Microsoft introduces Edge Beta: you can try it now

Microsoft has announced its Beta release for the next version of Microsoft Edge. The new version is now available for all supported versions of Windows and macOS. With the new Microsoft Edge, the company is trying to create better web compatibility with better performance for our customers while ensuring less fragmentation of the web for all web developers.

Microsoft Edge Beta Channel: The next chapter

Beta is the third and final preview channel which will come online before launch. While still in the preview stage, with this announcement the next version of Microsoft Edge is ready for everyday use. In the Beta today, you will see new ways to personalize your experience, along with support for 14 languages.

With new tab page customization, you can choose what you want to see when you open a new web page by selecting either a Focused, Inspirational or Informational layout. You set a dark theme or visit the Microsoft Edge Insider Addons store or other Chromium-based web stores, such as the Chrome Web Store, to add your favorite extensions.

You can personalize your experience further by enabling tracking prevention, a feature designed to protect you from being tracked by websites that you don’t visit. Today, this feature is behind a flag but you can enable it in the Beta builds. When enabled, a customer will be able to choose from three levels of privacy – Basic, Balanced and Strict. Additional features that we showed at the Build 2019 Conference will come to the Beta channel in the coming months. Collections is already available for testing in the Canary channel today.

Microsoft Edge is getting even better for business

Microsoft Search built-in to Bing, which will reduce the time spent looking for things at work by intelligently connecting an organization’s people, documents, sites, locations and conversations.

Internet Explorer mode, which streamlines today’s not-so-great experience of viewing the web through two different browsers by bringing Internet Explorer 11 compatibility directly into Microsoft Edge, creating one simple experience. This is an important feature for the more than 60% of worldwide organizations that use both IE as well as another browser.

Windows Defender Application Guard helps to isolate enterprise-defined untrusted sites, protecting the company while employees browse the Internet.

Additional features, like the enterprise-focused new tab, will be coming soon to the Canary and Dev channels as well.

Security Bounty Program for Edge Beta

With this Beta release, Microsoft has extended the Microsoft Edge browser security bounty program to cover the Beta and Dev channels. And they are seeking researchers to disclose any high-impact vulnerabilities they may find in these channels and offer rewards up to US$30,000 for eligible vulnerabilities.

Download Microsoft Edge Beta today

If you are an enterprise customer, the next version of Microsoft Edge is ready to pilot with either Beta or Dev builds. We invite you to check out the enterprise tab of the Microsoft Edge Insider site, download a build and begin trialing it in your organization.

If you are a consumer who is comfortable testing a beta, visit the Microsoft Edge Insider site to learn more and download the builds. Your feedback is critical in helping us build the future of Microsoft Edge and we’re excited to hear what you think.

As with the Canary and Dev builds, if you’re not comfortable using early release software there is nothing for you to do today. Keep using the Microsoft Edge you know and love, and we’ll let you know when it’s time to make the move to the next version of the browser.