14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has officially removed the legacy version of Edge browser from Windows 10 21H1 builds, with the company now focusing entirely on the Chromium-based replacement.
We’ve known for a while that Edge Legacy was projected to get the ax, and according to an announcement released earlier this year, Microsoft planned to begin the phasing out as soon as this month with preview software and then in April on production devices.
So if you install the latest Windows 10 21H1 build, Edge Legacy is no longer available, as users are now provided with the Chromium-based replacement.
Update removing Edge Legacy to go live next month
Microsoft will roll out a new Windows 10 update next month specifically with the aim of removing Edge Legacy from production devices.
“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. The new Microsoft Edge offers built-in security and our best interoperability with the Microsoft security ecosystem, all while being more secure than Chrome for businesses on Windows 10,” Microsoft explained in an announcement.
Of course, if you already installed the Chromium browser, then the update would just remove the legacy app, with no further changes on your computer.
If the new browser is installed by this update, all data previously used by Edge Legacy would be transferred to the Chromium replacement, thus making the transition to the modern version as smooth as possible going forward.