I had an interesting question from a reader: “What is the difference between Internet Explorer and Edge and why did MS even create Edge?”
That’s a big question. There are a lot of difference between the browsers. Let me see if I can break it down into what I consider the basic difference.
1. Edge is considered to be a more modern browser with a cleaner look. It has a similar look to Chrome & Firefox. Edge is designed to work with the most current web standards like HTML 5.
2. It’s designed for a cross-platform experience. The look of Edge on a Windows phone or tablet will be similar to the interface of the browser version.
3. It will be able to run extensions. Extensions are smaller programs that run inside browsers.
4. Edge is faster to load because it uses a different rendering engine.
5. It offers features like Web Note and Reading View.
6. It’s safer than Internet Explorer. Support for Active X plug-ins has been removed and there is better overall security to prevent attacks.
7. Edge in only available in Windows 10.
That certainly doesn’t cover all the differences. Why didn’t they just update IE and call this browser Internet Explorer 12? Microsoft wanted to make clear that this was a new browser and also to avoid any confusion with IE 11, which is still in use because many business programs require some of the features of this browser.
I didn’t like Edge, because it still doesn’t support my favourite password manager, Dashlane, but now I’m getting used to it.
I am using Edge and like it but yesterday It got a virus tells me to enter my email and password to get assistance from Microsoft help desk. I know this is a scam but cant get out of it ran malwarebyts and super anti professional cant find virus. Can you help.
Hey Cynthia, As I am relatively new to W10, reluctantly do I join the debate. Coming straight from Vista, it appears Edge IS the MS browser, and this relegates IE11 and Bing to ‘Search Engines’ either available on request, but Cortana and Edge Task Bar are always there so to me it is still Edge. Thanks to you for all the ‘Heads Up’ efforts, really improved my expectations except the Edge ‘Favorites Hub;’ ‘What were they THINKING’…?
You can switch IE to your default browser if you choose.
I have tried Edge a couple of times and it is herky-jerky. When I scroll down it doesn’t do it smoothly. That’s it.
I cannot print with my wireless printer in Edge. Therefore, I went back to Chrome or Internet Explorer.
I don’t like Edge because it doesn’t support java & I can’t play some of my favorite games
Edge does not seem stable at times. Doesn’t scroll seamlessly, but jumps back and forth. Chrome doesn’t act in same manner.
I do like Edge search algorithms.
I have tried EDGE and apart from one thing, it is not too bad.
The problem I have is loading a PDF file from my Internet Banking site. I have tried everything they have suggested but no go. All I get is “Blank Page” and “Cannot load page”.
I have reverted to IE but this doesn’t load my main banking profile.
The only success since going W10 is to use Safari.
I tried Edge and find it confusing also it does not accept “Silverlight” which some websites use. Firefox recently also quit supporting Silverlight. I mostly use Chrome but no Silverlight there either so I switch to IE for those websites. Annoying.
I use EDGE on my Surface 2 Pro…I is GREAT!
Have it on my Laptop(Toshiba) I import Favorites from IE 11, I have been all over the net. NOTHING WORKS. Can you help?
Dan Callison
3/28/2017
Don’t like it. Doesn’t hold a candle to Vivaldi or I.E.
I’m using WIN 10 and wondered why I can’t drag and drop URLs to my desktop in Edge to make Shortcuts like I can in IE11.
I don’t like it, it’s a piece of crap. I use firefox which is better and I use IE when I have time to work with it. But hey what do I know i’m still PO’ed because the greedy jerks at micro soft stopped XP and forced me to buy this crappy windows 10 computer. I thought when programs were updated they got easier to use not harder, guess I was wrong big time.
Edge and Ie are both fine, but what kills me is all the ads. I know they are needed to keep the browser experience free. But they need to get the darn things to load faster!!!
In Edge, I despise seeing all the ads, especially the moving ones that are irritating. Norton Security is my anti-virus program with its useful features, but Edge is not compatible with Norton, so I stay away from it and use Chrome as my default browser but also use IE at times.
As we’ve all seen, just because something is new doesn’t mean it is better. I do not use Edge………I’m sticking to IE because that has always worked for me.
I have not been using Edge because it won’t let me set up Yahoo as my home page 🙁
Mac, you can certainly create your Yahoo homepage in Edge by following the instructions seen in the following video:
I tried Edge several times when it came out but thankfully Norton asked me if I’d like kill that browser? YES! Edge was not compatible with banking, credit card, nor my jobs’ secure website. Enough of that aggravation; IE works seamlessly with all the sites I’ve mentioned.
Edge needs to be pushed over the edge to crash and burn at the bottom of a TALL cliff.
I use Chrome and my main browser, but, I love Edge for one major reason. When used I can type, paint and markup ANYTHING displayed on the screen and send it off to anyone. I cannot do that with other browsers.
I would use Edge primarily if it worked well with Roboform, my password manager.
I have used Edge since changing to win 10. I think it is a good browser. However, I have a slight problem of loading Outlook.com email. Sometimes it loads slow. Also Edge loads slow sometimes. I have removed everything possible that loads at boot and still same condition. All security programs, mbam, etc with Paid Avira shows clean. Used CCleaner aslo.
Most of the normal computer functions not using the Edge is very fast.
One last item. It looses the webpage and locks up occasionally. Either wait or do a manual reboot. Could I be wrong in my thinking that it is all caused by the browser?
When you compare browsers you find that Edge is a bad knock-off of Chrome. And, considering that Chrome is an idiot’s (i.e., dumbed down) version of Internet Explorer (or even Netscape Navigator — and that tells you how long I’ve been around), it’s pretty obvious that the “modern” claim of things being updated to “protect me from myself” is bogus to the max!!!
All of my dislikes of Edge have been said, and/or repeated, in the many comments above. My biggest gripe in the instability of the view screens as you search for documents or folders.