Microsoft started rolling out the Chromium-based Edge browser via an automatic Windows Update earlier this year. The update, which was tracked as ‘KB4559309’, replaced the old, EdgeHTML-based version as the default browser on the system. However, the company has now pulled the update following a slew of complaints that it slowed down system performance under certain conditions, especially affecting the startup time.
Thankfully, the problem is apparently not with the browser itself, which is why Microsoft has now replaced the troublesome update with a new piece of software, tracked as ‘KB4576754’, which also installs the new version of the browser on the system. In a support note published recently, the company said that the incoming update replaces three previously-released updates, including KB4541301, KB4541302 and KB4559309. Like the scrapped update, this one also installs automatically, but there’s doesn’t seem to be any serious complaints about this one yet.
In its release note, the company said that all Start Menu pins, as well as Taskbar pins and shortcuts from the current version, will migrate to the new version following the update. All data from earlier versions of Edge, including passwords, will also be available in the new version. Additionally, most protocols that Microsoft Edge handles will migrate to the new app.
The new Edge also comes with a plethora of new features, including improvements to Collections and Translations, support for Chrome themes, better download controls and more. Microsoft is also reportedly working on a so-called ‘Sleeping Tabs‘ feature to save memory and reduce CPU usage. Meanwhile, the new Edge browser is available on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, and Microsoft also plans to make it available on Linux before long. You can download Edge Chromium on supported devices from the official Microsoft website.
