Microsoft’s New Chromium-based Edge Browser Revealed in Leaked Screenshots

Microsoft’s much-awaited Chromium browser has been revealed in all its glory in leaked screenshots. The folks at Neowin got their hands on some screenshots of the new browser, codename Anaheim.

The leaked screenshots reveal the new Edge browser to have an interface identical to Google Chrome. After all, the browser is based on Chromium, so much of the UI looks very identical to Chrome. Microsoft has obviously started layering its own flavour over the interface, including things like redesigning the Settings interface, and introducing its own icons for the UI, etc. Thurrott.com understands the new browser’s interface is going to look much like Edge as we know it and not similar to Chrome once it matures.

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Microsoft is also building a new store for extensions that will include Microsoft Edge’s existing extensions and the ones for Google Chrome. This means users will be able to run the existing Edge extensions on the browser, as well as all the other Chrome extensions that are available right now. Thurrott.com understands Microsoft may only allow users to test a limited selection of Chrome extensions as part of the testing, to begin with.

The new browser also includes an MSN-powered New Tab page, that can be customized in different layouts. The new layout is still slightly different from Edge’s existing New Tab in terms of looks.

Microsoft is expected to start testing the new Edge browser with Windows Insiders sometime very soon, and it seems ready for testing from these leaked screenshots. But yes, it’s coming very soon. Get yourselves ready.

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Conversation 39 comments

  • IanYates82

    Premium Member
    05 March, 2019 - 6:09 am

    <p>This is fantastic. A lot of our customers won't run non-Microsoft browsers, but in many cases that leaves us only with IE 11 since, even for remote desktop servers with Windows Server 2016, which is Windows 10 in sheep's clothing, you don't get Edge (same for 2019, although RDS has changed a lot more..)</p><p><br></p><p>I'll be able to get them to install this instead.</p>

  • SupaPete

    05 March, 2019 - 7:10 am

    <p>it looks similar to Chrome, just, well, worse. It is like as if MS thinks modern simplified UI must mean everything is a rectangle without even a rounded corner about it. See most elements there like even the scrollbar etc.</p><p>Overall, usability wise it is of course a good thing when win dows ships with a usable browser again which runs most websites as they are supposed to, so i generally like them using Chromium, but i'd wish they rethink their modern ui look (not just for the browser, across the board).</p><p>The things they showed for fluent like the new office icons and blur bgs etc are all nice, but this type of look for window elements, scrollbars etc is a bland reminiscent from the lame "modern ui" days, which seemed sorta fresh in look many years ago, but something like material design on Android etc is way nicer.</p>

    • warren

      05 March, 2019 - 10:17 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409077">In reply to SupaPete:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>The complaint about a lack of rounded corners is kind of weird. Back in the 1990s, literally no GUI had rounded corners — MacOS, Windows, BeOS, AmigaOS, various UNIX DE's…. all rectangles.</p><p><br></p><p>Rounded UI elements didn't really come around until professional designers were brought in and we got Windows XP and Mac OS X.</p><p><br></p><p>If you personally don't like how Windows looks, then fix it using WindowBlinds…. it's been around for 20 years. </p>

      • SupaPete

        05 March, 2019 - 12:12 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#409126"><em>In reply to warren:</em></a><em> it is not just about rounded corners, generally there is also a lack of depth, shadows, contrast, highlighting of controls as such etc etc.</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>Basically all the things Apple and Google already got going in their mobile OS after the first switch to super flat UIs there.</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>And sure i can change all that in windows myself, but why should i? the ui should come functional, intuitive and pleasing to look at out of the box</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

      • skane2600

        05 March, 2019 - 1:51 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409126">In reply to warren:</a></em></blockquote><p>Perhaps "professional" should be in quotes.</p>

  • codymesh

    05 March, 2019 - 7:15 am

    <p>Looks…like a web browser. But for the love of god, I hope they make the extensions store independent of the Microsoft Store. It's impossible to find a directory of Edge extensions in the Microsoft store.</p>

    • dontbe evil

      05 March, 2019 - 9:08 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409078">In reply to codymesh:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>you're welcome:</p><p><img src="https://imgur.com/oWgYqtk.jpg"></p&gt;

      • Stooks

        05 March, 2019 - 9:31 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409105">In reply to dontbe_evil:</a></em></blockquote><p>Lol!!!!!</p>

      • aemond

        05 March, 2019 - 9:50 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409105">In reply to dontbe_evil:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yet, this doesn't exist in most countries. That's the sad reality of Microsoft global efforts.</p><p>But looking at the article it seems they will add the store for extensions directly from within the browser.</p>

      • codymesh

        05 March, 2019 - 4:09 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409105">In reply to dontbe_evil:</a></em></blockquote><p>I have never seen that, ever. This is how my store looks like:</p><p><br></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RYvGuit.png"></p><p><br></p&gt;

      • lethalleigh

        05 March, 2019 - 8:08 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409105">In reply to dontbe_evil:</a></em></blockquote><p>I don't have the Books or Edge Extensions showing in my Store App Version 11811.1001.18.0</p>

        • michael_jones

          05 March, 2019 - 8:47 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#409318">In reply to lethalleigh:</a></em></blockquote><p>I have the same version number, and they both show here. </p>

          • lethalleigh

            06 March, 2019 - 8:46 am

            <blockquote><em><a href="#409335">In reply to Michael_Jones:</a></em></blockquote><p>I'm in Australia so it may be a regional issue.</p>

      • fbman

        05 March, 2019 - 11:52 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409105">In reply to dontbe_evil:</a></em></blockquote><p>That tab does not exist in most countries.</p><p><br></p><p>For me in South Africa, we only have the Home, apps and games tabs in our app store.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • Tony Barrett

    05 March, 2019 - 7:55 am

    <p>Really. Edge-ium is 'much awaited'? Never heard that one before. It's a browser. It will be called Edge. It's boring. Still nobody will use it.</p>

    • Stooks

      05 March, 2019 - 9:30 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409084">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>It is in my case and our company's case. We use Chrome because it has the most support with our web based applications from vendors. We HATE using Chrome because of Google. The GPO support is weak at at best and a after thought by Google.</p><p><br></p><p>This is a day one switch for good for me. My company will switch ASAP after testing and such. </p>

    • warren

      05 March, 2019 - 10:00 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409084">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Chromium engine with proper Group Policy support and no third-party updating tools will be popular with IT administrators. </p>

      • skane2600

        05 March, 2019 - 1:45 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409122">In reply to warren:</a></em></blockquote><p>Maybe, maybe not. What prevents them from using Edge now? </p>

    • skane2600

      05 March, 2019 - 1:47 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409084">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>Lots of downvotes. I think sometimes tech enthusiasts confuse their own POV with ordinary users who don't know or care about what tech is used under the covers. </p>

  • hometoy

    05 March, 2019 - 7:55 am

    <p>I guess it's a start. Hopefully they will be able to add some of the good features of Edge quickly so it doesn't push people away and to Google more than it already has.</p>

  • locust infested orchard inc

    05 March, 2019 - 8:07 am

    <p>At long last the savior shall soon be upon us, saving us from the devious nature of Chrime, and the peace-living netizens can continue to surf using Edge with a Chromium twist, ensuring our data remains solely in our hands.</p>

    • bleached

      05 March, 2019 - 1:08 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409088">In reply to locust infested orchard inc:</a></em></blockquote><p>Sorry, this won't help you. If you are surfing the web, your data is is being collected. Best not use the internet at all if your data is that sacred.</p>

  • rm

    05 March, 2019 - 8:25 am

    <p>It will be interesting to see where Microsoft goes with extensions. Edge on Android does not have extensions yet, but now it should be able to use both the original Edge extensions and the Chrome extensions. Will there need to be versions of at least some extensions written for Edge specifically (due to API's), or long term will only Chrome extensions be needed?</p>

    • Stooks

      05 March, 2019 - 9:33 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409090">In reply to RM:</a></em></blockquote><p>Edge on iOS or Android is just using the default browser on the OS. It is essentially a skin over Chrome on Android and Safari on iOS. A skin with the ability to hook to your Microsoft account.</p><p><br></p><p>Chrome on Android does not allow extensions. I think they do this so no one installs ad blocking. </p>

      • ubelhorj

        Premium Member
        05 March, 2019 - 10:23 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409114">In reply to Stooks:</a></em></blockquote><p>This is why I don't use mobile Chrome. Mobile ads are an advanced form of cancer.</p>

        • lethalleigh

          05 March, 2019 - 8:02 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#409138">In reply to UbelhorJ:</a></em></blockquote><p>How do websites survive then?</p><p><br></p><p>I can assure you that ads on Android Chrome are very reasonable, at least on the sites I visit. Much better experience than even six months ago. I assume it's the Google Fair Ads rules at play.</p>

    • MikeCerm

      05 March, 2019 - 9:34 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409090">In reply to RM:</a></em></blockquote><p>I doubt you will see extensions come to the Android app. Chrome does not support extensions on mobile, and none of the Chromium derivatives (Opera, Brave, Etc.) support extensions either, which makes me think it's something architectural, or the overhead just isn't worth it on mobile when, for the most part, all anyone wants is an ad blocker, which these other browsers include by default.</p>

  • will

    Premium Member
    05 March, 2019 - 11:02 am

    <p>I predict this will come to macOS when it launches later this year. A single app, that will sync all of your web data with Microsoft and you can sign in to Mac, Windows, or Android and have everything.</p>

  • pepesilvia

    05 March, 2019 - 11:24 am

    <p>Looks similar to the current Edge to me – am I missing something?</p>

    • pepesilvia

      05 March, 2019 - 11:29 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409171">In reply to pepesilvia:</a></em></blockquote><p>Maybe I'm having a Mary Jo style UI-blindness haha :D</p>

      • crfonseca

        Premium Member
        06 March, 2019 - 11:04 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#409173">In reply to pepesilvia:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think the first image *is* Edge, it's just the second that's Anaheim.</p>

  • glenn8878

    05 March, 2019 - 11:50 am

    <p>Not sure which is more evil. </p>

    • Greg Green

      05 March, 2019 - 5:02 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#409178">In reply to glenn8878:</a></em></blockquote><p>One company doesn’t care about consumers’ privacy, the other company doesn’t care about consumers.</p>

      • sharpsone

        06 March, 2019 - 11:01 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#409283"><em>In reply to Greg Green:</em></a><em>thought all tech companies could care less about privacy and consumers. Their feelings end for us after they sink teeth into our wallets. </em></blockquote>

  • nolanm5150

    Premium Member
    05 March, 2019 - 1:56 pm

    <p>Edge..Zzzzzz</p>

  • ramseyd

    06 March, 2019 - 7:29 am

    <p>Give us back the ability to easily organize bookmarks please.</p>

  • sharpsone

    06 March, 2019 - 10:59 pm

    <p>Sign me up, I don't Chrome due to the dev behind it so I'll be happy to use their hard work under Microsofts badge. </p>

  • rayhanhosen74

    08 March, 2019 - 6:49 am

    <p>Thanks for this <a href="https://usonlinetv.com/&quot; target="_blank">Info</a>:</p>

  • chaoticbastian

    08 March, 2019 - 2:40 pm

    <p>Glad to see it coming. Now I would switch to edge with chrome instead of chrome in an instant just because I know it's going to be better on windows over time then chrome is</p>

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