14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is working at full speed on getting the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser ready for prime time, and we recently came across evidence that the stable build could land in the spring of 2020.
Until that happens, however, Microsoft is already making a series of changes that could be paving the way for the debut of a new browser.
The most recent cumulative update shipped by Microsoft to Windows insiders in the Release Preview ring reportedly hides the icon of the original Microsoft Edge if the new Chromium preview builds are installed.
In other words, if you run Canary and Dev on your Windows 10 device and install cumulative update KB4505903, then the native Microsoft Edge version could be removed from the Start menu and search results.
Native Edge removed from Start menu
However, as WL notes, this doesn’t mean the browser is fully uninstalled from the system. You can still type “microsoft-edge” in the run dialog on Windows 10 to fire it up, but other than that, the native browser might be rather difficult to locate in the operating system.
The change appears to be part of the second version of cumulative update KB4505903 – the first build was published last week, also for testers in the Release Preview ring. This revision, however, comes without a changelog, but judging from today’s report, its purpose is to introduce this browser change.
The biggest question right now is whether Microsoft plans to use a similar approach for production devices running Windows 10 May 2019 Update or not.
Cumulative update KB4505903 is expected to roll out for everyone on Windows 10 version 1903 in the coming days after the testing in the Release Preview ring is complete. After installing this cumulative update, the build number is increased to 18362.266.