Microsoft to Remove Legacy Edge from Windows 10 on April 13th
The old legacy version of Microsoft Edge is being replaced by the new Chromium-based version on Windows 10 on April 13th.
The browser you never used is being replaced by the one you want. When Microsoft originally launched Windows 10, it came with its own browser called Edge. It was a proprietary browser developed by Microsoft. It was incomplete from the start and most users would launch it once just to download Google Chrome.
The company made improvements to the legacy Edge browser over the years. And eventually, it added support for a handful of extensions. But it never really took off. And because it was so deeply tied into the OS, it could only be updated via Windows Update. So, new features weren’t added as quickly as you’d expect from other browsers like Chrome or Firefox.
The New Edge
Microsoft started over and has built a new version of Edge based on Chromium. And the new Edge has received a much better reception. It has been out for over a year now and many people are already using it. Microsoft updates the new Edge on a regular basis and is continually adding new features like Startup Boost and Sleeping Tabs. It supports a lot more extensions that you can install from Microsoft. And since the new Edge is built with Chromium, the same underpinnings of Chrome, you can install Google Chrome extensions.
You can download the new Edge now for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. You can even install beta versions. However, Microsoft has been rolling out the stable version of the new Edge gradually. And the old legacy version is still on some Windows 10 user’s PCs. But that is about to change.
The company will officially replace the old version of Edge with the new chromium-based version through a Windows update.
Microsoft Edge Legacy is Out
Support for Microsoft Edge Legacy ends on March 9th and it will no longer receive security updates. The new Edge will be replacing the old Edge on April 13th through a cumulative update. Microsoft writes:
To replace this out of support application, we are announcing that the new Microsoft Edge will be available as part of the Windows 10 cumulative monthly security update—otherwise referred to as the Update Tuesday (or “B”) release—on April 13, 2021. When you apply this update to your devices, the out of support Microsoft Edge Legacy desktop application will be removed and the new Microsoft Edge will be installed.
This update will replace the old Edge on Windows 10 1803 or newer. It won’t affect Windows 7 (which itself is no longer supported) or Windows 8.x devices. If you are already using the new Edge, the update will just remove the old Edge.
We have already written several articles on how to use the Edge and will continue covering it moving forward. Stay tuned.
