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Edge browser gets ad blockers and other features alongside latest Windows build

Microsoft has detailed Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14342, which is currently being distributed to users in the Fast Ring of the Insider Program. The latest iteration continues to improve upon the Edge web browser, among a variety of other tweaks and one noteworthy removal.

Edge users clamored for extension support for months before the feature was added in March. Now, there’s a change to the way they work: Instead of extracting and loading extensions from a local folder, users will obtain them directly from the Windows Store. As a result, you’ll need to replace any that you had installed when you receive the update.

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New extensions are available to download too, with the addition of AdBlock and Adblock Plus sure to please users who are looking for a distraction-free web browsing experience while using Edge.

The browser can now receive real-time notifications from participating websites, which will be displayed in the Action Center. The update also adds support for swipe navigation, which will apparently be included in the next build of Windows 10 Mobile, according to a blog post published by Microsoft yesterday.

Build 14342 also brings a number of smaller changes. Improvements have been made to the Skype UWP app that’s currently being previewed, Bash on Ubuntu on Windows, and several UI elements. Plus, there’s now a way to open websites directly from an app, the Feedback Hub offers better categorization options, and a host of minor fixes have been applied across the board.

However, Build 14342 also removes a feature, owing to a lack of interest from users. Wi-Fi Sense will no longer allow you to share your Wi-Fi network with your contacts and access connections shared by your contacts, although it will still connect you to known Wi-Fi hot spots.

Brad Jones
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
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