I Used Microsoft Edge Full-Time for 30 Days – Here’s What Happened…
I never really understood the hatred for Microsoft Edge, even before Microsoft switched to Chromium, the browser was still pretty good back then. I guess the whole Internet Explorer thing combined with negative publicity may have fed those views.
When it comes to web browsers, I find myself switching constantly, and I’m not sure why. I mean, it’s not the first time I switched to Edge, I last switched back in 2022, and while I kept using it as my default browser at work, I’ve been moving between Chrome, Safari and Firefox outside of work.
A while back, I came to the conclusion that I had to find a browser I like and that I can stick to. It’s now been over a month since I started using Edge and I’ve actually been impressed.
I’ve been using Edge as my default browser on all compatible devices I have including my MacBook, iPad and iPhone and in this article, I will share my experience and whether I will be sticking to Edge for the foreseeable future.
Initial Impressions
I’m not new to Microsoft Edge as I’ve been using it as my default browser at my day job for a long time.
But I wanted to talk about my first impressions of using it full time on most of my devices. Starting with my iPhone, I think it performs well with daily use, and I haven’t had any performance issues yet. I like the Drop feature which allows me to send things easily from my phone to Edge on desktop. I think it’s a great substitute for AirDrop when I’m using Windows.
Like with the iOS version of the app, I haven’t had any performance issues with the browser on my iPad, however it would be nice to see the bookmarks toolbar become available.
In terms of my MacBook, I think it works well too, and it’s packed with several useful features that I use every day, such as the Copilot side bar, Vertical Tabs and Split Screen. But I will talk about these features later in this article.
In summary, my initial impressions are positive, and I’ve been enjoying using Microsoft Edge as my main browser in both, my personal life and at work. Here’s Why…
Features I Liked
Microsoft Edge is packed with many underrated features which I haven’t come across in many browsers. Not only are these features useful to have, but I argue that they have improved my productivity.
Starting with a feature I wasn’t initially convinced with, Vertical Tabs. I like to keep several tabs open, but the traditional solution wasn’t working for me and made my browser window look cluttered.
With the help of Vertical Tabs, I can comfortably see the title of the tab and I can easily organise my tabs into groups. Groups aren’t specific to vertical tabs, but I find that the group feature works better for me with vertical tabs.
Speaking of which, Tab Groups are a fantastic feature that allows me to organise my tabs into groups. They work great for research and when I’m working from multiple tabs. Tab Groups combined with Vertical Tabs, have been a game changer for me as organising tabs into groups helps me easily find the correct tabs when I have many open. This combination also works great for when I need to get back to a tab later that day, but I don’t necessarily want to bookmark that web page. The only downside to vertical tabs is that they make the browsing window smaller. However, Edge has a great solution for this, you can simply collapse the pane, giving you more room, and when you need to switch tab, you can hover over the pane, and it will temporarily appear.
I had to think about what I’m going to say about the next feature, but come to think of it, I think it’s both game changing and underrated. The feature is Split screen, and it lets you view two webpages side by side.
I know that it doesn’t sound exciting, but it really does improve my workflow. I mean I can compare web pages without switching tabs, work on research or reference material side by side and it reduces clutter. On top of that, I feel it makes multi-tasking easier on smaller screens.
Another useful feature is Collections which enable you to save, organise, and sync web content such as webpages, images and notes across devices.
One of my favourite features is Drop, which allows me to send things from my phone using the mobile version of Edge to the desktop version. I think that it’s a brilliant alternative to AirDrop, especially when you have devices that are not compatible with AirDrop.
I also like the Copilot sidebar as it allows me to ask AI queries while browsing the internet. One way this proves to be useful is when I’m doing research, I can ask Copilot to summarise things I have active in the browser and I can ask it to explain things in more detail, which is extremely useful.
Last but not least, I like that Chrome extensions work in Edge.
Challenges and Downsides
During my month using Microsoft Edge full time, I didn’t face any issues or challenges, but that’s because I’ve already been using Microsoft Edge for a long time at work, so I think it’s fair to say that I’m already used to the browser.
However, if you are new to the browser, there might be a slight learning curve, especially when making the most out of the features.
While I was new to the mobile version, it didn’t take me long to get used to it, which was not something I expected as I thought it would take me longer to get used to it.
Final Thoughts
Based on my experience of using the browser full-time for a month, I think that Microsoft Edge is a very underrated browser. I find that it performs well, it has some useful features that are genuinely helpful, and it has a very user intuitive interface.
My experience has been positive, and I really struggled to find any faults, issues or imperfections.
That is why I intend to continue using the browser as my default browser for the foreseeable future.
I feel that Microsoft Edge is a very misunderstood browser, and if there’s anything I can recommend, is to simply give it a go, try using it as your default browser for longer than a week before switching, you may be surprised.
What’s your go-to browser and why? Would you ever consider switching to Microsoft Edge or another browser?