How To Install the Microsoft Edge Beta

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

Microsoft will soon have a major update for Edge, the built-in web browser that comes with Windows 10. Now based off the open-source, industry standard Chromium engine, it provides a browsing experience similar to Google Chrome or Apple's Safari browser, which the vast majority of site designers target and pros use.

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Before You Begin:

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Microsoft Edge Beta
Microsoft Edge Beta

At the time of this writing, this version of Microsoft Edge is beta, meaning there will be problems, bugs, and non-working features.

If you demand a more stable browsing experience, and do not want to test out the latest features, stick with the current 'main stream' version of Microsoft Edge that comes with Windows 10, or use another browser, such as Firefox or Chrome.

Microsoft plans to release this version of the Edge browser in a stable version on January 20, 2020.

2. Install Microsoft Edge (Beta)

Microsoft offers the Edge beta through their Insider program. This guide will help you using the current version of Microsoft Edge to download and install the Edge beta.

  1. Open the current version of Microsoft Edge, and browse to the Microsoft Edge Insider.
Microsoft Edge

Edge Browser with address entered and highlighted.
  1. Select Download Beta Channel.
Edge Insider page with Download Beta Channel highlighted.
  1. Carefully review the License Terms. When you understand and agree and are ready to continue, select Accept and download.
License Terms with Accept and download highlighted.
  1. At the bottom of your browser, select Run to start the installer.
Edge download with Run highlighted.
  1. Windows will ask permission to let the installer run. Select Yes.
User Account Control prompt for Edge Beta with Yes highlighted.
  1. Edge beta will install automatically, wait will it downloads additional items and sets everything up.
Installing Edge.

3. Edge Beta First-Time Setup

After installing Edge Beta will open for the first time and ask a few simple questions to customize the browser to your needs.

  1. In Edge Beta, the first time it opens, a welcome screen is shown. Select Get started.
Microsoft Edge Beta

Edge Beta first launch welcome screen with Get started highlighted.
  1. You'll be asked how you want new tabs to be shown. Choose the option you like best, then select Next.
New Tab options with Next highlighted.
  1. Edge Beta will find your Microsoft account and offer to sync your browser data, that way should you reinstall, use the non-beta version, or switch computers, your Favorites, Passwords, and other settings will follow you automatically. Select Next.
Sync favorites and password prompt with Next highlighted.
  1. To further personalize your browsing, you may choose to share your browsing history. Select Confirm.
Personalization prompt with Confirm highlighted.
  1. Microsoft Edge Beta is now installed and setup to use. You can launch it at any time from the icon on your desktop.
Microsoft Edge Beta

4. Microsoft Edge Beta Basic Features

This guide will highlight key portions of the new Microsoft Edge Beta browser you may find useful or helpful.

Microsoft Edge Beta
Microsoft Edge Beta

Basic Navigation Controls

Basic navigation in Edge Beta is like most other browsers, using the icons at the top of the window.

Back

Back

Go back one page in your browsing history.

Forward

Forward

Go forward one page in your browsing history.

Refresh

Refresh

Refresh or reload the page you're currently on.

Add Favorite

Add Favorite

Add the current page as a favorite.

Favorites

Favorite

Visit or Manage your favorite websites.

Send Feedback

Send Feedback

Report problems or problematic sites you see when using the Chrome Beta browser.

Edge Beta is made available to a wider audience, to get feedback when something goes wrong, so Microsoft can fix it before the final release.

Settings and More

Settings and More

Access all the settings and options, as well as your history, favorites, and logins for the Edge Beta browser.

Microsoft Edge Beta

Import Favorites

Edge Beta can bring your favorites or bookmarks from your main web browser, so you don't have to rebuild or seek out the pages you visit most frequently as you test the new Edge browser.

  1. Select the Menu in the top-right, then point to Favorites and select Import.
Settings and More

Edge Beta menu with Favorites and Import highlighted.
  1. Select which browser you'd like to import from, the profile, then select Import.
Import Browser Data with Browser, Profile, and Import highlighted.
  1. Once complete, select Done.
All done message with Done highlighted.

Microsoft Edge Beta

Change Homepage

Your Homepage is the first page your browser opens to when you start it.

  1. Browse to the website you'd like as your homepage.
  2. Select the Menu, then Settings.
Settings and More

Menu with Settings highlighted.
  1. In Settings, select the Menu in the top-right, and select On startup.
Settings with Menu and On Startup highlighted.
  1. Place a dot next to Open a specific page or pages, then select Use all open tabs.
On startup Settings with Open a specific page or pages and Use all open tabs highlighted.
Microsoft Edge Beta

Change Default Search

Microsoft offers Bing as the default search engine, but there is a way to change that to another if you want.

  1. Select the Menu, then Settings.
Settings and More

Menu with Settings highlighted.
  1. Select the Menu in the top-left, then select Privacy and services.
Settings with Menu and Privacy and services highlighted.
  1. Scroll to the very bottom, and select Address Bar.
Privacy and services with Address Bar highlighted.
  1. Here, you can select which Search engine Edge Beta uses by default.
Drop down for search provider highlighted.

5. What's New Development Page

Microsoft Edge Beta is in constant development. As such, Microsoft is constantly adding new features and tracking known issues. It's recommended you check-in What's New regularly, and report any problems you encounter with the Browser, so Microsoft can work to fix them before the launch of the browser.

Explore New Features and Known Issues

  1. Open the Microsoft Edge Insider What's New page.
Microsoft Edge Insider page with What's New highlighted.

Review the Try it and Known issue sections of this site, to know what new features Microsoft if focusing on developing, and what problems they are currently working to fix.

Try it

These are new features recently added that Microsoft is asking for feedback on.

Try It list of new features in Edge Beta

Known issue

Problems Microsoft is currently working on, as well as recently fixed bugs.

Known Issue list of known and fixed bugs in Edge Beta

Report Issue

Because this version of the Edge browser is in Beta, you will encounter problems and bugs. You can use the feedback button to report them.

  1. Select the Send feedback icon at the top of the Edge Beta browser.
Send Feedback
  1. Fill in the short questionnaire about the nature of the problem you've encountered and select Send.
Feedback prompt with fields highlighted.