Microsoft Edge will get updates more frequently, just like Chrome’s 4-week cycle

Earlier this week, Google announced that it is moving away from the 6-week update cycle for Chrome, and was now moving to a 4-week update frequency. The change was made to ensure that users get to experience new features at a faster pace and don’t have to wait much longer to experience something new. Well, Microsoft Edge is now following in the footsteps of Chrome and it is now moving to a 4-week update cycle as well. The move is not surprising, as the new Edge is based on the same Chromium engine as Chrome, which means new core features can be added to it at the same cadence as its Google counterpart.

4-week update cycle for average users, optional 8-week cycle for Enterprise customers

And just like Google, Microsoft will also offer an extended update cycle option that sees Edge updates released after a span of 8 weeks. This will come in handy for customers who rely on computing infrastructure which requires more time to adjust to these updates, or systems that are not always tethered to an internet connection. Enterprise customers will have to opt for the Extended Stable update cycle, and in case they don’t do it, the default 4-week update cycle will be enabled for them.

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“Starting with Stable channel version 94, Microsoft Edge is moving to a 4-week major release cycle cadence. However, we recognize that enterprise customers who manage complex environments need more time to plan and test Microsoft Edge updates.”

On the other hand, Microsoft will keep pushing security updates every two weeks, irrespective of the update cycle you opt for. Again, this is the same approach that Google has implemented for releasing Chrome security updates. Regarding the update rollout process, Microsoft notes that the trigger for major releases in the Beta and Stable channels is an equivalent Chrome release.

Microsoft is making PDF annotation truly effortless in Edge browser

Security updates will keep arriving every second week for both Edge and Chrome

The 4-week update cycle for Microsoft Edge begins with version 94 that will be released via the stable channel in the week of September 23, 2021, while the beta channel will get it in first week of the same month. As for Chrome, it is also moving to the new update cycle in the same month with the release of Chrome v94 via the stable channel.

Check out Microsoft Surface Pro 7 at Amazon

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Microsoft Edge gets sleeping tabs to keep your PC from choking. Here’s how to enable it

Microsoft Edge has received a cool new feature with its latest iteration (v88) that will finally give your PC some relief after being burdened with a few dozen browser tabs. The Chromium-based browser is getting a sleeping tabs trick that will keep inactive tabs from consuming system resources. Needless to say, the lesser number of active browser tabs you have, the lesser battery juice and processing power they will consume. Or in simple words, the sleeping tabs feature will help your PC run faster while browsing the web.

“Microsoft Edge now has a sleeping tabs feature that boosts browser performance by improving memory and CPU resource usage, rolling out now. When you have several tabs open, it will release system resources for inactive tabs to help power new or existing tabs as well as other applications, preventing slowdowns and sluggishness,” says Microsoft in its blog post.

READ MORE: Microsoft Edge gets a password generator and alerts for compromised credentials

How to enable sleeping tabs in Edge?

In order to enable sleeping tabs, make sure that you’ve updated the Edge browser to version 88. Once that’s done, follow these steps to enable the sleeping tabs feature: 

  1. On the Edge homepage, tap on the menu button (three dots) in the top left corner. 
  2. Scroll down the list and tap on Settings
  3. On the Settings page, head over to System option
  4. Once there, you’ll see a toggle called “Save resources with sleeping tabs” that you need to enable. 
  5. Below it, you can also specify the period of inactivity after which a tab is put to sleep so that it doesn’t consume system resources.

Method 2

In case you can’t see the sleeping tabs option in Edge browser after updating to v88, there is another way to enable it. Just follow these steps: 

  1. Open Edge and type edge://flags/ in the URL bar
  2. On the flags page, look for the Sleeping tabs option and enable it. 
  3. Now, when you open the System page in the Settings menu, you will see the Sleeping tabs toggle has been enabled. And below it, you’ll also find the option to specify the time after which inactive tabs are put to sleep. 

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Microsoft Edge starts enabling cross-device history and tab syncing

Microsoft has finally started rolling out a highly demanded feature – the ability to sync tabs and history – across devices long after announcing it. The feature started appearing for beta testers back in November last year, and is now finally being rolled out via the stable channel for Edge users. However, it appears that the tab and history syncing feature is being rolled out in a phased manner, with UK being one of the first markets to get it, as per The Verge.

The feature is being rolled out in a phased manner

As the name suggests, enabling the new feature will allow users to access the same tabs across multiple devices and also see the webpages they’ve visited in the history section. And just in case you’re wondering, the sync feature works across all versions of Edge, so syncing tabs and history between your Windows 10, macOS, Android and iOS devices will be a smooth experience. However, it must be manually enabled on all your devices.

Image: The Verge

Tab and history sync must be manually enabled across all devices

If you’re one of the lucky Edge users for whom the feature has arrived, all you have to do in order to enable this neat trick is switch on the respective toggles in the Settings menu. To do so, just go to the Settings menu in Edge, tap on profiles, then select Sync. Scroll down and you will find two separate toggles for History and Open tabs that you have to switch on for using the feature. At the moment of writing this, the two aforementioned toggles are still not accessible for me here in India or a couple of my friends in the US.

Edge is also getting more new tricks

Lately, Microsoft has been adding a host of useful new features to its Chromium-based Edge browser, and a lot more is yet to make its way out via the stable channel. Back in November, Microsoft also announced a new slate of features coming to Edge that include an in-built tool that makes it easier to find coupons when users open a shopping website, a native price comparison tool, and discount alerts. Additionally, the native screenshot tool was also upgraded with the ability to directly add text or annotations to screenshot as well as PDF files, alongside a URL shortener trick called friendly URLs.

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Microsoft rolls out the new Edge browser with Windows 10 update

Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser has been out for a while, but so far, users had to manually download it from the company’s website. Now, the new incarnation of the Edge browser has begun rolling out with the latest Windows 10 update, just as Microsoft promised back in January.

The Windows 10 update (version 1903 and 1909) brings the new Edge browser and it automatically replaces the older version that came pre-installed on your PC. However, you won’t lose any of your data that was stored or linked with the older Edge browser running on your machine.

Microsoft’s support page says start menu pins, tiles, and shortcuts for the older version of Edge browser will migrate to the new one that arrives with the update. Moreover, all passwords, favorites, and even open tabs will be migrated seamlessly to the new Chromium engine-based Edge browser.

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You can switch up Microsoft Edge’s search engines on Windows 10 Mobile soon

Microsoft is clingy. It’s implanted Internet Explorer as your default web browser for the longest time. And if you happen to use Microsoft Edge on a frequent basis, you’ll have found out how to switch your search engine: you have to go to the search engine site, then go into “Advanced Settings” and then choose from a list of possible (if implausible) search providers.Very intuitive, indeed.The Microsoft Edge app for Windows 10 Mobile does not have this feature right now, ...

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