Microsoft Edge Blog

Making keyboard navigation effortless

Patrick Brosset — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:39:27 +0000

Do you use a keyboard to navigate websites? If so, you've probably run into countless accessibility issues where groups of inputs or widgets are not easy, or even possible to get to with just the keyboard. A keyboard-accessible website lets you easily reach its various sections and then navigate within them in an intuitive way. Unfortunately, inaccessible websites are common on the internet. The Web Almanac reports that about 50% of websites don't use tabindex, a common technique for making keyboard navigation possible on the web. The issue is complex, though. Web developers can create keyboard-accessible sites by using the technologies at their disposal today. But, often, these technologies don't make things easy for them. Creating a fully keyboard-accessible site, especially one that has complex widgets such as menus, submenus, toolbars, tabs, and other groups of inputs, isn't free; it requires a lot of work and knowledge. In fact, if you are a web developer yourself, you have probably been confronted with the following common issues when trying to improve the accessibility of your website:

Setting an incorrect tabindex value or forgetting to set it at all.
Forgetting to call the focus() function to move the focus to the right element.
Not preventing the default browser behavior when handling arrow keys.
Focusing disabled or hidden inputs by mistake.
Implementing a keyboard navigation pattern that doesn't match your users' expectations.
Not properly handling all text directions.
Not restoring the previously selected element on refocus.
And more.

Even if you've managed to solve all of these issues, you've still faced the consequences: you either had to write a lot of complicated code or had to use a JavaScript library. In both cases, you now have more code to maintain, and your website loads more code on startup. This, in turn, impacts the users of your website too. The more code your website needs, the more time it will take for the site to load and become usable.

Introducing focusgroup

This keyboard accessibility problem has been on our minds for a long time. We designed an early solution for it in 2021, called focusgroup, and we then started collaborating with others on it, as part of the OpenUI community group, in 2022. Taking the problem and an early solution to a broad collaborative forum allowed us to mature the focusgroup idea and go through iterations, taking many perspectives into account. This led to a better, more complete solution for web developers. Today, we're happy to announce that the focusgroup feature is available for early testing by web developers in Microsoft Edge. Developers can also test the feature in other Chromium-based browsers. We contributed the implementation to the Chromium open-source project to reach as many web users as possible, and we'll be working with other browser vendors to implement focusgroup for the entire web. If you're a web developer, focusgroup makes your life much easier:

You don't need to write any tabindex roving code yourself or import a library for it.
Using focusgroup is easy; a single HTML attribute is often the only thing you need to add.
The arrow keys are handled for you, across all text directions and skipping over disabled and hidden elements.
The keyboard navigation patterns that focusgroup provides are based on guidelines from the ARIA Authoring Practices Guide.
Focusgroup also works for elements in shadow DOM.

More importantly, the impact that focusgroup will have for users who navigate websites with a keyboard is huge:

Sites will load faster!
You will get a more consistent keyboard navigation experience across websites.
While tabbing will let you navigate through the main sections of a page, the top, right, bottom, and left arrow keys will work as you'd expect and let you access the various elements or inputs inside of a section.

We're excited to have web developers try our early implementation of focusgroup in Microsoft Edge and let us know what they think. With your help, we can make the solution even better and eventually ship it as a stable feature of the web platform. To learn more about the feature and how to use it, check out our post on the Chrome for developers blog, and let us know what you think. Together, let's create a more accessible web.

Microsoft Edge and Interop 2026

Patrick Brosset — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 17:07:08 +0000

Microsoft Edge is commited to a more powerful, predictable, and reliable web platform. One way we pursue those goals is via our ongoing participation in the Interop project. This year marks the sixth edition of the project, and once again, we're collaborating closely with Mozilla, Igalia, Google, and Apple to push for a more interoperable web. We've received a lot of proposals for inclusion in Interop 2026, and we're very grateful to everyone who provided input. These proposals highlight areas where inconsistent behavior breaks sites, slows developers down, or discourages adoption of new features. We know from feedback that these interoperability issues are extremely important to web developers, and we pushed for as many of them to be included in the Interop project as possible. Although not all worthy proposals make it through the selection process, the Interop project is still a very helpful way to make progress towards a more cohesive web that enables developers to ship with greater confidence.

Launching Interop 2026

Today, we're happy to unveil the focus areas that the Interop members have agreed to for 2026. By aligning on these shared priorities, we focus our engineering efforts where they'll have the greatest impact:

attr(), to expand the CSS attr() function so any property can read HTML attributes of any type and unit.
contrast-color(), to improve color tooling across the web.
Container style queries, to enable styling elements based on the styling of container elements.
Custom highlights, to allow styling arbitrary text ranges without modifying the DOM.
Dialogs and popovers, to improve the interoperability of the element and the popover API.
Fetch, to enhance the fetch() API with support for streaming request bodies and more.
IndexedDB, to improve the performance of reading large datasets with the getAllRecords() method.
JSPI for Wasm, to integrate Wasm with JavaScript promises.
Media pseudo-classes, to implement pseudo-classes such as :playing, :paused, :buffering, and others for audio/video element states across browsers.
Navigation API, to continue improving interoperability, including adding support for navigation pre-commit handlers.
Scoped custom element registry, to allow multiple custom element registries to coexist safely.
Scroll-driven animations, to create advanced animations that are based on the user's scroll position.
Scroll snap, to improve the consistency of the CSS scroll snapping behavior.
shape(), to add interoperable support for the shape() CSS function to define complex shapes around elements.
View Transitions, to improve same-document behavior and implement cross-page transitions.
Web compat, to address real-world compatibility issues.
WebRTC, to continue improving WebRTC interoperability and resolve remaining issues.
WebTransport, to advance support for the WebTransport API for low-latency, bidirectional communication over HTTP/3.

In addition to these focus areas, the Interop project members have also committed to making progress on the following investigation efforts:

Accessibility testing: to make it easier to test the accessibility of web features.
JPEG XL: to create a comprehensive test suite, eventually creating the possibility for JPEG XL to be part of a future Interop project iteration as a focus area.
Mobile testing: to continue improving the infrastructure that makes it possible to test mobile-specific features.
WebVTT: to continue improving the specification and test suite for this feature, opening the possibility for WebVTT to be part of a future Interop project iteration.

To learn more about these focus areas and investigation efforts, see the full descriptions on the Interop GitHub repository. If you want to follow along as the work lands throughout the year, the Interop 2026 dashboard is the best place to track progress.

Advocating for more

On the Microsoft Edge team, we're always listening, and we know that there are more long-lived interoperability issues which remain. To track progress on the highest-impact, long-running issues, we launched a supplementary Top Developer Needs dashboard. In past years, items like Custom Highlights, field-sizing, scroll-driven animations, and Trusted Types benefited from this focus and helped shape Interop priorities. We'll be refreshing the dashboard in the coming weeks. Editor's note, March 6, 2026: The 2026 Top Developer Needs dashboard is now live. We will also continue to push the boundaries of what's possible on the web by shipping new features, which can then become input to future Interop project iterations. And finally, we'll continue advocating within the Interop group for increased transparency and fewer behind-closed-doors blockers. Developers have told us that the focus area selection process can feel opaque from the outside, and we agree that better visibility into how priorities are set matters.

Closing Interop 2025

Last year, the Interop 2025 project made strong progress across a broad set of areas, many of which had first appeared in Chromium, then became standards, before eventually getting implemented across browsers. This includes:

CSS anchor positioning, unlocking reliable cross-browser positioning for tooltips and other anchored UI patterns.
View Transitions, enabling smoother app-like transitions on the web, including across pages.
Navigation API, making stateful, single-page-app experiences easier to implement.
Core Web Vitals, aligning browsers on key performance metrics that directly reflect user experience quality.
JSON module scripts, simplifying data loading in modern JavaScript.
element, creating accessible disclosure widgets.

For more, check out the Interop 2025 dashboard. All participating browsers are closing the Interop 2025 project with a strong score of at least 98%: We're excited about the improvements Interop 2026 will bring, and we're grateful for the proposals and feedback the community continues to share. Those proposals, along with surveys and other developer signals, help us understand what's most important to you and where the web needs to do better.

Supporting safer and scalable online learning in K–12

Microsoft Edge Team — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 18:10:46 +0000

Each year, Safer Internet Day shines a light on the importance of creating safer online experiences. In K–12 education, where learning increasingly takes place on the web, IT teams are at the center of ensuring digital environments remain secure, age appropriate and ready to scale. That is where Microsoft Edge for Business fits in. Edge for Business is built for the realities of K–12 IT environments, combining enterprise-grade security, centralized management and built-in protections directly into the browser. The goal is simple: help you create safer online experiences for students while maintaining the flexibility educators need to teach effectively.

Supporting safer browsing for students through IT governance

K–12 environments are uniquely complex. You are supporting multiple grade levels, managing diverse devices and balancing in-person, hybrid and fully digital learning models, often with limited budgets and heightened privacy expectations. With Edge for Business, security and control are built into the browser itself. Instead of relying on a patchwork of third-party tools, you can enforce policies, manage risk and scale protections consistently across classrooms and campuses. For IT teams, this means stronger governance, fewer security gaps and less operational overhead. For students and educators, it means safer, more consistent access to the web resources they rely on every day. One way Edge for Business supports this today is through emerging, policy-driven web content filtering capabilities designed to address the needs of different age groups.

Web content filtering that enables policy driven access without limiting learning

Managing student web access is one of the most critical responsibilities for K–12 IT teams, but overly restrictive controls can disrupt instruction. Web content filtering, currently available in preview, helps IT teams take a more policy-driven approach. Edge for Business is the only major browser with built-in, enterprise-grade web content filtering at no additional cost. Policy-based controls allow you to define which content categories are allowed or blocked based on district standards and student age groups, helping strike the right balance between protection and access. Because these policies are applied centrally, you can reduce administrative burden, minimize policy drift and maintain consistent guardrails across devices and users. Admins can also generate customized reports to visualize web activity trends from a single, centralized location. Learn more.

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen that helps reduce risk from online threats

Schools are frequent targets for phishing, malicious websites and deceptive downloads, posing real risks to students and staff. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen in Edge for Business evaluates websites and downloads in real time, warning users before they interact with known malicious or deceptive content. This proactive protection helps reduce credential theft, malware infections and scareware incidents. For IT teams, SmartScreen delivers continuous, built-in protection that runs automatically, strengthening security posture while reducing the need for manual intervention. Learn more.

Tracking prevention and SafeSearch that support privacy first learning

Student privacy is a core concern for every K–12 institution. Edge for Business includes built-in tracking prevention to limit unwanted third-party data collection as students browse the web. Edge for Business also supports SafeSearch enforcement, helping ensure search results remain appropriate for educational settings and reducing exposure to unsafe content. Together, these features support responsible browsing while aligning with district policies and community expectations. Learn more. A smarter browser for modern K–12 environments Safer Internet Day is a reminder that protecting students online requires more than point solutions. It requires layered browser protections that work together to guide students to appropriate content, reduce exposure to risk and support safe exploration of the web. Edge for Business helps K–12 IT teams apply these protections directly in the browser. Policy-based web access helps guide students toward safe and age-appropriate sites, while built-in search protections and tracking prevention help reduce unwanted exposure as students research and learn. Features like Microsoft Defender SmartScreen provide an additional layer of protection by helping block malicious sites and downloads before they become an issue. Together, these protections help create safer, more consistent online experiences for students, while giving educators flexibility and IT teams the governance and visibility needed to support learning every day with Microsoft Edge for Business.

Making complex web apps faster

Patrick Brosset — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:57:51 +0000

On the web, speed is everything. The responsiveness of your browser, the time it takes for a web app to appear, and how quickly that app handles user interactions all directly impact your experience as a web user. At Microsoft, we care deeply about improving web performance, and we're making progress on it from several directions:

Within the browser itself, by making Edge faster and more responsive.
Under the hood, by making the browser engine run complex web apps faster.
And finally, by helping web developers build faster web apps.

Based on our own experience, we know that complex applications require complex architectures that sometimes rely on multiple windows, iframes, or worker threads. To deal with the slowdowns that these multiple parallel contexts can introduce, we're proposing a new feature for web developers: the Delayed Message Timing API. If you're a web developer, continue reading to learn more about the Delayed Message Timing API proposal, and let us know if it might help you make your own web app faster, or share ways in which the API could be better.

What causes delays in cross-context messaging?

Delays can occur when an app exchanges a lot of messages between its various contexts, such as the app's main window, worker threads, or iframes. If those messages get queued and are not processed promptly, delays occur. These delays can degrade the user experience by making the application feel unresponsive. While it's easy to witness the delay, identifying its root cause is challenging with current development tools. Let's review the three types of delays which can occur when exchanging messages between contexts with the postMessage() API, and how the Delayed Message Timing API can help diagnose their root cause.

Slowdown 1 – The receiving context is busy

As the following diagram illustrates, the context to which you're sending a message might be processing a long synchronous task, effectively blocking its thread, causing your message to be queued up before it can be processed: To understand if the receiver of the message is busy with other tasks, you need to know how long the message was blocked. To do this, the Delayed Message Timing API introduces the blockedDuration property, which represents the amount of time a message had to wait in the queue before being processed.

Slowdown 2 – The task queue is congested

Another possible reason for cross-document messaging slowdowns is when the task queue of a context is overloaded with many short tasks. In a webpage's main thread, this can often happen when the queue is saturated with high-priority tasks such as user interactions, network handling, and other internal system overhead tasks like navigation, loading, and rendering. In a worker, congestion can occur when many messages are posted in a short period of time. In both cases, tasks or messages arrive faster than they can be processed, creating a backlog that delays subsequent messages, including those that might be time sensitive. Although each individual task isn't long, together, they accumulate and cause congestion, which effectively acts like a single long task. To help diagnose this situation, the Delayed Message Timing API introduces the taskCount and scriptTaskCount properties, to show how many tasks were blocking the message.

Slowdown 3 – Serialization and deserialization overhead

Before crossing the boundaries between contexts, messages must be serialized and then deserialized again when received. These operations occur synchronously on the same threads where the messages are sent and received. Serializing and deserializing messages can therefore introduce noticeable overhead, particularly when sending a lot of data over postMessage(). While the serialization and deserialization operations are internal to the browser and you can't change them, the Delayed Message Timing API provides the serialization and deserialization properties to accurately measure their duration.

Using the Delayed Message Timing API

The API will work with windows, tabs, iframes, or workers, and will cover cross-document messaging, cross-worker/document messaging, channel messaging, and broadcast channels. For a complete round-trip timing analysis, you'll need to correlate the Performance entries that you collect from both the sender and receiver contexts. To learn more, check out the explainer. The following code snippet shows how to use the proposed API:

// Create a PerformanceObserver instance.
const observer = new PerformanceObserver((list) => {
  console.log(list.getEntries());
});

// Start observing "delayed-message" Performance entries.
observer.observe({type: 'delayed-message', buffered: true});

And here is an example of the properties available on the corresponding "delayed-message" Performance entry:

{
    "name": "delayed-message",
    "entryType": "delayed-message",
    "startTime": 154.90000009536743,
    "duration": 169,
    "traceId": 4,
    // The type of message-passing event.
    "messageType": "cross-worker-document",
    // The timestamp for when the message was added to the task queue.
    "sentTime": 155,
    // The timestamps for when the receiving context started and stopped
    // processing the message.
    "processingStart": 274.90000009536743,
    "processingEnd": 324.7000000476837,
    // The time the message spent waiting in the receiver's task queue.
    "blockedDuration": 119.90000009536743,
    // The time needed to serialize and deserialize the message.
    "serialization": 0,
    "deserialization": 0,
    // The number of queued tasks blocking the postMessage event.
    "taskCount": 38,
    // The number of entry-point JavaScript tasks, including those with
    // a duration lower than 5ms.
    "scriptTaskCount": 2,
    // The time needed to run all script.
    "totalScriptDuration": 119,
     // The list of PerformanceScriptTiming instances that contribute to the
     // delay.
    "scripts": [
        {
            "name": "script",
            "entryType": "script",
            "startTime": 154.90000009536743,
            "duration": 119,
            "invoker": "DedicatedWorkerGlobalScope.onmessage",
            "invokerType": "event-listener",
            "windowAttribution": "other",
            "executionStart": 154.90000009536743,
            "forcedStyleAndLayoutDuration": 0,
            "pauseDuration": 0,
            "sourceURL": "...",
            "sourceFunctionName": "runLongTaskOnWorker",
            "sourceCharPosition": 267
        }
    ],
    // The PerformanceMessageScriptInfo instance which provides details
    // about the script that sent the message.
    "invoker": {
        "name": "invoker",
        "sourceURL": "...",
        "sourceFunctionName": "sendMessage",
        "sourceCharPosition": 531,
        "sourceColumnNumber": 14,
        "sourceLineNumber": 13,
        "executionContext": {
            "name": "",
            "type": "window",
            "id": 0
        }
    },
    // The PerformanceMessageScriptInfo instance which provides details 
    // about the script that handled (or is handling) the message.
    "receiver": {
        "name": "receiver",
        "sourceURL": "...",
        "sourceFunctionName": "runLongTaskOnWorker",
        "sourceCharPosition": 267,
        "sourceColumnNumber": 41,
        "sourceLineNumber": 9,
        "executionContext": {
            "name": "",
            "type": "dedicated-worker",
            "id": 1
        }
    }
}

Let us know what you think

The Delayed Message Timing API is in its early stages, and we'd love to hear your feedback about this proposal. There may be additional scenarios where cross-context slowdowns occur in your apps today and sharing your experiences with us will help us design the right API for you. Take a look at our proposal and let us know your feedback by opening a new issue on the MSEdgeExplainers repo.

Shop smarter with Copilot in Edge this holiday season

Steve Clarke, Editor — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 20:00:37 +0000

The holiday season is upon us and with that comes a lot of excitement, planning, and of course, shopping. Between planning parties and putting up decorations, where is the time to go down your shopping list? Microsoft Edge is here to help with a new streamlined shopping experience to add cheer to your holidays. Your favorite shopping features – Cashback, Price comparison, Price history, Product insights, and Price tracking – are now coming to Copilot in Edge to make shopping even smarter. And to supercharge your shopping experience, users will see proactive cashback and savings offers in Copilot Mode in Edge.

Your personal, AI-powered shopping assistant - right in your browser

Copilot is seamlessly integrated into Microsoft Edge and starting today we are offering tools like Cashback, Price Comparison, Price History, Product Insights, and Price Tracking directly within Copilot in Edge, in the US only. You can interact with Copilot from the top right-hand corner of your browser window. Think of Copilot in Edge as the shopping assistant you’ve always wanted, helping you save time and money, and shop with confidence. When you’re on a supported retailer page¹, you can click on the Copilot icon and Copilot will show you a product insights card with information such as price comparison with other retailers, price history for the item you’re looking for, and product insights to help you make your decision better. You’ll be able to set price alerts for the items you want, so you can get the best price on what you’re looking for. Because Copilot is conversational, you’ll also be able to ask follow-up questions and more details all within the same side pane - everything in one AI-powered experience right in your browser window. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGBP0rEe3Vw

Get even more with Copilot Mode in Edge

We know you’re pressed for time, especially during this busy season. This is why I’m excited today to announce that in addition to the features listed above, for users in the US, Copilot Mode in Edge can now notify you if there is a better price available elsewhere and if there are any cashback deals. Shopping for gifts often means comparing different options, which usually entails having multiple tabs open in search of the perfect present. Copilot Mode in Edge can proactively notify you when a better deal is available at another retailer and help you put those savings toward more holiday treats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq9-3HhUkhs You can toggle on Copilot Mode from the website and you’re fully in control. You can choose to turn the experience on and off as you wish through your Edge settings. If you choose not to turn on Copilot Mode, you can continue to browse on Edge as usual. Learn more about other Copilot Mode features here.

Happy shopping!

I hope these tools have arrived just in time to help you shop smarter, save you time, save you money – and bring more joy and fun back into the holiday season. Stay tuned for more news from us as we continue to innovate and bring you ways to shop with confidence. Remember, if you’re running a Windows PC, you already have Microsoft Edge installed, so check it out and see why Microsoft Edge is the smarter way to browse. For those who want to try Microsoft Edge and are on a macOS, mobile or Linux device, download it and let us know what you think!² ¹ Feature experience and functionality may vary by website. ² You can share your feedback from the browser window by going to ... menu > Help and feedback > Send feedback.

The Web Install API is ready for testing

Patrick Brosset — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:55:46 +0000

We're happy to announce that the Web Install API is now ready for testing on your own site, as an origin trial in Microsoft Edge. With the Web Install API, your website can request the browser to install other web applications on the user's device, by calling the asynchronous navigator.install() function. This allows you to invoke the browser's built-in web app installation experience from your own user interface and exactly when you need it. This can help you improve the installation experience of your own app or suite of apps but can also be used for app store-like experiences. The Web Install API origin trial is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can learn more about the API by reading our explainer document, checking out demos, or watching the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmFYlO4qln8

Test the API today by registering to the origin trial

The Web Install API origin trial is available now in Microsoft Edge starting with version 143 and running until version 148. To participate in the origin trial, and test the API on your live website, register to the origin trial. Here's how:

Go to the WebAppInstallation origin trial page, sign-in with your GitHub account and accept the terms of use.
Add your website's domain name to enable the Web Install API origin trial for that domain.
Copy the token string:
Add the following meta tag to your website's HTML code:

You can also send the origin trial token as an HTTP server response instead:
Origin-Trial: [paste the token here]

By registering to the origin trial, the users of your site will not need to enable the Web Install API locally. It will be enabled for them by Microsoft Edge automatically. Note that the earliest version of Edge where the origin trial is available is 143, which is, at the time of writing, available as Microsoft Edge Beta. Version 143 will become the next Edge stable release in early December, and the origin trial will continue running until Edge 148.

Or test the API locally only

You can also enable the Web Install API on your development device only, for local testing. To do this:

Open a new tab in Microsoft Edge and go to the edge://flags page.
Search for "Web App Installation API".
Change the flag's default value to Enabled and then restart the browser.

Let us know what you think

This is a very exciting milestone for the Web Install API. With this origin trial, we're hoping to gather early interest and feedback from the community on the API. The feedback you share with us will allow us to continue evolving the feature to better match your needs and use cases. To provide feedback, please open a new issue on our explainers GitHub repository. We welcome any comment, suggestion, and bug report you encounter while using the API, and we look forward to making web app installation much easier by building the functionality right into the web platform, thanks to your help!

Edge for Business presents: the world’s first secure enterprise AI browser

Sean Lyndersay — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:00:35 +0000

You deserve a browser that truly understands the demands of your business. The market is getting crowded with new AI browsers, each promising productivity gains. But the truth is—they are not built for your organization's needs. In their haste, some have even skipped over the fundamentals of threat protection, leaving you to choose between safety and productivity. Whether you're an IT, security, or business leader, you want tech that helps your team shine—without putting security on the line. We get that you want it all: powerful AI, security you can trust, and controls built for business. That's why we're unveiling Edge for Business as the world's first secure enterprise AI browser—it seamlessly weaves together three things: the power of Microsoft 365 Copilot, the relevance of your company's context through the Microsoft Graph, and the trusted foundations of Edge for Business as a secure enterprise browser. Together, they are designed to enable your workforce to experience the peak of their best workday every day, by providing new agentic, proactive, and contextual workflows directly in the most used app. At the same time, it's our mission to bring you the best of Microsoft—that means enterprise-level security, compliance, and controls from day one. Welcome to the new standard in intelligent browsing—no compromises needed. Top Microsoft customers already trust Edge for Business as their go-to enterprise browser, relying on it for ~60% of their browsing. And that number continues to grow. This is because Edge for Business is an industry-leading secure enterprise browser and was early in delivering AI into the browser. While others are just starting with AI-powered browsing, we're focused on delivering safe, agentic browsing and continuing to build stronger security. We're excited to share the details of our AI browser announcement and other innovations we're showcasing at Ignite 2025 below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0AoFWipAMM Jump to the following sections to learn more:

Introducing Copilot Mode

Today, we're bringing the Copilot Mode that consumers can already experience into the work browser—powered by Microsoft 365 Copilot and with the safety foundations, security and controls that IT teams expect. In fact, early adopters of Copilot Mode motivated us when they quickly started asking: "Is there a work version available?" They too were excited by the potential and yet wary of risking work data. Copilot Mode in Edge for Business is a collection of agentic, proactive, and contextual features powered by Microsoft 365 Copilot. IT and security teams can enable advanced AI when they're ready. With Copilot Mode on, the browser is transformed into an intelligent partner that works with your teams' context, anticipates needs, and accelerates workflows. New productivity gains can be achieved by tapping into signals from your own work data through Microsoft Graph and your specific browser context. As a result, not only can the browser streamline tasks for you, but it can also go beyond the generic, to provide solutions that are tailored to you and your work. Organizations are adopting AI at different rates, and even within a single organization, teams may be moving at different speeds. We respect that. Copilot Mode is designed to meet you where you are, offering an explicit toggle that you can turn on to step into the most advanced AI browsing. This means you only need one browser to get it all: advanced AI and secure browsing for the enterprise. Simply put: with Copilot Mode, you can start AI browsing when your organization is ready. To begin with, Copilot Mode includes these experiences: Agent Mode streamlines tedious work by automating multi-step workflows. Time-consuming tasks can be handed off, so your workforce stays focused on what matters. To ensure control, Copilot Mode will not be automatically enabled. After enabling Copilot Mode, you set up Agent Mode separately by turning it on and specifying a list of approved sites where it can operate. Agent Mode is limited to these sites. For employees, there are clear visual cues when they are in Agent Mode, and they can interrupt the process at any point. Our recommendation is to start exploring Agent Mode with a short list of approved sites. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXZReHZJaRY The Copilot-inspired new tab page combines search and chat in one intelligent box, and offers quick access to files, calendar, and personalized prompts—keeping everything your workforce needs at their fingertips. It's also the starting point for the Daily Briefing—a curated summary of meetings, tasks, and priorities based on browsing tabs and the graph. No more digging through emails or juggling apps—your workforce can stay focused on what matters most. Agent Mode and Daily Briefing require a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

Multi-tab reasoning and other AI upgrades

We're also excited to announce new features that leverage your browser context to make everyday browsing smarter. Think about the time wasted jumping between tabs and trying to piece together information. With multi-tab reasoning, Copilot can analyze content across up to 30 open tabs—whether they're web pages, internal sites, PDFs, or Microsoft files—and deliver nuanced, context-rich answers without the need to switch back and forth. No more manual comparisons or endless toggling—Copilot does the heavy lifting so your workforce can focus on decisions, not data gathering. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIZFzXoCofs It doesn't stop there. Copilot can also retrieve pages from your browsing history over the last three months using natural language. No need to retrace steps, or remember exact titles or URLs—just ask, and Copilot finds what's needed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqHt_p8gNNc And for video content? YouTube summarization lets Copilot summarize videos and answer questions about their content—so your workforce gets the insights without sitting through the entire clip. The result: less time wasted, fewer interruptions, and more focus on what matters most. Video summarization is planned for additional video services in the future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9bLpA0QxBY

Secure AI browsing controls

Here on the Edge for Business team, we recognize safe AI browsing starts with choice and trust. This is why we offer a system of safety, when it comes to AI browsing. Foundationally, it starts with Enterprise Data Protection. Microsoft 365 Copilot ensures prompts, responses, and files stay within your tenant, with Microsoft acting solely as a data processor—not using your data to train models or for advertising. This foundation is present for all your engagement with Copilot in Edge for Business, so long as you are logged in with an eligible Entra ID. As mentioned, Copilot Mode is an explicit step that must be taken first, to generally enable advanced AI capabilities. As such, we expect to bring more advanced AI innovations to you through Copilot Mode. For specific features, we will also have an additional "gate", in terms of requiring an explicit decision to enable. This is the case with Agent Mode, and it even has several additional layers of protection. First, IT teams must enable it and specify sites it can work on; meanwhile, users see visual cues and can stop it anytime. Agent Mode also honors existing data protection policies like DLP and usage rights restrictions (this also applies to multi-tab reasoning), so there are no loopholes in how data can be used. It also won't access saved passwords or payment methods, and it pauses on sensitive actions for explicit user engagement. You may have questions about risks that are particular to agentic browsing, which we have also covered in a separate technical blog for Copilot Mode. These protections aren't an add-on—they're foundational to Edge for Business and ready from day one. Starting today, you can enable Copilot Mode in the Edge management service to experience the Copilot-inspired new tab page. All other features are in private preview, and will be in public preview in February across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.

Microsoft named a Leader in IDC MarketScape

These new AI capabilities are the future of browsing. But, with so many options in the market, what makes Edge for Business different? It's our industry-leading secure enterprise foundation. In case you missed it, Microsoft has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Application Streaming and Enterprise Browsers 2025 Vendor Assessment (doc #US53004525e, July 2025). See our blog on this or download the excerpt here to see for yourself. And of course, Microsoft is a recognized leader in security, identity, and endpoint management, and is acknowledged as a premier Zero Trust platform provider. These are the security technologies integrated into Edge for Business. Simply put, we bring world class security to every layer of the browser stack.

Protect browsing for contractors

While securing AI browsing is critical, it's only part of the story—organizations still need to protect day-to-day work browsing, especially for contractors. When you hire contractors, you want to maintain control over how your corporate data is accessed and protected. Yet in many cases, a contractor's device is managed by their contracting agency, not by you—creating security and compliance challenges. And providing secure access to them may be more costly and complex than you'd like. There's a better way. Today, admins can already support BYOD scenarios on Edge for Business with Microsoft Intune app protection policies. With this update, Edge for Business now extends these policies to Windows PCs managed by other organizations. Contractors simply set up an Edge profile on their agency-managed device, creating a controlled browser environment. From there, admins can enforce policies that stay active throughout the Edge profile. Files download securely to a OneDrive for Business location instead of local drives, and a new Intune protection policy for Windows unenrolled devices that restricts copying data, keeps sensitive information within your managed boundary. Contractors get the access they need, while you maintain control. The result? Flexibility for your workforce, security for your organization, and peace of mind for you, with cost savings that help your bottom line. Protections for contractor devices will be in preview in early 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFpfIXCBzp0

Watermarking for sensitive files and sites

When it comes to data security, IT admins need safeguards that protect data without slowing users down. That's why we're announcing watermarking in Edge for Business, to provide protection that keeps work moving. Watermarking adds a persistent visual reminder on files and sites marked as sensitive. This makes confidential content easier to identify and also reminds users to handle data carefully. Admins can enable watermarking with a single toggle in the Edge management service. The overlay appearance is based on the DLP restriction policies for the file or site, ensuring compliance without extra effort. The result? Users stay aware, accidental sharing is reduced, and organizations maintain control, all without slowing down workflows. Now available in preview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92kbODkxoAk

Protecting copy/paste actions

Admins face a tough "all or nothing" call with copy/paste: lock it down and frustrate users, or allow it and risk data leaks. Neither option feels right, and both can slow productivity. That's why today, we're announcing Protected Clipboard in Edge for Business, designed to keep data safe without breaking workflows. It leverages existing Purview DLP policies for managed cloud apps to let you define trusted boundaries across your managed web apps. Data inside the admin defined boundary can't be pasted outside, while data from outside can enter if needed. Users get clear warnings for out-of-bound actions, so they know exactly what's happening. Granular control for you and uninterrupted productivity for your users. Now available in preview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_NtCQ4AYaA

Unify policy management across platforms

Managing browser policies across multiple platforms can be complex, and admins need a consistent, secure way to keep everything aligned. That's why the Edge management service was built: to deliver lightweight, browser-focused management that admins can trust. It's received great feedback, but so far, admins have only been able to manage Windows PCs through the tool. Now, this support extends even further. With new cross‑platform policies in the Microsoft 365 admin center, you can manage Edge across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android—all from one dashboard. Simply select the platforms you need, configure policies broadly or fine‑tune individual settings, and maintain consistent security without switching tools. It's the same management platform you already trust—now extended to help keep your organization secure, no matter what devices your users choose. Available in preview now. Learn more here.

Simplify prerelease testing with built-in flexibility

Testing prerelease builds has often been a hassle. Rolling out a separate Beta app alongside Stable usually means extra installs, low engagement, and delays in validating updates. And if something breaks, users are stuck and productivity suffers. Now, Edge for Business is making testing simpler and more flexible. Enterprise preview brings Beta builds right inside the Stable Edge app—no extra installs for admins, no app switching for users. This allows you to spot regressions early, so issues can be fixed before they stop work down the line. With the Edge management service and Intune, you can set policies to decide who gets preview builds and whether rollback to Stable is allowed. That rollback option gives users a safety net and lets you crowdsource validation without slowing work. With everything in one app, testing becomes part of the normal workflow—giving admins more control without compromising security or productivity. Available in preview by the end of this year.

Take control of browser extensions

Extensions are everywhere in business environments, yet admins often have limited visibility into what's running on managed browsers. That blind spot can be a security risk: if you don't know what's installed, you can't protect your data. Extension monitoring in Microsoft Edge for Business changes that. Through the Edge management service, admins get a complete inventory of installed extensions, see how many users have each one, and track requests for blocked extensions. Admins can manage those requests and set installation policies—all from one simple, centralized page. With visibility and control in one place, managing extension risk becomes simple and proactive. Available in preview in early 2026.

Get started today

Thank you for joining us on this journey to explore what's new in Microsoft Edge for Business at Ignite 2025. We are delighted to bring you the world's first secure enterprise AI browser and support your organization in reaching new heights of productivity and security. To start exploring today:

Enable Copilot Mode in Edge for Business and get started with the Copilot-inspired new tab page, available today. Learn more at https://aka.ms/ConfigureEdgeAI
Try the consumer version of Copilot Mode in Edge now to try more AI features that are coming to Edge for Business. Learn more at https://aka.ms/Copilot-mode
Download the IDC MarketScape excerpt at our website: https://aka.ms/EdgeforBusiness
Configure the secure enterprise browser you already have, with an expert-curated guide at https://aka.ms/ConfigureEdgeSEB

Microsoft recognized as a Leader in IDC MarketScape on application streaming and enterprise browsers

Microsoft Edge Team — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 16:58:12 +0000

With Cybersecurity month now behind us, you may be ready to take action and invest in your next level of defense. The browser is your most used app – you need the protections and safeguards of a secure enterprise browser. While it can be daunting to evaluate all the options out there, it doesn't have to be complicated if someone has already done the leg work. That's why today, we're thrilled to share that Microsoft has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Application Streaming and Enterprise Browsers 2025 Vendor Assessment (doc #US53004525e, July 2025). We believe this recognition underscores our mission to build the best browser for business, by delivering a secure enterprise browsing experience that's bar none for the modern enterprise. The IDC MarketScape evaluated vendors, both long-established and newer entrants in the market. Enterprise browsers with a developed ecosystem of partnerships for functionality and extended market presence are becoming increasingly important criteria for enterprise technology buyers due to the shifting landscape. In their research, IDC MarketScape selected vendors based on several factors, including:

Global presence
Ability to provide direct support to customers
Hybrid architecture compatibility
Ecosystem partnerships
Sustained market presence

Vendors were placed on the graph based on both their current capabilities and performance, as well as future-facing strategies and customer alignments. [caption id="attachment_26073" align="alignnone" width="1121"] Source: IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Application Streaming and Enterprise Browsers 2025 Vendor Assessment, #US53004525, July 2025
About IDC MarketScape: IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each supplier's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of technology suppliers can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective suppliers.[/caption] The Edge for Business Difference The IDC MarketScape report highlights several key strengths for Microsoft: A Zero Trust approach, even on unmanaged devices:

"Microsoft implements a sophisticated zero trust security model that incorporates users identity, device health, location, and risk signals into access decisions. Edge for Business enforces conditional access policies that can require additional verification factors before accessing organizational resources, even on unmanaged devices."– IDC MarketScape Excerpt

We've designed Edge for Business from the ground up as a Zero Trust browser, with Microsoft Entra Conditional Access woven in as a policy engine. Real-time decisions on verification and authentication are made based on a set of comprehensive signals. This multi-signal approach ensures that users access resources from endpoints that are secure, healthy, and up to date. Simplifying security with Microsoft 365 integrations:

"This integration enables unified policy management across applications, simplified administration through familiar interfaces, and consistent security controls that span the entire digital workspace, significantly reducing management complexity while enhancing security posture."– IDC MarketScape Excerpt

We believe Edge for Business reduces complexity through integrations within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Entra, Purview, and Intune. And, with these integrations, this makes Edge for Business the secure enterprise browser you already have, as your existing investments in E3 and E5 unlock features in Edge for Business at no additional cost. Security that enables work and life separation:

"The browser creates distinct profiles with visual differentiation between work and personal browsing, preventing cross-contamination by maintaining separate cookies, cache, and browsing data between contexts, effectively balancing security with user experience."– IDC MarketScape Excerpt

We've designed Edge for Business to maintain a balance of security and productivity by creating separation through distinct profiles. Users see a visual cue for where work happens, and data stays separate, ensuring users are able to remain productive without impacting organizational security. Get started with Edge for Business today Decisions around enterprise browsers are long-term commitments, and having a well-positioned and established browser is crucial to long-term success. We believe Microsoft being named a Leader enforces our commitment that Edge for Business is well positioned to support organizations for years to come. Take the next step towards a more secure, enterprise browsing experience. See the accolade for yourself and read the excerpt. Ready to get started with standardizing today? View our recommended configuration settings. Don't let indecision slow you down. Choose Edge for Business, the secure enterprise browser you already have.

Microsoft Edge introduces passkey saving and syncing with Microsoft Password Manager

Patrick Brosset — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:58:57 +0000

We're thrilled to share that passkeys can now be securely saved and synced across your Windows desktop devices using Microsoft Password Manager in Edge. This update makes signing in easier and safer. Here's how it works and why passkeys are the smart choice for protecting your online accounts. Note that this feature is being gradually rolled out in Microsoft Edge 142 on Windows for Microsoft Accounts (MSA) and will be available in additional platforms subsequently.

What are passkeys?

Passkeys are a simpler and more secure way to sign in to your apps and websites without needing a password. Instead of typing a password, you authenticate using your device's built-in security, like a fingerprint, facial recognition, or a PIN. Passkeys are built on the Fast IDentity Online 2 (FIDO2) open standard, which uses public-key cryptography to securely sign you in. Your account stores a unique private key safely specific to a website, while the website only keeps a public key. This means that even if a website suffers a data breach, your account stays safe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je-CtqdQNLc

Why should I use passkeys?

Passkeys are becoming the future of online security. Stronger security:

Passkeys can't be guessed or reused like passwords.
They're resistant to phishing and credential stuffing attacks.

Faster and simpler way to sign in:

No need to remember complex passwords or type them manually.
Just use your fingerprint, face scan, or device PIN to sign in.

Seamless across devices:

Passkeys sync securely via your Microsoft account and are currently available on Windows devices – with planned future availability on additional platforms.

Privacy-first by design:

Your biometric data is processed locally on your device.
Websites only get a cryptographic proof that you are you.

How can I use passkeys in Microsoft Edge?

You can store passkeys in Microsoft Password Manager in Edge. This is currently supported on Windows, with planned future availability on additional platforms. Passkeys are stored in your Microsoft account and protected by a Microsoft Password Manager PIN, which you'll setup while creating passkey for the very first time. When you visit a site which supports passkeys, you'll be asked if you'd like to create a passkey in Microsoft Password Manager. The created passkey gets saved in Microsoft Password Manager and can be used to login to the specific website by simply performing your preferred way of device authentication such as fingerprint, facial recognition, or PIN code. While syncing passkeys on subsequent devices, you'll be asked to verify yourself by providing the Microsoft Password Manager PIN that you created before to unlock your passkeys on the new device.

Ready to try passkeys?

Whenever you see the Create a passkey prompt, give it a try! It's the easiest way to make your online life simpler and more secure. Pre-requisites:

Windows device (version 10 and above)
Microsoft Edge (version 142 and above)
Microsoft account

How are my passkeys securely stored in Microsoft Password Manager? The created passkeys are stored securely in the cloud in an encrypted format and are additionally protected by a Microsoft Password Manager PIN. For unlocking passkeys on a new device, you will have a maximum of 10 attempts to input the correct PIN. If you forget your Microsoft Password Manager PIN, you can reset it from a device that already has passkey access by navigating to Edge Settings > Passwords and autofill > Microsoft Password Manager > Settings. All the unlocking and reset attempts of Microsoft Password Manager PIN are logged and integrity protected in the immutable Azure confidential ledger for added transparency. Can I use passkeys created on Microsoft Password Manager on other apps? With the Microsoft Password Manager plugin on Windows, you can use your passkeys outside of Edge, such as in other browsers and applications on Windows. This capability is coming soon on Windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my saved passwords?: Your saved passwords remain untouched. You can continue using them as usual. But whenever a site supports passkeys, you'll have the option to upgrade to a passkey for stronger security and faster logins.
Do I need to create new accounts to use passkeys?: No. For most existing accounts, you can simply add a passkey without changing anything else.
What if I switch devices?: Your passkeys are securely backed up and synced through your Microsoft account. When you sign in to a new device, your passkeys come with you. Note: This requires verifying yourself with the Microsoft Password Manager PIN on the new device. Passkey sync capability is available on Windows and will be expanded to other platforms soon.
Is syncing passkeys available on mobile or for work or school accounts (Microsoft Entra)?: No, this functionality is currently not available for mobile devices or for Microsoft Entra accounts.
Are passkeys safe if someone steals my device?: Yes, passkeys are designed to be secure even if your device is lost or stolen. Without your fingerprint, facial recoginition, or device PIN, no one can use them.
Can I still view or manage my saved passwords?: Absolutely. You can manage both your existing passwords and passkeys from your Microsoft Password Manager in Edge.
Where can I learn more?: You can learn more about Azure confidential ledger by visiting Azure confidential ledger documentation.

Protecting more Edge users with expanded Scareware blocker availability and real-time protection

Patrick Brosset — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 16:00:30 +0000

Scareware blocker for Microsoft Edge is now enabled by default on most Windows and Mac devices, and the impact is already clear: Scareware blocker shields users from scams before traditional threat intelligence catches them. Behind the scenes, we are improving our systems to help protect even more would-be victims.

Blocks scams before they catch victims

Scareware blocker uses a local computer vision model to spot full screen scams and stop them before users fall into the trap. The model is enabled by default on devices with more than 2 GB of RAM and four CPU cores, where it won't slow down everyday browsing. IT Pros also now have an enterprise policy they can use to configure Scareware blocker on their desktops and add internal resources to an allow-list. Results from the preview were compelling: when Scareware blocker is active, users are protected from fresh scams hours or even days before they appear on global blocklists. Unsurprisingly, AI-powered features like Scareware blocker will forever change the way we protect customers from attacks.

One report can protect 50 others

Scareware blocker users stepped up to share feedback and protect other users. When someone reports a scam with Scareware blocker, we work directly with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen to get the scam blocked for other customers using SmartScreen. During the preview, each user report protected an additional 50 users on average. These reports were not limited to the familiar "Virus Alert!" popups. We've seen reports of scams with fake blue screens, fake control panels, and more. Recently, users reported scams posing as law enforcement, accusing them of crimes, and demanding payment to unlock their PCs. When Scareware blocker caught that scam, it had not yet been blocked by Defender SmartScreen or other services like Google Safe Browsing.

Jump-starting the connection to SmartScreen

Scareware blocker caught the scam mentioned above that impersonated law-enforcement, but before the first user report arrived, 30% of the targeted users had already seen the scam. We saw this throughout the preview: Scareware blocker provided a first line of defense but in the time before users reported scams and SmartScreen was able to start blocking, fast-moving scams still reached too many of their targets.

Edge 142 adds a scareware sensor for faster detection

Starting in November, if Scareware blocker detects a suspicious full-screen page, the new scareware sensor in Edge 142 can notify SmartScreen about the potential scam immediately, without sharing screenshots or any extra data beyond what SmartScreen already receives. This real-time report gives SmartScreen an immediate heads-up to help confirm scams faster and block them worldwide. Later, we'll add more anonymous detection signals to help Edge recognize recurring scam patterns. [caption id="attachment_26099" align="alignnone" width="1400"] Figure 1 - The setting in Microsoft Edge 142 which enables Scareware blocker to share scams with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen.[/caption] This new scareware sensor setting is disabled by default for the time being, but we intend to enable it for users who have SmartScreen enabled, since any scam the sensor detects would be a scam that SmartScreen missed. Even with the scareware sensor disabled though, Scareware blocker will still work as expected. Also, the scareware sensor is always disabled for InPrivate mode. Finally, users can choose to disable SmartScreen entirely, though we strongly recommend leaving it enabled. While the sensor will help provide earlier detection, please continue to report feedback when you hit a scam! Manually reporting feedback allows you to share the screenshot of the scam and other context to help block attacks at their source, as well as helping identify false positives.

Accelerating the pipeline

Even after a user has reported a scam, it may continue to impact other victims before SmartScreen can start blocking. To address that, we're working to reduce latency and deliver faster SmartScreen protection for scams reported by Scareware blocker users. Behind the scenes, we're also upgrading the end-to-end pipeline. Scareware blocker's connection to SmartScreen started off as a promising prototype and now we're upgrading it to run on the same production-scale threat intelligence systems that power SmartScreen client protection worldwide. Scareware blocker caught the same scam described above again recently on a new site. This time though, the improved pipeline responded more rapidly. SmartScreen protection kicked in after the scam reached just 5% of its intended targets and most of those exposed would have had protection from Scareware blocker. With earlier warning from the sensor and more improvements to the pipeline, we hope to reduce exposure even further.

Thanks to the scam-fighting community

We've been lucky to work with talented and creative scam-fighters from the community. We are grateful to everyone who helped us deliver the preview and the tens of thousands of users who shared feedback so far. Now, everyone using Edge with Scareware blocker builds on their work and makes things just a little bit harder for scammers. Stay tuned for more!