Browser updates are important. Updates to Microsoft Edge provide critical security patches, new features, and performance improvements. The Edge browser automatically updates itself, but you can manually check for and install updates.
There are two versions of Microsoft Edge: the original version that shipped with Windows 1
Upgrade to the new Edge browser
If you have not yet updated your Windows 10 PC to the new Microsoft Edge, you can download it from Microsoft website. Install it on your PC and it will replace the old Edge browser. If you want the old Edge browser back, you can delete the new Edge like you would any other application.
Microsoft will eventually install the new Edge web browser on all Windows 10 PCs through Windows Update. However, this has not yet happened from 12 May 2020. If you're willing to wait, hold on – you'll get the latest version of Edge automatically on all of your Windows 10 PCs.
The new Edge is also available for Windows 7, Windows 8, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android.
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How to Update the New Edge Browser
The New Microsoft Edge Browser Based on Chromium Updates Like Google Chrome. It automatically downloads and installs updates for itself.
Click the menu button in the top right corner of the Edge browser window to manually check for an update in Edge. It looks like three horizontal dots.
Point to "Help and Feedback" and click "About Microsoft Edge".
Edge checks for available updates and automatically installs all available updates. Edge also shows you the browser version you have installed on this page.
On the About page, you are prompted to restart the Edge browser if you have not restarted since installing the latest version.
You can also access this page by copying edge: // settings / help in Edge's address bar and pressing Enter.
How the Original Edge Browser
The original version of Microsoft Edge that comes with Windows 10 updates via Windows Update.
Go to Settings> Update & Security> Windows Update to check for Edge updates. Windows checks for updates and offers to install them. Updates to the Edge browser are included in regular cumulative update packages for the Windows 10 operating system.
On Windows 10, Windows Update automatically installs updates to automatically install Edge browser security updates and bug fixes.
Update Edge to unstable insider builds
If you want unstable versions of Edge with new features, download them from the official Microsoft Edge Insider website.
Microsoft offers a beta channel that gets a major update every six weeks, a Dev channel that updates weekly, and a Canary channel that updates almost every night. Builds go from Canary to Dev to Beta and eventually reach the stable channel when they are stable.
Most people shouldn't install these unstable builds, but they are especially useful for web developers who want to test the latest browser versions before they are released. Enthusiasts may also want to experiment with new features and help Microsoft find bugs, as with the Windows 10 Insider program.
Edge uses the same release channel structure as Google Chrome, causing new browser versions to get many bugs. before they are released.
You can even have all four versions of Edge installed on your computer at the same time: Stable, Beta, Dev, and Canary. Each gets its own shortcut in your Start menu and each is updated individually. Click menu> Help & Feedback> About Microsoft Edge in one of these to check for updates for that browser.
The new Edge is a major update for everyone
Historically, major new Edge features have been added to the major feature updates for Windows 10. Microsoft generally releases them every six months.
But with the transition to the new Edge based on Google Chrome, new Edge features will appear instead every six weeks. So often Google also updates Chrome. Major updates such as the May 2020 update of Windows 10 no longer include new features for the old version of Edge.
The new Edge offers a world-class browsing experience based on the open-source Chromium code. Google uses this Chromium code as the basis for Google Chrome, so the new Edge and Chrome have a lot in common. Experienced Chrome users will be right at home on the web with Edge.
Edge still has some features not found in Google Chrome, such as a tracking prevention feature and InPrivate Browsing for private online browsing.
Microsoft has come a long way since Internet Explorer. Even if you plan to stick with Google Chrome, many of the improvements that Microsoft makes in the new Edge will be reentered into the Chromium platform and make their way into Chrome. In other words, Microsoft is about to make Chrome even better. That goes in both directions, of course. The improvements Google makes to Chrome will also make Microsoft Edge even better. The collaboration between Microsoft and Google is good news for everyone, whether you're holding onto the included Windows 10 web browser or downloading Google Chrome.
RELATED: How Microsoft Is About To Make Google Chrome Even Better
