Microsoft Edge

🟦 Full History of Microsoft Edge

1. Origins (Before 2015): Internet Explorer’s Decline

Before Microsoft Edge, Microsoft’s main web browser was Internet Explorer (IE) — launched in 1995 and dominant during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
However, by the 2010s, IE had become slow, outdated, and non-compliant with modern web standards. Competing browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari were much faster and more secure.
Microsoft realized it needed a fresh start — a new browser built for speed, security, and modern web compatibility.

2. Project Spartan (2014–2015): The Birth of Edge

In 2014, Microsoft began developing a new browser, codenamed “Project Spartan.”
Its goals were:

Lightweight and fast

Compatible with modern web standards

Integrated with Windows 10 and Cortana (Microsoft’s virtual assistant)

A clean, minimalist design
At the Build 2015 conference, Microsoft officially revealed that Project Spartan would be released as Microsoft Edge, the default browser for Windows 10.

3. EdgeHTML Era (2015–2019): The First Version

Initial release: July 29, 2015, alongside Windows 10.

Built on Microsoft’s own EdgeHTML rendering engine (a fork of Trident from Internet Explorer).

Included new features like:

However, the original Edge faced major issues:

Poor performance and compatibility with modern websites

Few extensions (compared to Chrome and Firefox)

Limited to Windows 10 only

By 2018, Microsoft realized developers and users weren’t adopting it — Chrome had become the dominant browser worldwide.

4. Chromium Rebuild (2019–2020): A New Beginning

In December 2018, Microsoft made a historic decision:

To rebuild Microsoft Edge using Google’s open-source Chromium engine (the same engine that powers Chrome).
This change allowed Edge to:

Support all Chrome extensions

Offer better performance and compatibility

Work across Windows 7, 8, 10, macOS, and Linux

Key Milestones:

April 2019: First Edge Chromium preview builds released for Windows and macOS.

January 15, 2020: Official stable release of the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge.

2021: Replaced the old EdgeHTML version via Windows Update.

5. Features of the Chromium-Based Edge

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) introduced several powerful features:

Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS)

Collections — save and organize web content

Vertical Tabs

Immersive Reader

Tracking Prevention

Built-in PDF reader

Sleeping Tabs (reduce memory use)

Microsoft Bing integration

Sync across devices using Microsoft Account

Edge also integrated Microsoft 365, Windows Hello, and Azure AD features, making it ideal for business and education users.

6. Edge Becomes Default in Windows 11 (2021–2022)

With the launch of Windows 11 in October 2021, Microsoft Edge (Chromium) became the default browser.
It came with:

A new Fluent Design System look

Deeper integration with Windows Search, Widgets, and Microsoft Store

Optional Sidebar tools (calculator, translator, Office apps, etc.)

Microsoft also started promoting Edge as part of the Microsoft ecosystem, replacing Internet Explorer completely.> On June 15, 2022, Internet Explorer was officially retired and redirected to Microsoft Edge.

7. Edge + AI (2023–Present): The AI Browser

In February 2023, Microsoft announced a major update:

Integration of AI and ChatGPT technology into Edge and Bing.
This introduced:

“Copilot in Edge” — an AI assistant built into the sidebar

ChatGPT-powered Bing Chat (now called Copilot)

Ability to summarize web pages, generate text, and answer questions directly

Integration with OpenAI models (GPT-4 and later)

Edge became known as “the first AI-powered browser.”

8. Modern Developments (2024–2025)

By 2025, Microsoft Edge continues to evolve with:

Edge Workspaces — collaborative browsing sessions

Built-in VPN (Edge Secure Network)

Enhanced AI tools via Microsoft Copilot integration

Performance improvements for gaming and streaming

Tighter Microsoft 365 and Windows 11 integration
Edge now competes strongly with Chrome and Safari, especially in enterprise, education, and productivity sectors.

🕓 Timeline Summary

Year—>Event
2014—>Project Spartan announced
2015—>Microsoft Edge (EdgeHTML) released with Windows 10
2018—>Microsoft announces switch to Chromium engine
2020—>Chromium-based Edge officially released
2021—>Edge becomes default in Windows 11
2022—>Internet Explorer retired
2023—>AI-powered Bing and Edge (Copilot) launched
2024–2025—>Continuous AI and performance improvements

🌐 Current Status (as of 2025)

Engine: Chromium

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

Focus: Speed, Security, AI integration, Productivity

Position: Among the top 3 browsers worldwide (alongside Chrome and Safari)

The history of Microsoft Edge is a story of two distinct browsers and a dramatic pivot in strategy. It can be divided into three main eras.

Era 1: The Ambitious Heir (2015 - 2019) - “EdgeHTML”

This era began with Microsoft’s admission that Internet Explorer (IE) had fallen too far behind competitors like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. They needed a clean break.

Background and Launch

Announcement: Microsoft unveiled “Project Spartan” in January 2015 as the new, lightweight browser for Windows 10, designed to be separate from the legacy of IE.

Release: It was officially launched as Microsoft Edge with Windows 10 on July 29, 2015.

Goal: To be a modern, fast, and secure web browser that would finally restore Microsoft’s reputation in the browser market.

Key Features & Technology

New Rendering Engine (EdgeHTML): This was the core of the new browser. It was a fork of Trident (IE’s engine) but stripped of all legacy code and backward compatibility, making it much lighter and faster.

Integration with Cortana: Built-in voice assistant for searches and help within the browser.

Web Note: Allowed users to write, draw, and highlight directly on web pages and share their annotations.

Reading View: A clean, distraction-free mode for reading articles.

Integration with Windows 10: Deeply tied into the OS for a seamless experience.

Challenges and Struggles

Despite the fresh start, the EdgeHTML-based Edge faced significant problems:

Extension Ecosystem: It launched with a very limited selection of extensions compared to Chrome and Firefox. The ecosystem was slow to grow.

Compatibility Issues: Websites and web apps, often tested primarily on Chrome’s Blink engine, would sometimes break or perform poorly on EdgeHTML.

Performance Perception: While initially fast, it often failed to consistently outperform Chrome in real-world usage and benchmarks.

Market Share Stagnation: Despite being pre-installed on every Windows 10 PC, it failed to gain significant market share. Most users immediately downloaded Chrome or Firefox. By 2019, its global market share was stuck in the low single digits.

Era 2: The Dramatic Pivot (2018 - 2020) - The Chromium Rebuild

Faced with stagnation, Microsoft made one of the most significant decisions in modern software history: they abandoned their own rendering engine.

The Announcement

In December 2018, Microsoft officially announced it was rebuilding Microsoft Edge from the ground up using Chromium, the same open-source project that powers Google Chrome.

Reasons for the Switch

Improved Web Compatibility: By using the same engine as Chrome, Edge would render virtually every website perfectly.

Better for Web Developers: Developers could build and test for one engine (Chromium) and have it work seamlessly across Chrome and Edge, simplifying their workflow.

Performance Parity: It would immediately solve performance inconsistencies and allow Edge to compete directly with Chrome on speed.

Cross-Platform Strategy: The Chromium project was designed to be cross-platform, allowing Microsoft to release Edge for macOS, Windows 7, 8, and eventually Linux—something unthinkable with the tightly integrated EdgeHTML.

The Transition

The first Beta versions of the new Chromium-based Edge were released in August 2019.

The official stable release launched on January 15, 2020, for Windows and macOS.

Era 3: The Chromium-Based Edge (2020 - Present) - A Resurgence

The new Edge was no longer just a default browser for Windows; it was a genuine competitor.

Key Features and Strategy

Microsoft’s strategy shifted from just providing a browser to offering a compelling alternative to Chrome with unique, value-added features.

Superior Privacy Controls: Introduced three tracking prevention levels (Basic, Balanced, Strict) that are more transparent and user-friendly than Chrome’s implementation.

Vertical Tabs: A popular feature that moves tabs to a sidebar, making it easier to manage many tabs, especially on widescreen monitors.

Collections: A built-in tool for collecting, organizing, and exporting groups of links, images, and text—useful for shopping, trip planning, or research.

Immersive Reader: An enhanced version of Reading View, integrated directly into the address bar.

Efficiency Mode: A smart feature that reduces browser resource usage (CPU, RAM) when system resources are low, improving battery life on laptops.

Gaming Focus: Integrated with Xbox Cloud Gaming and features like “Clarity Boost” for a better streaming experience.

AI Integration (The Latest Phase): Microsoft has aggressively integrated AI, most notably with Copilot, a centralized AI assistant built directly into the browser sidebar, powered by models like GPT-4.

Market Position and Impact

Market Share Growth: The Chromium switch was a success. Edge steadily grew its market share, becoming the second-most popular desktop browser behind Chrome, though still with a significant gap.

Critical Reception: The new Edge has been widely praised for its performance, features, and respect for user privacy compared to Chrome.

The End of Internet Explorer: With the new Edge established, Microsoft finally announced the retirement of Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022. A built-in “IE Mode” within Edge was provided for organizations that still needed legacy web apps.

Summary: A Timeline of Key Events

2015 (July): Microsoft Edge launches with Windows 10, using the EdgeHTML engine.

2018 (Dec): Microsoft announces it is rebuilding Edge on Chromium.

2020 (Jan): The new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge is released publicly.

2021 (Apr): Edge introduces “Kids Mode” for a safer browsing experience for children.

2022 (June): Internet Explorer is officially retired.

2023 (Feb): Microsoft launches the “new Bing” and integrates AI-powered Copilot into Edge.

Conclusion

The history of Microsoft Edge is a tale of humility, pragmatism, and reinvention. By abandoning its proprietary technology in favor of the open-source Chromium project, Microsoft transformed Edge from a struggling default application into a powerful, feature-rich, and respected browser that is now a true competitor in the market and a key part of Microsoft’s modern AI-first strategy.