What you need to know
- Microsoft released an Insider update for Edge recently.
- The build adds several features, including Smart Find and improvements for Microsoft Edge for Business.
- The release notes for the update also list several features that Microsoft will remove from Edge in the near future.
Microsoft Edge gains features steadily over time, but every once in a while Microsoft removes features from its browser. That will be the case in the near future, as the company has listed several tools that will be removed. The removals are part of an effort to "improve end user experience and simplify the More tools menu," according to Microsoft.
In the release notes for Edge version 117.0.2045.9, Microsoft states that Math Solver, Picture Dictionary, Citations, Grammar Tools, and Kids Mode will all go away. Presumably, these features see little usage or Microsoft could just hide them from menus or place them behind flags.
Here's the complete change log from that same update:
- Microsoft Edge for Business update. Microsoft Edge for Business is a dedicated Microsoft Edge experience built for work that enables admins in organizations to give their users a productive and secure work browser across managed and unmanaged devices. The Automatic Switching mechanism is designed to keep work and personal browsing separate for the end users. This mechanism currently switches users from personal to work browsing on applicable logins. The new update will start automatically switching users from work to personal browsing on applicable logins. For more information, see Microsoft Edge for Business.
- Smart Find. Searching for a word or phrase on a webpage has become easier with AI. Even if you misspell a word in your search query, related matches and words are suggested, making it effortless to find what you're looking for. When you search, select the suggested link to quickly locate the desired word or phrase. Administrators can control the availability using the RelatedMatchesCloudServiceEnabled policy. For more information, see Smart Find.
- E-tree in Wallet. Users signed into Microsoft Edge with a personal Microsoft Account (MSA) can grow a virtual seed into a tree with Wallet. Once it's grown, a real mangrove is planted. Administrators can control the availability using the EdgeWalletEtreeEnabled policy. Note: This feature is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.
- Deprecation of features. To improve end user experience and simplify the More tools menu, the following features are being deprecated: Math Solver, Picture Dictionary, Citations, Grammar Tools, and Kids Mode.
If you're interested in features Microsoft is adding rather than taking away, Edge for Business recently rolled out to general availability. Microsoft also added the option to detach the Sidebar from Edge in a recent update.
