests there will be various threads of activity kept by Edge, presumably organized by AI in what should be a helpful way.

It sounds like a potentially useful feature, though anything that involves the monitoring your browsing activity, and specifically diving into the content of web pages you visit, is likely to induce cold sweats for the privacy conscious – particularly after the whole ongoing Recall debacle.

That said, in the case of Journeys, the blurb revealed in testing also contains an assurance that "your data is securely stored on your device and is never used for AI training and advertising". I take that to mean that the relevant data will be used locally by Edge, and not sent to the cloud, thereby theoretically maintaining the privacy of your browsing history – although the cloud isn't explicitly ruled out as such. So, concerns remain at this (admittedly early) stage of the game.

Microsoft will doubtless explain more when – or rather, if – the company officially makes Journeys a part of Edge. As Windows Latest points out, Edge has a built-in AI model (Phi-4-mini) that could be used to deal with the necessary processing locally, on the device, staying out of the cloud (and making the feature run more snappily, too) – so that could well be the plan.

If this does turn out to be a vehicle to help drive Copilot Pro subscriptions, though, it may see limited usage anyway.

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• It may never be enabled, even in preview builds of Windows 11 - and I hope that's the case, as I think this is a dangerous road for Microsoft to go down

Microsoft is apparently testing another way to drive Edge adoption and attempt to cajole Chrome users into switching to its browser in Windows 11.

Windows Latest reports that in a new preview build of Windows 11 (in the Canary channel) there's some work hidden in the background pertaining to a new campaign to promote Edge.

This is targeting those who use Google's Chrome browser with a pop-up to get them to pin Edge to the taskbar when they close Microsoft's browser. Specifically, it's aimed at those who use Chrome a lot, and Edge a little (obviously you have to use Edge a bit to be exiting the browser in order to be shown the nag screen).

Windows Latest observes that one of the hidden flags - and remember, they are just lurking in the background, and not activated yet, even in testing - is for 'pin Edge when you close the browser' (so with it pinned permanently to the taskbar, you're more likely to come back and use it).

But the shadier move here is another flag which is for 'msPinningCampaignChromeUsageGreaterThan90Trigger' - and the key bit here is that the trigger for the pop-up appearing is if the Windows 11 user's Chrome usage is greater than 90 (meaning 90%.)

So, this means that those who run Edge more - who are using Chrome less than 90% of the time - won't see this pop-up. The reason why, presumably, is because Microsoft doesn't want to annoy people who already use its web browser a fair chunk of the time.

However, those who almost exclusively run with Chrome (90% of the time, or more) will see this nag prompt, and the question is: how might Microsoft quantify whether any given person's Chrome usage is 90% or more?

Analysis: Microsoft needs to tread carefully

Okay, so we can't jump to any conclusions about Microsoft snooping on folks on the basis of some flags hidden in testing - all of this remains theoretical and speculation. But this does appear to indicate that some sort of measurement is being mulled - and how would Microsoft gauge a heavy Chrome user? The obvious assumption is that it must be through some kind of telemetry (data collection).

And regardless of the true answer behind this question, or indeed whether this feature is ever enabled - remember, it's not even live in preview, as noted - this kind of flag is not going to do anything to assuage the fears of those who believe Microsoft is 'spying' on them with Windows 11. And there's a good deal of paranoia around that issue, because Microsoft does, of course, utilize some telemetry with Windows 11. (Some of which may be justified, and some of which can be turned off - though notably not all of it, not unless you go to considerable lengths).

So, while we know that Microsoft collects some data on Windows 11 users, glimpses of the inner workings of the operating system laid bare like this aren't going to help the company's reputation. In my opinion, the software giant needs to tread very carefully in areas like this - and gauging browser usage to determine whether or not an Edge pop-up is shown (to Chrome addicts) is crossing a line.

No, it might not ever happen - and I hope it doesn't, because this really isn't a path Microsoft needs to be going any further down. With some of the pop-ups and various suggestions in Windows 11, Microsoft can argue that it's helping the user in some way - prompting to make a backup might be useful in some scenarios, for example, that's not inconceivable by any means. But in this case, Microsoft is only helping itself (and Edge).

From a broader perspective, we don't need any more nagging to use the Edge browser anyway - there's already far too much of this kind of activity going on in Windows 11 (which I feel is very much counterproductive anyway).

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• Microsoft Edge has dropped a chunk of users in the past month
• This is according to Statcounter's figures, which show Chrome making some major gains at the top
• Microsoft may hope that Copilot in Edge will help turn things around, but there are other factors at work

Chrome has cemented its dominance in the web browser world in the past month to the detriment of Microsoft Edge, which has slipped back in its tall order quest to challenge Google's top dog.

Neowin flagged up the latest report from Statcounter showing how the world's best desktop browsers stack up to each other, and Chrome has accelerated ahead in July, gaining just over 3% to put it a whisker away from a 70% share of the entire market (69.98% to be precise).

Microsoft Edge is in second place, but after making a little headway through 2025 thus far – in between periods of stalling – the browser has again slipped, as it did in June. It's now down to 11.8% which represents a month-on-month drop of 1.26%.

If you're wondering about the rest of Chrome's rivals, there's Safari, which is in third place, but it barely has half of Edge's user base, with the Apple browser sitting on 6.51% (also down from last month; in fact, it's lost 0.85%).

Firefox is next and is close behind Safari on 5.32%, and again, that's a loss, this time of half a percentage point. All of those losses have, of course, provided fuel for Google's Chrome fire.

Analysis: Copilot isn't the answer - or at least not the only one

Naturally, we need to take any single source that's measuring the popularity of any given set of products with some caution - it represents a sample of the market, not the entire picture. Although in Statcounter's case, it's a pretty beefy sample, and the company is regarded as one of the more accurate judges of how the browser world stands.

Microsoft isn't doing well, then, in its bid to get Edge noticed - and as I've said before, I think part of the problem the software giant has is that it's trying too hard to get the browser noticed. It does this mainly by shoving it in the faces of Windows 11 (and 10) users with too much gusto, recommending it as the default browser in certain circumstances, or having Edge pop up in various ways even though it isn't set as the default browser.

Notably, Microsoft has been changing this kind of behavior in Europe due to regulatory pressures, so, for example, the company just made it so that web links in Windows 11's widget board now don't open in Edge automatically, but use the selected default browser in the OS (as they should for a consistent experience).

I wish Microsoft would adopt this scheme of things in other regions outside of Europe, but sadly, it doesn't seem like this will happen, not when there's no legislation twisting the company's arm.

Microsoft has another tactic in mind to get traction for Edge, though, and that's AI. The introduction of Copilot in Edge has just happened (so won't have made an impact in July's figures from Statcounter), and while it may not seem like a massive carrot to many – who might think, 'Not more AI', complete with a yawn – as we've recently reported, this feature actually looks pretty nifty. It offers voice commands and some clever touches like being able to instruct the browser to skip to a certain section of a YouTube video, and with agentic AI abilities promised down the line (the ability for AI to book things for you within the browser, for example).

I accept that it could be a promising lure for new recruits to the Edge flock. However, I think Microsoft will struggle to make its browser more relevant unless it also reins in some of the excesses of its constant promotion of Edge within Windows. And of course, don't forget that Google has its own AI (Gemini) tricks in the pipeline for Chrome, too, so it's not like the dominant competition will be standing still on the AI front.

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• Copilot Mode turns the Edge browser into a voice-controlled AI experience
• It can read across all open tabs to get more of the context of what you're doing
• Future features will let Edge perform tasks, like booking tickets

Microsoft has just gone all-in with AI in its Edge browser, launching a new Copilot Mode. The new mode is an opt-in feature that completely changes the way you use the browser.

Now, Edge doesn’t just wait for you to click something, it anticipates what you might like to do next, and you can ask Copilot questions about the content you are currently viewing.

If this does remind you a little too much of Microsoft’s ill-fated Clippy, the ‘helpful’ paperclip assistant that would try and work out what you were doing in Office 97 and try to help you, then don’t worry – Copilot Mode is much less invasive, and can also easily be turned off if you don’t like it.

In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the new Copilot Mode is a natural evolution of the browser, and feels like exactly the right direction for Microsoft to be heading in, especially given the positive reaction to other AI browsers, like Comet from Perplexity.

A stripped back look

The first thing you notice when you’ve turned Copilot Mode on is that you see a clean, streamlined page with a single input box in the centre. From here, you can access chat, search, and web browsing:

But you don’t even need to type anything to browse the web with Copilot Mode. One of the standout features is that you can now talk to your browser using your voice, giving it commands that mean you can browse the web faster and without having to type at all.

You can do things like open a YouTube video and say something like “go to the section where it shows you how to build a website,” and Copilot will find that exact section in the video for you.

Or, if you’re watching a long video that has a recipe in there somewhere, you can ask Copilot to find the recipe and give it to you in text form:

Seeing the new Copilot Mode in action, it looks very impressive because (in a feature that’s coming soon) you’ll be able to instruct it to handle tasks for you, giving the browser agentic qualities.

So, you could ask Edge to search for something, and even book activities and services using your voice, all in the browser.

The big new features of Copilot in Edge are:

Multi-tab context

Copilot can use AI to get the full context of what you’re exploring online because it will have access to all your open tabs, so it can work out what your priorities are, then act on them.

Actions

This is Microsoft's name for the natural voice navigation I mentioned earlier. You can speak to Copilot about what you are trying to do on a page, so you can get it to compare prices or find particular information on the page.

A ‘coming soon’ addition is that you’ll be able to get Copilot to search your history and credentials for doing more advanced options like booking reservations.

Dynamic pane

Copilot doesn’t get in the way because it appears in a dynamic panel that doesn’t interfere with the web page you’re looking at. This way, your copilot interaction will also avoid being disrupted by pop-ups or advertisements on the web page.

Pick up where you left off

Another ‘coming soon’ feature is the ability for Copilot to continue with a topic you’re researching from the last time you used the browser. So, if you were researching how to start a business, you can just pick up from where you left off last time.

Privacy and security

Once a browser starts to exhibit agentic qualities (the ability to perform tasks like booking things for you), the issue of security naturally arises. To this end, Microsoft promises to only collect data needed to improve your experience. Your data in Copilot for Edge is safe, secure, and never shared without your permission.

How to get Copilot Mode in Edge

While not all the new features are available right now, you can still try out Copilot Mode in your Edge browser right now.

It will be available in the Edge browser on both Windows and Mac. Starting today, you can go to aka.ms/copilot-mode to opt in to Copilot Mode. Once you’ve done that, you can toggle Copilot Mode on or off directly in your settings.

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• Koi Security researchers found almost two dozen browser add-ons spying on users
• The add-ons were tracking visited sites and communicating with remote C2 infrastructure
• Users were likely compromised along the way

Many Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browser add-ons, including several prominent products, were found to be spying on users and communicating with a third-party server, in what appears to be a supply-chain attack with millions of victims.

Security researchers from Koi Security were recently looking into a seemingly benign Chrome add-on called “Color Picker, Eyedropper — Geco colorpick” which allows users to quickly identify and copy color codes from any point within their browser.

While working as advertised, and having thousands of downloads and positive reviews, the add-on also did something in the background - it hijacked browser activity, tracked the websites users were visiting, and communicated with remote C2 infrastructure. This prompted the researchers to investigate further, leading to the discovery of an entire web of add-ons, all doing similar things.

How to stay safe

They named the campaign Operation RedDirection, and counted 18 add-ons, cumulatively compromising 2.3 million users across Chrome and Edge.

The entire list of add-ons can be found here - it includes VPNs, site “unblockers”, weather forecast add-ons, emoji add-ons, and more.

The researchers also determined that these add-ons were not malicious from the get-go. They were simple, clean products that were most likely hijacked somewhere along the line. Many have hundreds of positive reviews, and some were featured in prominent places on the Chrome Web Store.

Most were removed from the Play Store, but according to BleepingComputer, “many of them continue to be available”. Although it wasn’t clearly specified, it’s safe to assume they’re available through third-party stores and standalone websites.

If you were running any of the add-ons from the list, you should remove them immediately, clear browsing data, and run a full system scan using an updated antivirus solution.

It would also be wise to replace any passwords stored in the browser, as well as other sensitive auto-fill data. Data breaches are becoming increasingly common, with almost a third of enterprises experiencing a breach despite increased cybersecurity investments. You can see whether your information is affected using the popular breach checking website HaveIBeenPwned?

As well as identity theft protection software, users can keep themselves secure by being ultra cautious of any unexpected communications, thoroughly checking any emails and texts they receive, and never clicking on any untrusted links.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Microsoft Edge has introduced a new password management feature
• The tool is available as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription
• Administrators now have more control over users credential sharing

Microsoft Edge’s new built-in business-oriented secure password deployment feature has reached general availability.

This added browser feature helps keep credentials safe by preventing passwords from being shared with the wrong people - accidentally or otherwise.

Secure password deployment is now available to Microsoft Edge for Business users across the M365 Business Premium, E3, and E5 subscription options.

Prevent credential leakage

The secure password deployment tool allows users to autofill passwords on authorized websites to create a smooth login experience, but prevents users from viewing, editing, deleting- and most importantly, prevents the user from exporting their passwords.

"In many organizations today, employees often resort to sharing passwords via sticky notes or emails. This not only exposes sensitive credentials to unintended recipients, but also increases the risk of those passwords being forwarded or misused," Microsoft said in the announcement.

"Secure password deployment allows administrators to deploy encrypted shared passwords to a set of users within their organization. With this feature, users will receive the deployed passwords on their device and can seamlessly log into websites."

Passwords stored in the secure password deployment tool are encrypted using Microsoft Information Protection SDK, and tied to a user's Entra identity, allowing businesses to enforce access control policies.

Administrators can use the tool to apply highly granular configuration on browser settings for individual users or user groups. Administrators can begin using the tools by using the Microsoft 365 admin center to access the Edge management service, and then configuring an existing policy or creating a new policy, then heading to the Secure Password Deployment page via the Customization Settings tab.

"This integration brings the power of Microsoft's data protection platform directly into the Edge Management experience, giving administrators a seamless way to deploy credentials securely while aligning with Zero Trust principles and compliance requirements," Microsoft continued.

"By embedding the Protection SDK directly into Edge for Business, we extend Microsoft's data protection capabilities all the way to the endpoint—ensuring that sensitive information is safeguarded from configuration to consumption."

Via BleepingComputer

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• Windows 10 has a new update that adds a couple of features
• Unfortunately, one of these is focused on promoting Bing and Edge
• Microsoft is pushing its search engine and browser via the calendar panel off the taskbar

Windows 10 has a new update and it actually introduces a new feature – although you might wish it didn’t when you discover what this latest addition is.

That said, the freshly-released update for June (which is KB5060533 for Windows 10 22H2) does come with a tweak that could raise a smile, namely that the clock in the taskbar now displays the seconds when you click to view the time in the calendar panel.

Quite why Microsoft ditched that in the first place is beyond me, but anyway, while that might be a pleasing return of a feature for some, there’s a sting in the tail further down in said calendar flyout – namely that Bing has crept into the mix here.

Not overtly, mind, but as Windows Latest explains, there’s been a change to the bottom section of the calendar panel where normally you’ll see your own events or reminders – if you have any, that is. If you don’t, this used to be blank, but as of the June update you’ll see popular public events and their dates.

Of course, pretty much every day is now dedicated to something – for example, today, June 11, is ‘National Corn on the Cob Day’ (apparently) – and reminders for these events will now appear in the calendar panel.

How does Bing figure in this? Well, if you click on said event, you’ll get information on it fired up in… wait for it… yes, Bing search engine. And what web browser will that appear in? Microsoft Edge, of course. Why promote one service, when you can promote two, after all?

Analysis: Why risk the besmirchment?

This is a bit sneaky as it’s far from clear that you’re invoking Bing and Edge when you click something on the calendar flyout out of curiosity. Moreover, this happens despite the Windows 10 preferences you’ve chosen for your default search engine or browser, which again is an unwelcome twist.

This is the kind of behavior that impacts negatively on Microsoft’s reputation and it doesn’t help that the tweak isn’t mentioned in the update notes. We’re only told that the June patch provides a “rich calendar experience” (well, it’s making someone rich, or at least a little richer, possibly – but not you).

The kicker here is that Windows 10 is only four months from being declared a dead operating system, with its life support removed (unless you pay for additional security patches for an extra year). So, why even bother making changes like this when Windows 10 is facing its final curtain? Why take any risks at all that could cause reputational damage?

Well, one thought occurs: maybe Microsoft isn’t convinced that floods of people are going to be leaving Windows 10 when the End of Life deadline rolls around in October 2025. After all, an alarmingly hefty number of diehards are still clinging on to the older operating system. In which case, perhaps Microsoft sees the value and worth in still bugging Windows 10 users for the foreseeable, while they stick around either paying for support, or risking their unpatched PC being compromised while refusing (or being unable) to upgrade to Windows 11.

Oh well. At least we’ve got the seconds back on the calendar clock display, hurray.

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• Microsoft Edge has two smart new features in beta testing
• AI will help you find websites in your browsing history
• A new media control center provides a hub for all media playback activity

Have you ever found a useful web page, forgot to bookmark it, then remembered about it later, and had to go hunting through your browser history to try and find the site? This can be a frustrating experience, but Microsoft Edge is aiming to remove the pain from such a scenario.

Neowin reports that as of the beta release of Edge 138 for testers (version 138.0.3351.14 to be precise), there’s a new AI-powered web history search.

Of course, you already get a search facility in Edge’s history (and the other best web browsers out there), but the new feature gives your search query a wider scope and the ability to use synonyms (and more besides).

Microsoft explains: “Enhanced search finds sites in your History even when you use a synonym, phrase, or typo.”

In short, you can type something only vaguely related, and possibly make mistakes or typos when doing so, and AI will still be able to work out what you’re looking for – and hopefully surface the correct website.

Elsewhere in the beta of Edge 138, Microsoft has introduced a media control center. This is a central hub that allows for controlling any video or music playback that’s currently underway within the browser, or other activity such as casting media to another device.

Whatever’s happening media-wise, you can deal with it from here, and the control center is opened by clicking the music note icon along from the address bar in Edge.

Analysis: On-device model

Remember that these features are just in testing for the moment. On top of that, the AI-powered web history search is a limited rollout among testers, so even if you do run the beta of Edge, you may not see it for a while.

In short, it may be some time before this functionality progresses to the release version of the browser, but it’s inbound. And with Microsoft keen to expand AI powers however it can, I can’t imagine this is a feature that’s in any danger of being discarded.

For those worried about privacy in terms of AI hooking its tendrils into your web history, Microsoft is using an “on-device model” and the company promises that none of your data is ever sent off the device into the cloud, or to Microsoft’s servers. Furthermore, the feature needs to actively be enabled, rather than being on by default.

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• Microsoft is changing Edge for the better in the European Economic Area
• This is happening due to the Digital Markets Act in that region
• It means Edge will stop nagging to be the default browser

Microsoft is relenting with its constant prompting of folks to use the Edge browser under Windows 11, but not everyone is getting this welcome relief.

Sadly, the pushing of Edge in some notable ways is only being curtailed in the European Economic Area (EEA) due to rules imposed by the Digital Markets Act. With no such regulatory pressure in the US or elsewhere, these restrictions on Edge aren’t happening.

TechSpot noticed Microsoft’s blog post introducing these various changes, the key one being that Edge will stop annoying you to set it as the default browser in Windows 10 and Windows 11. It’ll only prompt a request to be your go-to app for web browsing if you open Edge directly, and this feature has already been implemented as of the end of May, with version 137.0.3296.52 of the browser.

Another change is that when Edge is uninstalled, you won’t get other Microsoft apps telling you to reinstall it.

Furthermore, when you set any web browser as your default choice, it’ll have a whole lot more file formats (and link types) tied to it, rather than having Edge still open some file types. This stood as another sneaky way to get Edge back on your radar after you’ve chosen to give it a wide berth.

Additionally, when using the Windows search box and clicking on a web search result, it will be opened in your chosen default browser, rather than Edge, in Bing.

All these changes should be in place soon, and will be rolling out in June in the EEA, save for the main one, which is already in place as noted.

Away from Edge, another potentially sizeable plus point for Windows users in this region is that they’ll be able to uninstall the Microsoft Store, should they wish. That move won’t be coming until later in 2025, though.

Microsoft clarifies that if you remove the Microsoft Store, but have already used it to install some apps, that software will continue to receive updates in order to ensure it gets the latest security patches, which is good news.

Analysis: Give us all a break, Microsoft

These are welcome moves for Windows 11 and 10 users in this region, but it’d be nice if Microsoft could implement them elsewhere as well. However, without the relevant authorities breathing down the neck of the software giant, it won’t do anything of the sort. All these behaviors will persist outside the EEA because Microsoft clearly believes they may help drive more users to Edge.

When in fact they are more likely to drive people up the wall. Repeatedly insisting that folks should use Edge in scenarios of varying degrees of overreach is a tiresome policy, as is popping up Edge whenever possible, rather than using the default browser choice. That should always be the default; no matter what’s happening, the clue is in the name, Microsoft.

Don’t expect Microsoft’s overall attitude to change anytime soon. Still, at least some people will get to enjoy a slightly less nag-laden experience in Windows 11, and fewer instances of Edge clambering onto their monitor screen in a bid to remind them that it exists. However, the majority of us can doubtless expect more pop-ups and general weirdness in terms of some of the more left-field efforts Microsoft has made to promote its browser.

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• Microsoft is implementing Copilot prompts on Edge’s New Tab Page
• It’s also rolling out an ability to trigger a web search to happen with Copilot rather than Bing
• Moves in testing to have Copilot take over the New Tab Page still appear to be in the pipeline

Microsoft Edge is getting more Copilot, with the AI assistant coming to the New Tab Page (or NTP) in a more prominent way.

The NTP is what you see in the web browser when you open up a new tab, serving as a place to start for exploring what you might want to do in Edge – which will usually, but not always, be a web search.

However, rather than that traditional query in the search box (which fires up a Bing search, unsurprisingly), Microsoft would prefer you to use Copilot, as there’s an icon for the AI assistant right next to said web search option.

Clicking that icon brings up Copilot on the web, ready for your query, but with the latest update for Edge version 136 (which was deployed earlier this month), Microsoft is rolling out a fuller integration of the AI in the NTP.

Windows Latest reports that Microsoft explains in the release notes for the update to Edge that: “Starting at the end of May 2025, users may see suggested work and productivity-related Copilot prompts by their search box on the NTP page.”

Those suggested prompts are efforts along the lines of ‘get advice’ or ‘write a first draft’ which invoke Copilot to achieve the indicated task.

Microsoft further notes that some Edge users may also see the Copilot icon in the search box, and when clicked this triggers the current search query, but sends it to Copilot rather than having Bing resolve it.

Analysis: Copilot context

In short, Copilot is slowly gaining a grip on the New Tab Page, although the mentioned capabilities are part of what Microsoft calls a “controlled feature rollout,” and I’d imagine this will be a fairly slow and tentative affair. I don’t have this feature yet on my Edge browser, and neither does Windows Latest.

The company will likely want to conduct this deployment at a leisurely pace because there are some Windows 11 users who are wary of seeing AI creep into more corners of the OS and its various apps, which is certainly a goal Microsoft’s intent on pursuing. So, moving slowly and regularly taking the temperature of feedback is likely to be the way forward for Microsoft.

More AI is likely coming to Microsoft’s browser, though, in the form of the Edge Copilot Mode spotted by Windows Latest (hidden in the flags menu, as an experimental feature in Edge).

This appears to be Microsoft’s plan that’s already been seen in testing, whereby the New Tab Page becomes far more Copilot-focused – read more about that here (and see the above screenshot for a glimpse of what this might look like). It also dumps the MSN feed in favor of Copilot, which I feel is a good trade-off (though your opinion on that may vary, of course).

A second part of this Copilot Mode may be a less popular addition, namely so-called ‘context clues’ that tap into the web page you’re visiting, and your web history, to allow the AI to provide better and more personal responses.

A fair few privacy red flags are appearing at this point, but we don’t know how (or even if) this feature will be implemented – though it certainly appears to be allowing Copilot to access your browsing history. As such, it’s surely going to be an optional (and opt-in) capability, if any of this is realized with Edge.

Remember, all this is still in testing, save for the changes to the NTP that Microsoft has confirmed are now rolling out with Edge v136.

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• Microsoft Edge slipped slightly to 13.29% according to Statcounter’s latest figures for the browser market in April 2025
• Edge has been stuck around the 13% mark for over a year now
• To make progress, Microsoft needs to rethink its strategy, and stop overzealously promoting Edge in Windows 11

Microsoft’s Edge browser appears to be facing a distinctly uphill battle in the browser wars, with its market share having clearly stalled over the past year.

Granted, that percentage share of the browser market has been bobbling up and down a bit as time has passed, going by analytics firm Statcounter’s global figures. But the upshot is Edge doesn’t seem to be making any real headway against Google’s Chrome browser.

As Neowin noticed, with April’s browser stats, Edge is on 13.29% which is a slight loss of 0.08% on March 2025. If we rewind a year, it’s actually up a little bit, but the increase is marginal with a 0.32% gain.

Essentially, Edge has been stuck around the 13% mark for over a year now, and has been unable to break free of the shackles of that particular number.

At the start of 2024, it crept over 13%, then hit 13.8% in August 2024, seeming to make some decent progress – except it dropped back down under 13% towards the end of last year.

Then it rose like a phoenix (ahem) to reach 13.9% in February 2025, again a solid uptick, before dropping back down (like a phoenix somebody turned a fire hose on) to 13.29% this past month.

In short, whenever there’s an increase that makes it look like Edge could get over 14%, the browser appears to shed users again. And given how far away Microsoft’s app is from Chrome – which is way in the lead on 65% – it’s not looking good for the overall campaign to dethrone Google here.

Analysis: Drop the promos, Microsoft – or, erm, just buy Chrome

Actually, looking at the entire browser market in recent history, nothing is really doing much – it’s a very static overall picture. All the major browsers have pretty much flatlined, and are maintaining a strict balance of power, with only minor fluctuations from month-to-month.

Chrome holds most of that power, as noted, and Edge is a very distant second, ahead of Safari and Firefox which are a good way behind it (relatively speaking at the low-end). Opera is the other minor player bringing up the rear, but whichever graph you look at, it’s pretty much a straight line through the months for all these browsers, with very slight bobbles.

What is Microsoft getting wrong? Well, I know it’s a well-beaten drum, but I’m convinced part of the problem is the overzealous promotion of Edge in Windows 11 (and 10). These kind of exercises – which have been numerous in recent history – only smack of desperation, and will likely turn off people, rather than persuade them to give Edge a chance.

I know that repeated prompts to make Edge my default browser have annoyed me quite a number of times, cropping up here and there, and I’m sure I am not alone (a quick rifle through some online posts on typical forums like Reddit underlines this).

The crying shame is that Edge is actually a good product. Indeed, it’s rated as the top pick in our roundup of the best web browsers, so it deserves to be a meaningful rival to Chrome, even if it’s not perfect. And Microsoft is working to iron out some of those imperfections, like bloat, slowly but surely.

What does Microsoft need to do to stand a chance of breaking through the 15% barrier, then? Well, keep on the path of streamlining by all means, but just shut up about Edge in Windows 11 (or elsewhere), and try to get a turnaround in the public perception of the browser being overly promoted. Because that only leads to suspicion that Edge needs to be promoted because it’s not all that great – which isn’t true.

Microsoft positioning itself to gain favor and more goodwill from the computing public in this way could stand Edge in good stead, given that the top dog browser is currently navigating some unsteady waters, with Google currently under fire regarding selling off Chrome.

Or there’s an idea: just buy Chrome, Microsoft. Of course, that remote prospect would be highly unlikely to fly with regulators as it’s rather an ‘out of the fire and into the frying pan’ solution.

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• Microsoft appears to be mulling the idea of building Edge’s new tab page around Copilot
• The new layout for the page is still hidden in testing, though, so it’s still very early days
• It looks more streamlined, dispensing with MSN content on the face of it, though it’s not clear if that’s how the final implementation will pan out

Microsoft Edge already has the Copilot AI assistant built in, but now it’s been spotted taking center stage in the web browser’s new tab page (known as NTP for short).

Windows Latest flagged up that this change (first noticed on Reddit) is present in the Canary (earliest) testing channel for Edge, although it’s not active by default. You must enable various experimental flags behind the scenes to get it working.

To explain the NTP briefly, whenever you create a new tab in Edge, this is what you see. Effectively it’s a (kind of) blank canvas, and right now in the release version of Microsoft’s web browser it contains a central search box (for firing up a Bing search) which is complemented by MSN feed material. (You can customize the latter to show very little of the feed, or have it cover most of the screen – in the latter case, the NTP isn’t such a blank canvas).

With the new scheme of things seen in testing, all that is replaced by a central Copilot prompt.

You can still type in a search query – as you would with the current search box – but alternatively, you can ask the AI assistant anything you would elsewhere (such as via Copilot on the web, or in the Windows taskbar, or Copilot in the Edge side panel for that matter).

There are shortcut buttons below the Copilot prompt box on the NTP, allowing the user to click to ‘write a draft’ or to ‘learn something new’ and so forth.

Windows Latest further points out that there’s also a small dropdown menu that allows you to adjust how the NTP works. The ‘Default’ setting here is a mix of search and chat suggestions, so based on what you type in the Copilot prompt, theoretically Edge will determine whether you’ll get a fuller AI response, or a simple Bing search result.

Alternatively, you can select ‘Search and Navigate’ which is focused on web searching (with no AI responses), or there’s a ‘Chat’ setting which offers a conversational experience with Copilot.

In other words, you can go for a more traditional search (as is currently the case with the NTP), a full-on AI experience, or a mix of the two (by default) with Edge hopefully making intelligent decisions about what needs to be done based on your initial query.

Analysis: More AI, but more streamlined (for now)

Remember, all of this isn’t even in testing yet, it’s still in the early stages of being readied to be tried out in the Canary channel. The ‘Chat’ setting mentioned above doesn’t work at all yet – it just brings up a Bing search result – and the shortcut buttons (for the likes of writing a draft) don’t work either. As such, this is still a rough idea, and it could well change before it’s fully enabled even for testers.

We can see the direction that Microsoft is thinking of heading in, though, and this overhauled NTP certainly has positive aspects. It’s a lot less cluttered and the refreshed new tab page looks commendably clean, notably rid of the MSN feed gunk that a lot of folks aren’t keen on.

There are people who will argue that it’s just Microsoft pushing AI and Copilot in yet another way, but to be fair to the software giant, there is a choice to dispense with the AI responses (by electing for the basic ‘search’ option). And also, if that’s the price we must pay to get a more streamlined NTP with no MSN content peppered about, then it’s arguably well worth paying.

That said, as Windows Latest also points out, Microsoft is testing MSN content within Copilot (on Android currently), and it’s quite possible that this (personalized and targeted) material will be served via the Copilot box on Edge’s refreshed NTP. It might not pan out that way, but it seems unlikely that Microsoft is going to stop pushing its network content anytime soon.

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Blocking YouTube ads is one of the most requested features associated with the world’s most popular video viewing platform (and incidentally, the world’s second-biggest search engine).

So you want to watch YouTube without any ads but don’t want to try any of these annoying plugins advertised on social networks and in your social feed? Then I’ve got a solution for you.

Microsoft’s web browser, Edge, can be used to bypass pesky YouTube adverts on desktop and on mobile. I know it because I have used it extensively over the past few weeks.

I don’t know how long that will last though if suddenly its popularity picks up. It is a big loophole that Google may close at any moment. So caveat emptor. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Edge’s default search is Bing and Bing's default video source is YouTube

You will need to download and install Edge on your device: it is already present on all recent Windows device and also available for Linux, MacOS, Android and iOS.

Just like Google, Microsoft prioritizes YouTube as its main video source.

Looking for any terms straight from Edge’s address bar and appending the word “video” will bring up related video entries in your Bing search results.

Clicking on any one of them will open the video in a new window on desktop (but not on mobile) and autoplay it. Note that clicking on the actual YouTube link will open YouTube rather than Bing’s own video player.

2. A barebone viewing experience

Bing Videos - when playing Youtube videos - offers a far more simplified viewing experience compared to Youtube. Think of it as YouTube Lite.

There’s no comments and no ability to interact with the video (e.g share, likes etc). It retains YouTube’s core features though: volume, close caption, ability to change resolution, play on TV (which reverts to Youtube and and play in fullscreen).

I like the fact that it has a big timeline of key moments in the video but I’ll give it a thumbs down for the tiny, unlabelled Save button (which saves the video in your Edge browser collection).

3. You can get paid for viewing

You will get paid in points if you choose to. You can exchange these points for gift cards and then use these gift cards to buy tens of thousands of products.

In the UK, you can spend your points on digital gift cards from Amazon, Microsoft, Roblox, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, John Lewis, TK Maxx, Starbucks, Argos, Uber and many, many more.

With Microsoft Rewards, you can earn three points for every Bing search and earn up to 150 points per day (up to 90 on your PC and 60 on your phone).

That’s good enough for 50 different videos but you will need to be signed in as well. In the UK and at the time of writing, 12,400 points earn you £10, that’s 83 days maxing out your search quota (and playing up to 10,000 videos).

So that amounts to 0.1p (or fractionally more in USD) per video played. And like in YouTube, it will autoplay to the next file in the “related videos” section from the right-hand side.

4. You can create your own playlist (sort of)

There’s no playlist feature by default. However, you can save any video in Edge’s Collection feature but you can’t get them to autoplay, which is a shame.

Clicking on the save button will automatically save the video to the last Collections group selected. Also any videos opened from Collection will play in theater mode.

5. No screens of on mobile (sadly)

You won’t be able to play YouTube videos via Bing on Edge mobile with your smartphone screen off or if played in the background. It stops just like the free version.

That would have been perfect; putting your phone in power-saving mode and your screen on minimal brightness could help save some power.

More about how to extend your smartphone battery life.

6. You can’t install Edge on streaming devices

Edge is not available on any major streaming devices like Amazon Firestick or Roku but you can still stream it from a mobile if your smartphone is Miracast compatible (most recent Android ones are). You may be able to download and run it as an APK but I haven't tried it.

If you still want to use YouTube app on your smartphone or streaming device (or the site on your desktop) to enjoy the full functionality of the video playing platform, then one controversial option would be to use ad blockers (we’ve got a list of the best adblockers here).

• Microsoft Edge is telling testers their old extensions, like uBlock Origin, are no longer supported
• However, this appears to be a move accidentally introduced to the earliest test version of Edge
• Don’t be under any illusions that this won’t happen eventually, but looking at Microsoft’s timeline, it feels like that’s still quite a way off

Microsoft Edge just received a change in testing that makes it look like the browser might soon follow in Chrome’s footsteps in ditching certain extensions – notably including a popular ad blocker, uBlock Origin – but in actual fact, this isn’t the case.

Granted, it’s a somewhat worrying development for some folks – and it does point the way to the future, I won’t argue that. However, as the discoverer of the change for the earliest test version of Edge assures us, it’s likely something that’s been piped through automatically into testing prematurely, rather than an intentional move by Microsoft.

As highlighted by Leopeva64 on X in the below post, the Canary version of Edge recently received a new preview build and it’s producing a message about some extensions (add-ons for the browser) not being supported anymore, instructing users to remove them.

This is happening to uBlock Origin as mentioned, and other extensions which are built using Manifest V2. This is the platform these browser extensions are built on, and it’s been upgraded to Manifest V3 – a change long in the works, and one that has already come into play for Chrome (by which I mean the release version of Google’s browser, not just test builds).

However, what appears to have happened here is because Edge is built on Chromium – the same engine as Google Chrome – the change has been piped through automatically somehow.

In other words, Microsoft didn’t mean to enact this, and the move will (presumably) be corrected soon enough.

It’s worth noting that even in this (seemingly errant) form in testing, only extensions grabbed from the Chrome web store are affected, and not the official add-ons from the Edge store.

Analysis: A big shift for all Chromium browsers (albeit with some Brave resistance)

All that said, we don’t know for sure if this is what has actually gone on here – Leopeva64 says they ‘think’ this is the case, and that does seem likely.

Mainly because Microsoft has a schedule for migrating from Manifest V2 to V3 extensions with Edge, and currently, as Neowin flagged up, there is no firm date for ditching the older V2 add-ons – the timeframe remains marked as TBD (To Be Determined). That’s both in terms of dumping these V2 extensions for consumers and businesses (the latter will happen later).

But there is a schedule, and this V2 to V3 migration is happening, make no mistake, which will mean that the traditional version of uBlock Origin – which is the extension most folks are bothered about in terms of losing support – will be given the elbow from Edge eventually. It’s just that it probably won’t be for quite some time yet.

Indeed, in its support document on the timeframes involved, Microsoft notes: “The Microsoft Edge team is currently in the process of updating this MV3 migration timeline.” So, we may hear more on the exact schedule soon enough, perhaps.

All web browsers built on Chromium will eventually be affected by the change Google has instigated here, although some developers are going to try and swerve around it as best they can.

For example, the maker of the Brave browser, another from the Chromium stable, has said it will apply patches to try and keep certain popular V2 extensions alive even after support is fully yanked by Google (and that includes uBlock Origin). Although that’s going to be implemented on a ‘best-effort’ basis and there are no guarantees made.

On a final note, it’s also worth remembering that there’s already a V3 version of uBlock Origin in place, but it’s a ‘lite’ take on the ad blocker, because with V3 it simply isn’t possible to offer the same capabilities.

Google’s big switchover to V3 is being made to get what the company argues is better security and performance for browser extensions over V2, but not everyone agrees with this line of thinking, to put it mildly.

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Microsoft Edge just got a smart feature that a fair few people have been keenly awaiting for a long time now – the ability to control how much RAM the web browser gobbles up, with a useful side serving for gamers here, too.

Windows Latest reports that resource controls are now live in the finished (stable) version of Edge, after having been in testing since around the middle of 2024.

These are controls to limit how much RAM that Edge uses (certainly not the only hardware resource in a computer, but a major part of the picture, particularly for a web browser when running a whole load of tabs).

The resource controls panel offers a slider that can be adjusted to make all of the system RAM on your PC available to Edge, or as little as 1GB.

You can also choose whether that limit applies all the time, or only when you’re playing a PC game. The latter option allows those keen on gaming to have Edge operating normally, with the full amount of RAM, when doing other tasks, but whenever a PC game is running, the browser’s allocation of system memory can be trimmed down considerably to help ensure games run a bit more smoothly.

It likely won’t be a world of difference for gamers, but every extra frame helps in terms of having a better gameplay experience. Google Chrome, take notes.

Analysis: A definite Edge over Chrome

You might be thinking: why would I want to have Edge running while I’m gaming, anyway? Fair point, and closing the browser completely is obviously going to free up the maximum amount of memory resources for the PC game you’re playing.

However, there may be situations where you’re tackling a single-player game and get stuck, needing to consult a walkthrough. So, in that case, you might want Edge running in the background with the walkthrough open so you can Alt-Tab between the game and the tips. You’ll want a minimal impact on your gaming session, so you can turn Edge right down to use just a small amount of RAM.

Obviously, Edge can be limited in the general use of your computer, too, giving more of your RAM to the other apps you have running on your PC, but I’d be very careful about being too stingy with the memory allocation for Microsoft’s browser. Turning it down to the absolute minimum of 1GB of RAM (or near there) is likely to make Edge chug like a rusty old steamboat, especially if you have multiple tabs open.

My advice, then, is not to go too far to the left (minimum) side with that RAM slider, and start with a more middling setting to test the waters. As you might imagine, it’ll be a bit of trial-and-error as to exactly where might be best to position the slider for your particular system.

Overall, the new resource controls are a smart move to give Edge something extra over its big rival Chrome. Google’s browser does have performance alerts, along with a Memory Saver feature (which makes tabs that haven’t been used for a while inactive to save RAM), but this doesn’t provide anything like the same level of control as this fresh introduction for Edge.

I’ve got to say that I’m more tempted than ever to switch to Edge at this point. I do use Microsoft’s browser as a secondary option right now, here and there, but maybe it’s time to start thinking about adopting it as a primary candidate – or at least giving that a whirl for a time.

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Microsoft has ditched an online document that was ostensibly about catering for those wanting to uninstall the Edge browser, but in actual fact, was an attempt to dissuade those thinking of removing the app to stick with it.

We reported on the ‘uninstall document’ last week, which came in the form of a web page that, from search results, looked like it pertained to removing Edge from your PC.

However, when actually navigating to the page, it turned out that the document was all about comparing Edge to Google Chrome, and extolling the virtues of the former.

When this hit the headlines, there were a fair few people left unimpressed by this heavy-handed attempt at persuasion – unsurprisingly – and so now Microsoft has canned the web page, as Windows Latest noticed.

When you try to visit this page now, you’re redirected to Microsoft’s Edge portal, which is still all about promoting the benefits of the browser – but without any pretence that this might help you remove Edge (and no mention of Chrome anywhere, either, it should be noted).

Analysis: A misleading tactic that needed to be canned

As you’re likely aware, Microsoft has a long history of prodding folks to use Edge, dating back to, well, the inception of the browser. The Windows operating system has long played host to various nudges, or outright adverts, pushing Edge, so it’s not exactly a surprise to see Microsoft having tried yet another angle on persuasion.

The misleading nature of the search result, compared to the contents of the web page (when it was still active), was the real problem here – and I’m not surprised Microsoft has quickly dropped this one.

What made it worse was the lure of clicking through to ‘uninstall Edge’ when for most folks (outside of Europe), there’s no official way to completely remove the browser from a Windows 11 installation. That’s because other bits of the operating system rely on code within Edge, or this is Microsoft’s stance on the matter, anyway.

You can delete all the shortcuts and so on to the browser, and ignore it, but you can’t actually remove the app as such. It’ll still be sat there lurking in the background. (Furthermore, I should clarify, you can try to ignore it, but it’ll pop up again and again with some regularity in the form of suggestions in various parts of Windows that you should be using Edge, and to make it your default browser).

One of the more frustrating elements about all this is that Edge is a genuinely good product – it tops our list of the best web browsers, in fact – but with constant attempts to promote it, Microsoft is more likely to drive folks away from the app, not into the fold.

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• Microsoft Edge's uninstall document promotes the browser over Google Chrome, without any actual removal instructions
• It features a checklist on supposed advantages over Google Chrome
• There's no official way to uninstall Microsoft Edge, as the control panel only allows for a 'repair'

It's no surprise that Microsoft is making more attempts to shift PC users away from other browsers in favor of its own Edge option yet again - but its latest scheme could be a new low point.

As spotted by Windows Latest, a new 'uninstall document' was released by Microsoft, supposedly explaining how to remove Microsoft Edge from your PC, but surprisingly, it doesn't. Instead, it compares Edge to Google Chrome with a checklist (pictured below) of features that it claims are available on Edge but not Chrome (which isn't completely true) - essentially, it's doing the opposite of what most people would expect a document about uninstalling an app to do..

It’s a shame that this comes after Microsoft’s well-received privacy updates for Chrome incognito mode, which is a huge positive for its users. However, it’s now hit a low with this 'uninstall' document that users won't like at all. Microsoft already aggressively pushes Edge via pop-ups and ads in Windows 11, which many users consider to be invasive and annoying. Meanwhile, Chrome remains the most popular browser despite Microsoft’s boasts of Edge’s high user numbers in 2024, so it’s not a surprise that many may want to uninstall Edge.

It shouldn't come as a big surprise, since Microsoft has used numerous tactics to win users over to its browser - but this feels particularly disingenuous.

Reminds me of membership cancellation pages...

Trying to get rid of something, only instead to be bombarded with reasons for not getting rid of it, will feel awfully familiar to many people who have tried to cancel a subscription. Try to cancel your PlayStation Plus subscription, for example, and Sony will try to tempt you to stay with an offer on a 12-month premium subscription.

Amazon is also notorious for this - if you try to cancel Prime, you have to click through multiple pages convincing you to stay - and it was actually sued for this, mainly because its marketing tactics were viewed as deceptive and coercive by the FTC (US Federal Trade Commission).

So, Microsoft is far from the only company that is trying to change the minds of its customers wanting to ditch a product. However, there’s no denying that this move seems particularly strange - you'd expect a document which is supposed to give you instructions to uninstall a program to do just that, rather than the opposite by trying to get you to keep using it. It also feels a bit cheeky using the word ‘uninstall’ if there’s literally no way to officially uninstall Edge.

Personally, I think that essentially forcing users to keep a program installed on their PCs will instead push them further away from using it. Saying one thing but doing another could come back to bite Microsoft...

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• Microsoft unveils new scam detection software
• The tool will be available to Microsoft Edge users
• This could lead to an end to 'tech support scams' if widely adopted

Microsoft has officially launched a new ‘Scareware blocker’ feature to help better protect users on Edge web browsers on Windows PCs.

The new machine learning threat detection software, first announced at the 2024 Ignite conference, recognizes the signs of scareware to protect users in real-time, putting users back in control of their computer.

Scareware scams have been around for a long time, and they’ve become one of the most damaging scams around - but what if they weren’t? This new technology could see the end to tech support scams entirely - here’s what we know.

Millions lost every year

The FBI claims tech support scams are costing victims millions per year, and it has become a pretty high profile attack. The basic setup of the attack is cybercriminals will deploy pop ups or ads which trick users into believing their device has been infected with malware, usually filling their screen with big scary banners or alerts.

Essentially, the scam works by panicking users with a banner claiming they have been compromised by a virus or attack, and prompts them to reach out to ‘tech support’. From there, fake support agents will request and steal personal and financial information from unsuspecting users who believe they’ve been compromised.

Most of us are aware of this scam, and are confident enough to ignore these when they do pop-up, but the primary target for these attacks is older adults and those who aren’t savvy enough to spot the warning signs.

But with this new ‘scareware blocker’ might make us all a little safer. The AI-powered detection checks on new and unfamiliar sites, “where abuse is more likely to hide”, and uses a SmartScreen to protect users worldwide within minutes once an abusive site is detected.

The model compares screens to sample scams provided by the security community - and this runs locally, without needing to save or send images to the cloud.

When an attack is detected, Edge will ‘put users back in control’ by exiting full screen mode, as well as stopping “aggressive audio playback”, and providing a warning to the user with a thumbnail of the suspicious page.

From there, the user has the option to report the malicious site to help protect others, and they can even share the screenshot of the scam with Microsoft to help train the model further.

If the alert is a false alarm, users can report the mistake from the scareware blocker.

“While we recognize that the scareware blocker may not catch every scam—especially as tactics evolve—we are committed to empowering users with solutions while we improve our defenses,” Windows confirmed in its statement.

This tool is something even Chrome has employed, and it's available when any Edge user updates their browser to the newest version and restarts. You can check if this is installed under the ‘Privacy Search and Services’ label.

Protecting yourself

If you’re not a Microsoft Edge user, or you’d just like to make sure you’re as safe as possible, here are a few tips to protect yourself.

The most important step is being aware of the scam. Once you know the playbook, you’ll be much less panicked if you encounter it. Always try to keep calm, and don’t be rushed into providing your information to an attacker.

If a warning takes over your screen, you can always press and hold the ‘Esc’ key to escape it, which should ease the anxiety a little. Criminals' most effective tool is pressuring you to act quickly and without thinking, so if you can resist this, you’ll be much better placed to avoid any scams.

Don’t click on any suspicious links or pop-ups. Much like phishing scams, these are designed to take your information, which can lead to even bigger issues like identity theft.

Similarly, don’t contact any phone numbers or emails shown in a pop-up - if you think there’s a real issue, search the contact information separately and contact through official channels. Be particularly careful not to give away access to your accounts, and always remember that legitimate tech firms are incredibly unlikely to ever request money wired through foreign accounts, gift cards, or crypto currency.

A crucial part of this scam is the pop-up ad, so the best ad blockers will keep you safe from these - and a big bonus is that many of them are free!

Similarly, If you have the best antivirus software already installed on your device, you can be confident that your device is safe - so are much less likely to be panicked into falling victim to this scam.

"If you have a reputable antivirus installed, simply ignore any pop ups urging you to install security fixes," said Pierre Noel, Field CISO EMEA at Expel.

"If not, disregard these messages, research the top antivirus solution, and install a trusted one. If you receive an unexpected tech support call, say you're busy and ask for their name and department- chances are, they'll hang up."

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Microsoft has (very quietly) announced that it will be changing the way account sign-ins work in February – and the new system could pose a significant security risk for some users.

Squirreled away in the Microsoft Account Help page of the Support section on Microsoft’s website, the change essentially states that users will remain logged in by default any time they sign in via a browser or app on any device – meaning that if you sign into your Microsoft account to check your emails in Outlook or access your OneDrive on a public computer (or, say, a friend or colleague’s device) you'll no longer be automatically signed out afterwards, even if you close the browser entirely.

In other words, your emails, cloud files, and even your search and browsing history will remain accessible to anyone who uses that device, potentially leaving your personal data vulnerable. According to Microsoft, users will be able to circumvent the new sign-in setting by accessing their account while using the private browsing feature on their browser of choice.

An odd change from Microsoft

The real question here is simply: why? Automatically signing out in-browser users is a common staple of many software accounts, especially those that might be accessed from multiple devices – I personally have to log into a minimum of three different accounts in Chrome just to start working every morning. It seems to me that this should be an opt-in feature instead of the new default.

It doesn’t help that Microsoft hasn’t exactly been public about this change, especially given the potential security risks it poses – although I shouldn’t be too harsh straight off the bat, since the change hasn’t been implemented yet (I assume it will be active from February 1) and Microsoft could introduce a new pop-up or warning message informing users that they won’t be logged out automatically when they close the window unless they’re using private browsing.

If I had to guess, I’d say that this move is for the convenience of frequent users; although dedicated desktop apps for software like Outlook and OneDrive exist, there’s no doubt that a large cohort of Microsoft account holders who like to keep things old-school and access their emails and cloud storage via a browser instead. I get it; Gmail doesn’t have a standalone desktop app for Windows, but I’d probably still just open it in a browser tab anyway even if it did.

It's worth noting that Microsoft's upcoming change effectively mirrors the way that Google accounts already work – and before you ask, yes, this is a bit of a black mark against Google, since the same potential security issues apply here. If you don't have two-factor authentication active and leave your Google account logged in on a device, you'll remain signed in indefinitely unless you log out or use private browsing.

If you only access your emails and OneDrive on your home PC or laptop, this change could certainly speed things up for users – not having to sign in manually might only save a few seconds, but it feeds into the overall streamlining that Microsoft is currently going for across all of its services. Nonetheless, I’m a little concerned by the change, so I hope that Microsoft takes appropriate steps to make it as idiot-proof as possible.

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Microsoft has a grand plan to revamp Edge apparently, and one of the possible next steps in the evolution of the web browser has just been flagged up.

As Windows Latest explains, the software giant has a project with the codename of ‘Phoenix’ which has the aim of overhauling Edge, and making it look more modern, but not in one big update – rather a series of drip-fed moves.

And one of the incoming changes could be the ability for the browser to morph its color palette to match Windows 11’s settings, the tech site theorizes.

This is based on a couple of flags Windows Latest noticed in a test build of Edge from the Canary channel (the earliest preview builds).

The flags are ‘msEdgePhoenixColorPaletteGenerator’ and ‘msUseSnappingPointsForPhoenixPaletteGeneration’, so we have the clear reference to the Phoenix project here.

What these flags likely refer to is the ability for Edge to run a piece of ‘color palette generator’ code that could detect Windows 11’s accent colors or theme, and change the browser to match that. In other words, Edge would dynamically switch to complement the Windows 11 environment in this respect.

Analysis: What happens in testing, sometimes stays in testing

This is educated guesswork on Windows Latest’s part, but it makes sense to me. Bear in mind that not only is this early testing, but the functionality isn’t even enabled in preview yet, and only present in these flags hidden away in the background. It’s possible that nothing may come of this ultimately, but we can keep a watchful eye out for further clues.

Mica is also apparently coming to the Edge title bar, which is an opaque effect that means the bar is slightly tinted by the desktop color behind it.

While all this is commendable – if it happens – will it be enough to propel Edge forward in terms of browser share? I’m looking for bigger moves than this, and expect you will be too, although it certainly won’t hurt the chances of Microsoft’s browser.

To be fair to the software giant, some nifty bits have been brought in as part of Project Phoenix in the past, such as Edge’s split-screen feature which lets you browse two websites simultaneously, side-by-side in the browser window. Now that is a smart touch.

A further point to note here – albeit more minor – is another flag Windows Latest spotted recently in testing, namely ‘msVisualRejuvTooltips’ which likely represents a revamp of Edge tooltips. While this has since been removed, it’s still something Microsoft could return to at some point down the line.

Furthermore, Leopeva64, a source of a lot of Edge rumors and leaks on X, recently flagged up that the ‘Auto Picture in Picture’ feature in Microsoft’s browser is being removed from testing (see the below post).

All of which illustrates exactly why changes in testing need to be regarded carefully – not all of them make it through to release by any means.

Whatever happens, it’s clear Microsoft is hoping to improve Edge substantially with Project Phoenix, but I’m hoping to see some bigger pieces of that puzzle come into view this year.

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• Microsoft claims 10 billion generative AI chats happened within Edge borwser during 2024
• Edge leader also praises its performance enhancements
• Security features protected Edge users against trillions of trackers

Microsoft has boldly suggested its Edge browser has been central to the AI experience for users across the world over the last 12 months.

In a blog post, the company's General Manager for Product Management and Growth at Microsoft Edge, Search and Mobile, Roger Capriotti, revealed users accessed Copilot within the Edge browser window to engage in over 10 billion generative AI chats in 2024.

Edge has also, apparently, proven instrumental in other areas, like improving accessibility with built-in translation and supporting the world of ecommerce.

Microsoft gives us Edge unwrapped: 2024

An estimated 38 trillion characters were translated using Edge’s auto-translate function in 2024, with built-in shopping features saving shoppers $400 per year on average. Furthermore, 800 million articles and stories were consumed on MSN, with 46 million messages and files shared with Drop.

Capriotti also drew attention to the browser’s performance enhancements, quantifying their usefulness by stating seven trillion megabytes of PC memory were saved by using sleeping tabs.

Security features also got a major mention for the role in preventing over 1.4 billion phishing, malware, and scam attacks on Edge and over 1.8 trillion trackers on the Edge mobile app.

However despite all this success, Edge still lags behind in the global browser market. Google Chrome accounts for two in three (67%) desktop browser sessions (via the December 2024 Statcounter figures), with Edge in a very distant second place (13%). Across all platforms, including smartphones and tablets, Edge resides in third place with a tiny 5% market share, second to Safari (17%).

The update also notes Bing reached over 140 million daily active users, however it, too, lags behind competition. Google, with a 90% market share, leads the way, with Bing taking just a 4% slice.

Looking ahead, Microsoft is hoping injecting artificial intelligence into its browser to improve its usefulness could be one way to help it boost takeup.

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• Microsoft Edge now loads features like Favorites 40% faster, thanks to the new WebUI 2.0 framework
• Performance improvements make Edge more efficient for low-spec PCs, reducing resource demands compared to Chrome
• Microsoft aims to enhance Edge further, benefiting users with faster browsing, especially on older hardware

Microsoft has just made some important updates to its Edge browser, making it faster, more responsive, and more efficient even if you’re using a less powerful computer. These changes are thanks to Microsoft incorporating a new system, called the WebUI 2.0 framework, which will help the browser load things like buttons, menus, and settings much more quickly.

Here’s what that means for the latest versions of Edge in Windows 11.

When you use the browser after these changes, things like the ‘Favorites’ bar and the ‘Browser Essentials’ section will open much faster. These reduced loading times are due to the new framework, with Microsoft claiming that

the ‘Favorites’ bar opens 40% faster and the ‘Browser Essentials’ loads 42% faster than before, as reported by PCWorld.

If you’re using a PC with lower specs, such as one with less RAM or with an older hard drive instead of a modern SSD, you’ll also see performance improvements. This could give people using a budget PC that may be classed as ‘lower performance’ or an older device an extra reason to consider using Edge over other browsers like Google Chrome - which has become infamous because of its high RAM demands.

Credit where credit is due for Microsoft

That’s not all the good news, as Microsoft has plans to keep improving parts of Edge by incorporating the WebUI 2.0 framework. In the next few months, you can expect to have a faster, smoother loading experience in Edge overall as Microsoft.

This will make Edge a more appealing choice, especially for everyday users and people who don’t have the most powerful PCs. As tech companies push ahead to offer novelties like AI-powered features, I want to give Microsoft credit for improvements like this that will improve the user experience of people who continue to use older or lower-end hardware.

Using fewer resources and still delivering a solid browser experience might make someone think twice about using Edge as their browser of choice. I think improvements like this are what can convince someone to convert, and hopefully a more popular Edge inspires Google’s Chrome team to also continue improving its rival browser, especially when it comes to how it uses your PC’s resources. That could lead to better browser choices overall which benefits users in the end whether they choose Edge or something else.

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• Apple has introduced Passwords support for Firefox
• The extension allows Mac users to store, sync, and autofill credentials
• Apple has apparently taken ownership of an existing extension

Apple has gradually added more credential management features to both iOS and MacOS, with autofill features and a password generator being added in software updates.

The release of iOS 18 and macOS 15 Sequoia saw Apple introduce its very own password manager, suitably named ‘Passwords’, allowing users to sync, store, and autofill password from a single app.

Now, Apple is setting its sights on introducing more password support for browsers outside of its native Safari.

Passwords for Firefox

Apple has now introduced a browser extension for Firefox, allowing MacOS users with a preference for the flaming Vulpes to enjoy the same functionality offered in Safari and supported Chromium based browsers such as Chrome and Edge.

The extension simply requires a Mac device that is already synced with your iCloud account running either macOS Sonoma or macOS Sequoia. Once installed, the extension will prompt you to type in a six-digit code, and you can now store and autofill passwords in Firefox.

The basis for the extension, however, is not new. Apple has apparently claimed ownership of an existing extension that offered support for Apple passwords in the Firefox browser, with the Github page stating that Apple “are now the sole owners in charge of maintaining their own official iCloud Passwords extension.”

Unfortunately, Windows users are going to have to wait before Apple Password sync is enabled, as the Firefox extension is not compatible with the Firefox browser when running on Windows or Linux - however the Github page for the original extension does support Windows version that can run iCloud for Windows, so Apple may have Firefox Password support for Windows in the pipeline.

Via Ars Technica

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• Game Assist mode is part of the Game Bar and is now in testing
• It pops up a compact Edge panel right in your gaming session
• You can look at online tips and guides without Alt-Tabbing out of the game

Microsoft is adding a new feature to the Edge browser that could give it a distinct edge over Chrome (and other rivals), at least for PC gamers.

This is the Game Assist mode, which is now in preview (testing) with Microsoft Edge beta version 132, and it’s part of the functionality integrated into the Game Bar on Windows 11.

The basic idea is to give you access to, say, game guides or tips while you’re playing a game. So, instead of having to Alt-Tab constantly in and out of the game to look at said guide in the browser – or have the guide open on your phone, staring at a small screen – you can have it right there in your game session.

Game Assist is essentially a mini version of Edge running in the Game Bar overlay, so you can look at those hints and tips – or whatever you want – and still see the game world, and when you’re about to be attacked by a monster or something that might be similarly disastrous if you’d Alt-Tabbed out.

This gaming-centric Edge panel shares the same data as the main Edge browser on your PC, so you get access to your favorites, cookies, and so on. It’s also trimmed down and streamlined so it doesn’t sap resources, Microsoft notes – which obviously wouldn’t be helpful for gaming.

Furthermore, Game Assist is aware of what you’re playing and can surface tips or walkthroughs appropriate to that game.

Analysis: Game on!

All in all, this sounds like a great idea – providing what Microsoft says about the Game Assist feature not using too much in the way of resources holds true. Of course, as it’s in beta right now, if you do try the capability out, it’s possible that Game Assist could be wonky in any number of ways.

To begin with, the test version only supports the English language and a ‘selection’ of popular games. The initially supported PC games include Baldur’s Gate 3, Diablo IV, Fortnite, and League of Legends, among others, but no doubt more will be added as we go along – assuming Game Assist makes it out of testing.

We don’t see why it wouldn’t, as this is a pretty neat idea for gamers who don’t have a multiple-monitor setup that allows them to peruse guides or tips on a separate large screen (and not a fiddly little smartphone screen). It also avoids clumsy Alt-Tabbing, as mentioned.

If it works well, this is a feature that we could see persuading a number of PC gamers to give the browser a whirl and perhaps drive more adoption of Microsoft Edge (which is, in fact, already rated as our top pick out of the best web browsers).

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Microsoft Edge’s settings page is getting an overhaul in December, which the company promises will boost its performance. This overhaul is the latest in a series aimed at improving the responsiveness of the browser overall in a bid to gain more market share from Google’s rival web browser, Chrome, which continues to be the most widely-used browser by a huge margin.

The improvements revolve around migrating the to Microsoft’s new WebUI 2.0 toolkit. Microsoft describes WebUI 2.0 as “markup-first”, meaning it prioritizes technologies like HTML and CSS over more demanding tools like JavaScript. In Microsoft’s words, “Modern browser engines are very fast at rendering [page content] so long as you don’t let JavaScript get in the way.”

The problem with using JavaScript is that you have to download it before it can start working – and that can end up slowing everything down, especially, as Microsoft notes, on low-end devices.

Can Chrome be toppled?

Microsoft’s solution to this apparently “minimizes the size of [its] bundles of code, and the amount of JavaScript code that runs during the initialization path of the UI.” In plain English, this means that parts of Edge’s user interface (such as buttons and menus) should feel a lot faster and more responsive.

Microsoft has already migrated Edge’s Browser Essentials UI – which presents security information, and browser stats like memory usage – to the new system. It also migrated the Favorites part of Edge and says this has improved response time by 40%. The Browser Essentials change makes pages load 42% faster overall, and, up to 76% faster on low-end devices, such as machines without SSDs and less than 8 GB of RAM – at least, according to Microsoft.

As for Edge Settings, the changes aren’t totally under-the-hood. Microsoft has also taken the opportunity to provide “minor visual and content upgrades to improve overall usability and utility. This includes optimizing for concise wording of individual settings, simplifying the number of pages and reorganizing content, and creating a cohesive user interface.”

Any improvements to the performance of Edge is welcome, especially as despite Microsoft’s best efforts (such as installing it as default in Windows 11, and constantly badgering users to stick with it), its web browser still seriously lags behind Chrome when it comes to user numbers.

I’m sure most people would rather Microsoft try to win over new users to Edge by improving the overall web browsing experience, rather than shoving some more ads in the Start Menu.

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Microsoft Edge has steadily been seeing improvements over the course of the year, and a fresh innovation in testing promises to boost the performance of the browser. It does so by keeping a close eye out for any misbehaving extensions which are consuming too much in the way of resources.

Neowin spotted the introduction of the feature called ‘extension performance detector’ in Edge (Canary v130, meaning an early test version), which warns you if any browser extensions are slowing down Edge repeatedly over time.

The notification that pops up as a warning when this happens tells you how much slowdown your browser extensions are causing, and breaks down the impact of each extension, with the worst offenders at the top. You can hit a button to turn off any of these extensions right there and then to improve your browser’s performance.

Extensions can be really useful - but they can also carry potential pitfalls

For the uninitiated, browser extensions are compact add-ons installed in Edge (or other browsers) that add extra features. For example, they can instantly translate the contents of a web page, or read a page out aloud to you. 

While such add-ons can deliver powerful bits of extra functionality in a convenient way, some extensions can malfunction and potentially drag down your browser’s performance, or worse still, perhaps the overall performance of your device. 

Right now, as noted, this feature is only available in the Canary build of Edge (where it can be enabled using a flag). It’s likely to be unstable in its current experimental form, but hopefully, Microsoft will iron out any problems, and the extension performance detector tool will come to the full release of Edge eventually.

I’m looking forward to this capability arriving in the stable version of Edge, as extensions can certainly mess with your browser’s performance in some cases, and sometimes without you even realizing that it’s an extension that’s causing the trouble. So, a feature that keeps a constant lookout for such misfiring extensions is going to be worth its weight in gold.

Microsoft has made a number of improvements to Edge throughout 2024, including other work to boost performance of the browser, and to better organize and streamline Edge’s Settings page, which is a rather sprawling mess these days.

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Microsoft is planning to streamline its Edge browser considerably when it comes to the configuration of the app.

Windows Latest noticed that the official roadmap website for Microsoft 365 now has an update for Edge which informs us that the Settings for the browser are going to be revamped to be more organized.

In the roadmap entry titled ‘Microsoft Edge: Elevating top settings and improving settings page navigability,’ the software giant explains what streamlining measures are being enacted, and that the rollout of these changes is expected to begin in October 2024.

The first step Microsoft is taking is a new quick access panel on the landing page for Edge Settings. This will provide one-click shortcuts to the most commonly used actions front and center in the menu that first greets you when you access Settings.

Secondly, when you dive into a submenu in Settings – such as System and Performance, or Appearance – this will also have the same one-click shortcuts for the options that are most often used.

And finally, Microsoft plans to break up the long lists of options you drill down into in Settings to make them smaller subsections, similar to a table of contents in a book.

Analysis: A move in the right direction

All of this aims to make hunting around to change things in Edge much easier, and it seems like a sound plan to us. Navigating Settings can be a painful task at times, and having shortcuts to all your most-used options right there upfront will be very handy. No, it’s not a move that’ll suddenly make Edge more popular than Chrome, but it’ll help (and Edge is actually a good product already – it’s top of our best web browser list, after all).

Note that there are no changes being made in terms of the actual functionality of the settings in Edge here – it’s a reorganization of how they are presented, with a large helping of handy one-click shortcuts thrown in.

In some ways, this is taking a leaf out of Chrome’s book, as Google’s browser has generally tighter organization when it comes to Settings (and even in its more cluttered parts, Chrome is certainly no worse than Edge).

Further note that while the rollout is kicking off in October, Microsoft is referring to the initial stages of testing the revamped Settings panel. It could be some time before work progresses through testing and on to the release version of Edge, of course – and some work in preview never sees the light of day. Mind you, we’ve a feeling this will make the cut, as Edge could use a boost in the organization of its options.

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Microsoft is testing a new way to limit the amount of RAM its Edge web browser uses – and it could sway people from the market leader Google Chrome.

As websites get more complex (and stuffed with adverts), they use more system memory on your desktop PC or laptop. If you often browse with lots of tabs open at once, and have a few browser extensions installed, the amount of RAM used by your web browser can quickly balloon – and this can result in your PC slowing down, and your laptop battery depleting faster.

Chrome is a notorious RAM hog – though Google has been adding features to address that – so Microsoft clearly sees an opportunity to get more users to switch to Edge. Despite Edge using the same Chromium technology as Chrome, and having the advantage of being installed in Windows 10 and Windows 11 by default, Microsoft’s web browser has struggled to chip away at Chrome’s formidable market share.

So, any advantage Edge can offer over Chrome will be very welcome. While Edge already gives users a way to manage RAM use, as Windows Latest reports a new ‘Canary’ build – which is an early version released to testers – has tweaked the way users can set RAM limits.

Rather than the current slider, there is a drop-down menu that offers the following choices:

• No limit
• Minimal (8GB)
• Moderate (6GB)
• Aggressive (4GB)
• Most Aggressive (2GB)

User friendly FTW

While this new drop-down list doesn’t give you the same level of granular control that the current slider does, it’s a more convenient and user-friendly way to impose limits on the browser, especially for people who might not be sure how much memory they should give Edge.

One thing to note is that Microsoft isn’t kidding when it labels the 2GB limit as “Most Aggressive.” While this mode will be handy if you’re using an older machine with not much RAM to spare, I’d advise against picking it if you have a modern PC with 8GB or 16GB of RAM, as the 2GB limit will decrease the amount of tabs you have open at once, and could impact browsing performance.

Limiting Edge to 4GB or 6GB should see good results, and may free up your PC’s memory for other applications to use, improving their performance.

Being able to set the limit to only turn on when playing PC games is a nice touch as well. It won’t transform your gaming experience, but could make things smoother. Windows Latest also claims that Microsoft is looking into ways to integrate Edge with Windows 11’s Energy Saver tool.

I’ve been stubbornly refusing to use Edge for years, but adding features like this could make me finally ditch Chrome. I often browse with loads of tabs open at once, and while most of the time I use desktop PCs with plenty of RAM to spare, I’m still not a fan of just how much memory Chrome continues to suck up. Plus, when I switch from my gaming PC with 32GB of DDR5 RAM to a work laptop with 8GB of slower RAM, my tab-happy browsing habits start causing problems.

If using Edge means my laptop performs better, and its battery lasts longer, then I might not just use the browser to download Chrome. I’m still not a fan of how Microsoft tries to force Edge on me when using Windows 11, but adding features that actually make my online life better will do more to convince me to switch web browsers than any heavy-handed nagging pop-ups will.

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In its latest push to increase the adoption of Edge, Microsoft is apparently increasingly arketing the browser to users of its Defender security suite in a move that has drawn criticism for blurring the line between advising and advertising.

The user interface design choice has been slated for deceptively steering users towards installing Microsoft’s in-house browser by promoting a feature called ‘In-browser protection with Microsoft Edge for Business.’

The tool is designed to help administrators separate personal and business browsing profiles in order to keep confidential company information secure.

Microsoft accused of deceptively enticing customers to Edge

Although the tool, which offers protection similar to a reverse proxy, can be a useful control for companies, the way Microsoft has gone about pushing it has sparked online debate. The prompt appears as a security recommendation rather than clearly being identified as an advertisement.

Chrome currently accounts for around 65% of all browser sessions on desktops, compared with just 14% for Edge. Still, Edge has the edge over Safari, which only accounts for around 9% of the desktop browser market (according to Statcounter), with Firefox and Opera rounding up the top five.

When asked about the criticism, a Microsoft spokesperson emphasized (via The Register) that administrators have full control over the experience and can disable the feature if desired.

However, this isn’t the first time that Microsoft has faced scrutiny over its Edge marketing tactics. Earlier this year, Mozilla published a report criticizing the company for using dark patterns to push users towards Edge, highlighting examples of targeted Edge ads on Google’s website.

More broadly, Microsoft has also been struggling with the adoption of its latest operating system. Windows 11 finally broke the 30% market share last month, but still accounts for fewer than one in three instances of Windows OS. Windows 10 accounts for a sliver under 65%.

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While Apple Maps has long been available on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and the Mac, it hasn’t been available on the web. Google Maps has had that edge, but Apple seems to want to compete there now that it is on the web as a public beta. 

By visiting the freshly launched site, you can now get directions – walking or driving – to locations around the world, swap between three map styles, learn more about business, and even explore guides that the team behind Apple Maps puts together. 

Notably, this public beta launched as Apple expanded its guides for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and the MLS Leagues Cup, which will stream on MLS Season Pass. While the core functions of Apple Maps are here, some of the more unique elements, like 3D buildings and flyovers, are not. 

In an accompanying release, Apple noted that “Look Around” and other additional features will be rolled out in the coming months. During this Public Beta for Apple Maps on the web, it’s only available in English, and browser support varies by operating system. On a Mac or an iPad, it’s compatible with Safari and Chrome, while Windows PCs can use it in Edge or Chrome. Apple is expecting to add more languages and compatibility for the web experience in the coming months as well.

Much of the core Apple Maps experience is here, though, and many of the company's investments in its mapping offerings are visible. For instance, under a location, you can easily see hours, make a call, or even visit a site. With a restaurant, you can also easily order food from Maps, as it will give you the option to open in a new tab.

Guides might be the most fun experience on the web as they are curated quite well around locations, like venues or districts within a city, but also set up around significant events. It’ll be interesting to see what specific experiences that currently exist on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, or watchOS eventually arrive on the web.

It’s certainly been a long time coming, though – Apple Maps initially launched in 2012. The company has invested quite a bit in recent years to improve the experience and expand to a richer feature set. One of the more unique features is 3D-modeled digital recreations of iconic buildings from the Eiffel Tower to the White House, with Apple Stores, iconic music venues, and even little touches of city landmarks, all beautifully recreated.

If you want to check out the Apple Maps on the web experience, you can access it here or by typing “beta.maps.apple.com” into your browser. It’s also worth noting that this new experience integrates with MapKit JS so that you can link out to this new experience and the app experiences.

Ultimately, Apple Maps on the web versus just as an application on Apple Devices instantly opens it up to more people, and that may take some customers away from Google Maps. 

It'll be interesting to see if Apple rolls out entirely new experiences for the web version to better compete with Google Maps or sticks with the route of porting over the mainstays that folks who use Apple Maps already know. Time will tell. 

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‘Draft with Copilot’ is an AI-powered feature introduced to Edge relatively recently, with the web browser being one of the first avenues where Microsoft pushed its Copilot AI assistant, and soon, it could be getting a minor upgrade.

Trusted watcher of all things browser-related, Leopeva64, spotted the new development and highlighted it on X, sharing some screenshots (and animated GIFs) of the new ‘Draft with Copilot’ ability which is part of an Edge Canary preview build.

As you might guess, the feature enlists the help of the AI to craft some text for you, and the addition here is that it’s now available when you right-click an empty text field in Edge. When you fire up ‘Draft with Copilot’ in such an empty field, it opens a window for the AI assistant, and here you can enter the subject that you’d like Copilot to compose some text about.

You can then click ‘Generate’ and watch Copilot work its magic as the AI whips up a piece of text on the topic you chose. When Copilot has provided its offering, you can subsequently modify the tone and length of Copilot’s text to better fit your purpose, or just play around with possible tweaks.

Right now, the feature is only supported in US English in the Edge browser, but in time, I’d expect this will open up to further languages.

The second GIF that Leopeva64 posted shows an interesting twist to the new update. Seemingly when you right-click on an editable text field with text already in it, the ‘Draft with Copilot’ option is not available. While this could change during testing, presumably it’s this way because there’s already text present, so you wouldn’t want to be drafting something from scratch.

Copilot as a co-author

MS Power User, which spotted this development, points out that the concept is similar to Google Chrome’s ‘Help Me Write’ feature, and I’d agree.

Microsoft has previously written a blog post about Copilot’s creative composition abilities when working with text fields, describing how you can use the AI to “quickly generate well-written text to use as input text in text boxes” and further noting: “Using Copilot saves time because you won’t have to worry about creating text that meets grammar rules. Copilot is especially helpful for users who are using apps that aren’t in their native language.”

One thing to consider carefully is the quality of the text that Copilot produces. Critics of AI-generated text in general complain that it can seem very generic and read in a toneless, bland, way - and that could be a problem if you’re going for something to try and grab the attention of readers.

Still, the particular implementation here is more about knocking up something concise in swift order, right there in the browser, and Copilot is likely to do a more serviceable job in that respect, or what it generates could work as a useful jumping-off point that you can expand on - or it’ll give you some further ideas.

Whatever the case, Copilot is slowly making its way into different corners of more Windows apps, including Edge, that much is clear.

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Microsoft’s Edge and Google’s Chrome browsers could get improvements on the media playback front when it comes to embedded videos on websites, ensuring these clips don’t start to play before they become visible. Or, at least, this is Microsoft’s aim based on work apparently underway in Chromium, the open-source engine of both Edge and Chrome (plus other web browsers besides).

Microsoft’s proposed change would make it so that media playback is paused while a video isn’t yet fully rendered on a particular page. Currently, you can get a situation where a website is still loading - and an embedded video hasn’t yet appeared - but it starts to play, and you get audio with no picture.

With Microsoft’s update, the video will be paused while the browser is still loading up the web page and video clip, and it’ll only play when everything’s ready (and the video is displayed on-screen). Clearly, that’s a much better way of working things that won’t have audio apparently playing out of ‘nowhere’ for a short time before the embedded video clip actually appears in the browser.

Often this problem happens because of the way media is embedded in websites (or web apps), the most common of which is ‘iframes.’ An iframe, which is short for inline frame, is a web page element that effectively loads another ‘page’ within the original web page, and that content can be hidden temporarily while the parent website is loading.

This sequence of events is what causes the sound from an embedded video to play before the image part of the video is rendered, and that can be confusing or disconcerting - you might even think your PC has a problem.

Microsoft's proposed changes to Chromium

Microsoft’s proposal to realize this is to introduce a new policy for Chromium to control how iframe media playback works. Essentially, the policy determines if the embedded video (the iframe) has been rendered, and if it hasn’t, the video clip - both audio and visual elements - is paused while the rendering process continues. Playback will only begin when everything has been fully rendered and the video clip has appeared in the browser. 

This incoming change for Chromium was spotted by Windows Latest, but it’s still early days for this possible move by Microsoft. It could take some time for the feature to be developed and applied to Edge and Chrome (or other web browsers), and it’ll need to be tested before hitting release versions of these browsers, too.

We might see the feature in testing in a few months, perhaps - so keep your fingers crossed. I could see how this could make browsing a more pleasant, less distracting experience, particularly if a web page has several videos embedded in it. The good news is that not just Microsoft Edge users will benefit, but people running other Chromium-based browsers should do too, as we mentioned. 

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Google has announced the general availability of a new Distributed Cloud configuration designed for use in tactical edge environments.

The new Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance allows customers in harsh environments, such as disaster zones and remote research stations, to remain connected to Google Cloud applications and AI solutions while minimizing outage risk.

In order to maintain connectivity, the Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance offers full isolation, operating without connectivity to Google Cloud or the public internet.

Google Distributed Cloud expansion

The Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance is designed to operate without reliance on the public internet, ensuring it meets stringent regulatory and compliance requirements. Users can also expect an array of security features, including encryption, data isolation, firewalls, and secure boot, to safeguard their data.

In its announcement, Google boasts the appliance’s Department of Defense Impact Level 5 accreditation, adding that it is also designed to meet Impact Level 6 and higher accreditations. It weighs around 100 lbs (45kg) and can be transported in a rugged case or mounted in a rack, which aids portability.

The appliance supports various use cases, including disaster response, industrial automation, transportation and logistics, and restricted workloads for federal and defense. It combines infrastructure-as-a-service features like compute, networking, and storage with Google Cloud services such as data transfer and analytics.

Michael Roquemore, Director of the the Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office’s Rapid, Agile, Integrated Capabilities Team, and an early air-gapped appliance customer, commented:

“By delivering a secure and compliant edge compute platform, the RSO can leverage already developed Google-based technologies in both connected cloud and disconnected edge to bring digital innovation to the Service Members wherever they operate.

Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped appliance is generally available now, and the product specification is available on a dedicated web page.

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