Microsoft’s all-new Edge browser has managed to give Microsoft an “edge” among other Chromium-based browsers. If downloading Chrome or Firefox is the first thing you do on your new computer, we’re going to give you a few reasons why you might just want to stick with Microsoft Edge.
The latest update brings a slew of features, some of which you may have never realized were there. These features can enrich your browsing in many ways. Let’s walk through Microsoft Edge’s top hidden features.
Get the Latest Update
Before we talk about the features, let’s ensure you’re running the latest version.
If you’re on Windows 10, you’ll be automatically upgraded to the Chromium-based Edge. If you’re still running the legacy version, you’ll need to download the new Edge from the Microsoft website.
To check if you’re running the latest version of Edge, move your cursor over to the top-right corner on your Edge browser and click on the ellipsis icon. From the dropdown menu, select Help and Feedback > About Microsoft Edge.
1. Sidebar Search
Mac users love Safari’s Search with Google option, and so they should; it’s a handy feature. This eliminates the hassle of having to paste the copied text into a new tab and helps perform a quick search.
Edge came up with an even more brilliant feature by introducing a sidebar that allows a quick search without having to open a new tab. By default, Edge will perform the search on Bing.
To give this feature a go, select text on a webpage and right-click on it. Select Search Bing in sidebar for… or you could also use the keyboard shortcut to perform a sidebar search by pressing Ctrl + Shift + E. You can also learn more handy keyboard shortcuts for Edge.
2. Install Websites as Apps
This Microsoft Edge feature makes it simple to manage frequently used websites by installing them as apps. You may choose to pin the website to your Start Menu or desktop.
To install a website as an app, start by navigating to the website. Click the ellipsis icon at the top-left of your browser and select Settings > Apps > Install this site as an app. Save this app with your preferred name and this will open a new window for that website.
For managing the websites you’ve installed as an app, navigate to Settings > Apps > Manage Apps. Here, you can uninstall the app, pin it to your Start Menu or Desktop, or view site permissions.
3. Built-In Coupon and Promo Codes
Microsoft Edge now comes with a feature that will alert you if it has a coupon or promo for the shopping website you’re browsing. An alert that reads “This site has coupons!” will slide in from the right of the address bar, and you’ll also see a blue price tag icon.
To use a code, click on the price tag icon, bring your pointer over a code and click Copy code.
Edge will also help you find the best deal so you can maximize your savings and suggest a coupon code accordingly.
4. Web Capture
The Web Capture tool replaces the Web Notes tool and improves on it. With Web Capture, you can not only capture the visible portion of the webpage, but you can scroll further down the page to include as much content from the webpage as you want.
To capture contents from a webpage, go to “…” > Web Capture, or use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + S.
Once you’ve captured the content, you’ll have an option to Copy or Add Notes. This will open a dialog box where you can draw on the capture, share, copy, or save it on your computer.
If you want to easily access the Web Capture tool, right-click on it in the “…” menu and select Show in Toolbar.
5. Pin Tabs to Edge and Pin Websites to Taskbar
If you need to keep one or more websites permanently open while you’re browsing the web, Edge allows you to pin them. To pin a tab, right-click on the tab and select Pin tab.
The pinned tabs will now appear at the left of all the other open tabs. Pinned tabs are smaller, so they’ll also save you some real estate allowing you to keep more tabs open at a time.
You may also have a few go-to websites that you open as soon as you launch your browser. You can reduce a step in this process by pinning the websites to the taskbar.
To do this, go to the website you want to pin and click on the ellipsis icon. Next, select More Tools > Pin to taskbar. A dialog box will appear where you’ll see the website’s name, which you may change based on your preference. When you’re done, click Pin.
6. Put Tabs to Sleep
After introducing vertical tabs, Edge has added one more tab-related feature.
Regardless of whether you’re browsing for work or personal purposes, you’ll need to open multiple tabs so you can quickly switch among them as needed. This can, however, hog a good portion of your memory and processor.
To remedy this, Microsoft Edge allows you to put tabs to sleep. This frees up your computer’s resources, makes it run faster, and reduces battery consumption.
Microsoft illustrates the benefits of putting tabs to sleep and claims that it mitigates memory usage by 32% on average and uses 37% less CPU on average.
To put tabs to sleep, click on the ellipsis icon at the top-right of your browser and go to Settings > System. Under the head Save resources, make sure the slider next to Save resources with sleeping tabs is turned on. Below you’ll see an option to choose the duration of inactivity after which you’d like Edge to put tabs to sleep.
The final option in the Save resources section allows you to add exceptions for websites that you’d never like to be put to sleep.
When you want to awaken a tab, just click on it and it will revert to its normal status.
7. Choose a Non-ISP DNS Provider
Edge defaults to using the DNS provider that your ISP has set up. If you’re looking for improved privacy and security, you may want to switch to a different DNS provider like Cloudflare or OpenDNS.
To choose a different DNS provider, go to “…” > Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services. Look for the section for Security and ensure that the Use secure DNS to specify how to lookup the network address for websites slider is turned on.
Under this section, you have two options. Select the second option Choose a service provider to use a different DNS provider, and select your preferred provider from the dropdown list. Some users have reported that the dropdown list does not appear. In this case, use the following URLs for choosing a different DNS provider:
- Cloudflare: https://chrome.cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query
- Comcast: https://doh.xfinity.com/dns-query{?dns}
- Google: https://dns.google/dns-query{?dns}
- Quad 9: https://dns11.quad9.net/dns-query
Microsoft Edge’s Hidden Features, Revealed
Now you’re familiar with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge’s hidden features. Being familiar with these features can enhance your browsing experience and, in this case, even save you some money while shopping.
These hidden features paired with Edge’s empowering productivity features can give Chrome and Firefox some competition for your browsing habits.
