Microsoft Edge is the browser that ships with Windows 10 and Windows 11. Modern Edge uses the same Chromium engine as Google Chrome, so pages tend to load quickly and behave consistently. It is a solid choice as your everyday browser.
Opening Edge
- Click the Edge icon on the taskbar (blue-green swirl).
- Open the Start menu and type
Edge, then pressEnter. - From Run (
Win + R), you can typemicrosoft-edge:and pressEnterto launch Edge.
Address bar, search, and navigation
- Type a web address (URL) or search words in the address bar, then press
Enter. - Use Back / Forward to move through pages you have visited in this tab.
- Press
Ctrl + RorF5to reload the current page. - Hold
Ctrlwhile clicking a link (or middle-click the link) to open it in a new tab in the background.
Tabs
Ctrl + T— new tab.Ctrl + W— close the current tab.Ctrl + Shift + T— reopen the last closed tab.Ctrl + Tab/Ctrl + Shift + Tab— switch between tabs.- Right-click a tab to duplicate it, mute audio, or close other tabs.
Favorites and downloads
- Click the star in the address bar to save the page to Favorites. Use the favorites menu (star icon on the toolbar) to open saved links.
- Downloads appear in the Downloads list (toolbar icon or
Ctrl + J). In Settings, you can choose where files are saved by default.
InPrivate browsing
Ctrl + Shift + N opens an InPrivate window. Edge does not keep browsing history for that window after you close it, which helps when you use a shared PC or want a clean session. It does not make you invisible online—your school, employer, or ISP may still see network activity.
Settings, privacy, and extensions
- Open settings by typing
edge://settingsin the address bar, or choose Settings and more (⋯) > Settings. - Under Privacy, search, and services, review Tracking prevention (Balanced is a reasonable default for most users).
- To change your default browser, go to Windows Settings > Apps > Default apps and pick Edge for HTTP/HTTPS (wording varies slightly by Windows version).
- Extensions: open Extensions from the ⋯ menu, or visit the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store. Many extensions written for Chrome can be installed from the Chrome Web Store after you allow “other stores” in Edge settings.
Sync and updates
- Signing in with a Microsoft account (optional) can sync favorites, passwords, and settings across your devices.
- Edge updates regularly. Check ⋯ > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge to see your version and trigger an update if one is available.