The best of Microsoft Edge
EASY TRANSITIONING
If you are moving from another browser to Edge, things are nice and simple. The first time you launch Edge you will be asked if you would like to import your bookmarked sites, saved passwords and other settings. Just hover over the ‘Import your favourites’ icon, click ‘Import now’, and use the options to the right to import data. After this, there is also the option of installing extensions to add new features, but we’ll return to that later.
SAVE TABS FOR LATER
One of the great things about modern web browsers is being able to have multiple sites open in different tabs – but it’s easy to get carried away. Edge has a handy option that lets you set aside a group of tabs so you can return to them later and not have to keep them open all the time. Just click the ‘Set these tabs aside’ button (the second button in the tab row), and then access them again by clicking the first button, ‘See all your tabs’.
CUSTOMISABLE START PAGE
When you open a new tab, Edge can show you not only shortcuts to your most frequently visited sites, but also a personalised news feed. To customise this, open a new tab and click the little gear icon to the upper right. You can then choose whether you want to see ‘Top sites and my feed’, just ‘Top sites’, or a blank page. You can customise your news feed by clicking the Personalise link and selecting the topics you’re interested in.
READING LIST
You probably know that it’s possible to bookmark a site you use a lot, and then access it through Favourites. Edge also includes a similar option called the Reading List, which lets you build up a list of sites you want to refer back to, but might not want to bookmark forever. To add a site to the Reading List, click the star icon to the right of the address bar. Select Reading List, and click Add. Access the Reading List with Ctrl-M.
BROWSER EXTENSIONS
Edge is a feature-packed browser, but you can add even more options and features by installing extensions. Click the Settings button (three dots) to the upper right and select Extensions. You’ll see suggested extensions, and can find more by clicking ‘Explore more extensions’ at the bottom of the list. This will take you to the Microsoft Store where you can browse from adblockers and notetakers to translation utilities.
HIGHLIGHTING AND NOTES
When you visit a website, Edge gives you the option of highlighting sections that you’re interested in, as well as adding notes. You can either pressing Ctrl-Shift-M, or click the ‘Add notes’ button (which looks like a pen) at the top of the Edge window. A new toolbar appears with a highlighter and note-taker. When you’ve finished with your notes and highlights, click the Save button so you can access them via Favourites.
SHARING OPTIONS
One of the joys of using the internet is sharing the things you find – and Edge makes this very simple. If you would like to share a site, or the notes you add to a site, with someone, just click the ‘Share this page’ button in the toolbar at the top of Edge (the button next to the three-dot Settings button). You can then choose which of your installed apps you’d like to use to share the link, or just copy the link to the clipboard ready to paste manually.
TAB PINNING
Edge provides a variety of ways to easily access your favourite sites, and one of these if tab pinning. Using this option, you can add a shortcut to a favourite website to the Windows 10 taskbar so it is accessible at all times. Browse to a site you’d like to be able to easily access and click the Settings button followed by ‘Pin this page to the taskbar’. You can also pin a tab to the left hand side of Edge by right clicking it and selecting the Pin option.
THEMES AND OPTIONS
You can change the look of Edge by adjusting the theme; just as you can use Light and Dark options within Windows 10, so the same themes are available in Edge. If you’re looking for a theme that’s a little more gentle on the eyes, click the Settings button […] and select Settings. In the Customise section, you can use the drop-down menu to opt for the Dark theme – which will also help prolong battery life on a laptop.
SECURITY FEATURES
Microsoft has designed Edge with security in mind, and the browser is packed with features that help to keep you safe online. Edge will automatically block pop-up windows, as well as preventing you from visiting sites that are known to be dangerous. Should this prevent you from visiting a site you know to be safe, you can head to Settings and temporarily disable the “Block popups” or Windows Defender SmartScreen options.