14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has finally released the preview version of its new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser.
For the time being, the preview is only available for Windows 10, but Microsoft says that support for Mac and the other Windows 10 versions is also on its way. At this point, the company says it’s working on new versions of the Edge browser for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and macOS.
However, a Linux version of the browser is likely at some point in the future as well given the Chromium engine that’s available cross-platform.
Beta builds of the new Microsoft Edge are also planned, with a release target later this year.
“In these first builds we are very much focused on the fundamentals and have not yet included a wide range of feature and language support that will come later,” Microsoft explains.
“You’ll start to see differences from the current Microsoft Edge including subtle design finishes, support for a broader selection of extensions and the ability to manage your sign-in profile. We look forward to people starting to kick the tires and will be refining the feature set over time based on the feedback we receive.”
Dev and Beta builds available now
The Microsoft Edge version currently available in the Dev channel is 74.1.96.24, which means it’s a newer build than the one that got leaked in late February.
Microsoft has also confirmed that by contributing the Chromium engine it’s opening the doors for more browsers to Windows 10 on ARM, including Google Chrome.
“We’re working directly with the teams at Google and the broader Chromium community on this work and appreciate the collaborative and open discussions,” Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President, Windows, says.
To download the new browser, you need to head over to the Microsoft Edge Insider channels page. There are two versions offered at this point, namely Developer, which is updated weekly, and Canary, which receives updates daily.