Skip to main content

These 2 new Edge features are making Chrome look outdated

Microsoft has announced a host of updates that will soon be available for its Edge browser, including the Microsoft 365 Copilot feature and Sidebar app support for developers.

The company is showcasing the new features during its annual Build developer conference, which is currently taking place from May 23 through May 25.

Copilot in Windows being used in the side panel.
Microsoft

Microsoft 365 Copilot

Primarily, is the general availability of Microsoft 365 Copilot, which will also be integrated into the Microsoft Edge browser. Copilot is Microsoft’s blending of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chat feature into the brand’s 365 suite of apps, including Teams, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and now Edge.

Recommended Videos

Microsoft 365 Copilot was initially announced in March and has been in a private preview, with Edge being its latest compatibility. Unlike how ChatGPT functions with Microsoft Bing search, prompts can be more productivity-focused.

To maintain privacy and security, you will have to log in via your Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) account to access Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Microsoft is hosting a session during its Build conference demonstrating how 365 Copilot integration with the Edge browser works and how it will benefit workers.

Microsoft Sidebar app

Microsoft is also making its Sidebar app for Microsoft Edge generally available for developers. The brand first introduced the feature in November 2022 as a way to bring easy multitasking across different browser tabs — they are more easily viewable and accessible with the Sidebar app layout from the user’s point of view.

Now developers can build upon the current Sidebar structure using Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) to edit the feature to their specifications.

Microsoft is hosting a session during its Build conference demonstrating the best practices for developing the Sidebar app with PWAs.

Other updates

In addition to the aforementioned updates, Microsoft is showcasing its Microsoft Edge for Business experiences, which is now in preview. This is an enterprise-focused browser with specific productivity features and security controls, such as Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) sign-in.

Microsoft also confirmed it will make its Edge Workspaces available in the coming months. This product allows you to bundle browser tabs together for browsing, organizing, and sharing.

Initially, the brand announced the enterprise preview program at Microsoft Ignite 2022. Later, Microsoft opened the preview to personal users due to consumer demand.

Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh is a Computing Writer at Digital Trends. She covers a range of topics in the computing space, including…
I finally switched to Microsoft Edge for this one feature
The Microsoft Edge browser on a flat surface.

Microsoft Edge has gotten increasingly better over the years, but I've stuck with Google Chrome -- perhaps by habit, if nothing else. After all, a web browser is the kind of application I don't want to think about. That's why the flashier features of recent updates to Chrome, Edge, or even Arc haven't swayed me. I don't use Copilot, Collections, or even tab groups. That left me defaulted to Chrome.

I'm now using Microsoft Edge, though -- and it's not because of the most common complaints about Chrome, such as its well-documented memory usage. No, no. My reason for deciding to leave Chrome for Edge is based on a feature that was actually launched way back in 2022. For the longest time, I ignored the Edge sidebar -- after all, the less clutter in my web browser, the better.

Read more
These Apple Intelligence features make me want to switch to Mac
Continuity changes in macOS 15.

I'm not a Mac user, but after hearing about Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024, I might become one. This AI powered suite is along the lines of Microsoft Copilot+, touching every aspect of the Mac, iPhone, and iPad to provide AI assistance. The AI market is already saturated with options, but with Apple Intelligence, I have to admit -- I'm already hooked.

Instead of building the Mac around AI, Apple is building AI around the Mac. It's a systemwide utility that makes the Mac much more useful overall. Here are the Apple Intelligence features coming to the Mac, and why they have me so excited.
Personal context

Read more
5 web browsers you should use instead of Google Chrome or Edge
Google Drive in Chrome on a MacBook.

Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge dominate the world of web browsers, but they’re not for everyone. Whether you want a browser that better respects your privacy or need an app that does things a little bit differently, you don’t have to stick to the usual suspects.

There’s a world of alternative web browsers out there if you want to give something new a try. Here, we’ve put together five excellent options, with each one bringing fresh new ideas to the table. So, if you’re sick of Chrome and Edge, take one of these browsers for a spin.
Arc
Easels let you pin live websites snippets, which can update themselves and be interacted with. Alex Blake / Digital Trends

Read more