How to enable Microsoft Edge Windows 11 visual updates

Microsoft Edge gets new IU changes to better integrate the experience with Windows 11, and here's how to enable the new elements.

Microsoft Edge Windows 11 visual updates
Microsoft Edge Windows 11 visual updates

On Microsoft Edge 93, you can enable the “Windows 11 Visual Updates” flag to try out the new visual improvements that Microsoft plans to introduce to align the browser’s design experience with Windows 11. The new visual updates include new transparency for context and all the other menus and around the browser frame, more specifically in the tab area.

The new visuals use Mica, a new opaque material that surfaces are subtly tinted with the user’s desktop background color. The element also indicates window focus with active and inactive states.

The new visual changes work for Microsoft Edge with the light and dark mode, but they are only available on Microsoft Edge version 93 and higher for Windows 11.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to enable the Windows 11 visual updates for Microsoft Edge. (See also the video tutorial outlining the steps and demonstrating the new changes.)

Enable Windows 11 visual updates for Microsoft Ege

To enable the new Edge visual updates for Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Microsoft Edge (Canary).

  2. Type the following path in the address bar to open the flags experimental settings in the new feature location:

    edge://flags/#edge-pc-ui-integration
  3. Use the “Enable Windows 11 Visual Updates” drop-down menu on the right and select the Enabled option.

    Enable Windows 11 visual updates
    Enable Windows 11 visual updates
  4. Click the Restart button.

Once you complete the steps, the new menus with semi-transparent elements will appear for the menus and the tab area. The new visuals are still not available for vertical tabs.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.