Microsoft Edge — Microsoft's free Chromium-based web browser for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, with built-in Copilot AI and performance tools.
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Microsoft Edge screenshots & video
Microsoft Edge in 20 seconds
Best for: Windows users who want a browser tightly integrated with the OS, Microsoft 365, and Copilot AI
Pricing: Completely free; no paid tier.
- Microsoft Edge is built on the Chromium engine, the same engine used by Google Chrome.
- Edge is free with no paid tier, available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- Edge includes Copilot AI chat and Copilot Vision for analyzing on-screen content.
- Edge's energy-saver mode claims up to 25 extra minutes of battery life on supported devices.
- Edge is preinstalled and set as the default browser on Windows.
Limitations: Most distinguishing features assume a Microsoft account and are most useful on Windows.; Shares Chrome's engine, offering little rendering advantage over Chrome itself.; Windows repeatedly prompts users to keep Edge as their default browser.
Top alternatives: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Brave, Safari, Opera — full list
What is Microsoft Edge?
Microsoft Edge is Microsoft's default web browser, rebuilt on the Chromium engine since 2020 (the same rendering engine behind Google Chrome), which gives it broad compatibility with Chrome extensions and web standards while layering on Microsoft-specific features. These include Copilot integration for AI chat that can analyze open tabs and compare information, Copilot Vision for scanning and suggesting actions based on what's on screen, and productivity tools like AI-powered tab organization, in-browser image generation, and page summarization. On the performance and security side, Edge includes an energy-saver mode (Microsoft claims up to 25 extra minutes of battery life), a startup boost feature, sleeping tabs to reduce memory use, and Microsoft Defender SmartScreen for phishing and malware protection alongside built-in password management. It also includes a dedicated in-game browser overlay for PC gaming, accessible through Windows Game Bar. Edge is preinstalled and set as the default browser on Windows, and Microsoft actively promotes it there, but it's also available as a free download for macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android with cross-device sync for passwords, favorites, and settings tied to a Microsoft account. There is no paid tier; Edge is monetized indirectly by driving usage of Bing search and other Microsoft services rather than through browser subscriptions.
Microsoft Edge is Microsoft's free, Chromium-based web browser, bundled by default with Windows and also available for macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. It's aimed at Windows users who want a browser tightly integrated with the OS and Microsoft 365, with features including Copilot AI chat and Copilot Vision for analyzing on-screen content, an energy-saver mode, sleeping tabs, built-in password management, and Microsoft Defender SmartScreen for phishing/malware protection. Edge is entirely free with no paid tier; its main draw over Chrome is default-OS integration and its AI/performance features, while its main drawback for non-Windows users is that most of its distinguishing features assume a Microsoft account and ecosystem.
Standout feature: Deep Windows and Microsoft 365 integration combined with Copilot Vision, which can analyze on-screen content and suggest actions directly inside the browser, going beyond the AI features most competing browsers offer.
Biggest weakness: Most of Edge's distinguishing features (Copilot, cross-device sync, deep OS integration) assume a Microsoft account and are most valuable on Windows, giving non-Windows users little practical reason to choose it over Chrome, whose engine it shares; it also carries a reputation for persistent default-browser prompts and pre-installed promotional content on Windows.
Pros
- Built into Windows with no separate install required, and free on macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- Chromium-based, so it supports most Chrome extensions and web standards.
- Copilot and Copilot Vision integrate AI chat and on-screen analysis directly into the browser.
- Performance features (energy saver, sleeping tabs, startup boost) are aimed at extending laptop battery life and reducing memory use.
Cons
- Most standout features assume a Microsoft account and are most useful within the Windows/Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
- Shares Chrome's underlying engine, so it offers few rendering or compatibility advantages over Chrome itself.
- Windows repeatedly prompts users to keep Edge as their default browser, which some users find intrusive.
- Smaller and less mature non-Windows install base means fewer platform-specific optimizations on macOS/Linux/mobile compared to Windows.
Microsoft Edge pricing
Free · verified from the vendor's pricing page
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Full browser with no feature paywall, including Copilot AI integration, performance tools, and Defender SmartScreen protection. |
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