As the support for Microsoft Edge’s legacy version will come to an end on March 9, 2021, the company now reveals that the browser will be removed from Windows 10 with the April 2021 Patch Tuesday update.
According to the announcement, the cumulative update expected to arrive on April 13, 2021, will remove the legacy version of the browser from Windows 10 and replace it with the new version based on the Chromium project developed by Google.
Since this time around, Microsoft will strip out the application completely instead of hiding it. You will no longer be able to run the legacy version alongside the new Chromium version of Edge, nor will you be able to roll back the changes.
This new change will affect devices using Windows 10 version 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909, 2004, and 20H2. Microsoft will also be making other changes to your installation, depending on your configuration. For example, if you had the legacy browser as the default and pinned to the taskbar, then the new version will be set as the default browser, and it will replace the pin in the taskbar after applying the April update. If you have another browser as the default, then the settings won’t change.
If you have a kiosk machine using Microsoft Edge, you will need to read this page for recommendations on how to proceed with the new version.
Microsoft also says that the EdgeHTML rendering engine will continue to be supported, but it is recommended to start developing apps with WebView2.
If you want to switch immediately, you can download the latest version of Microsoft Edge from the official site. Once you launch the installer, the setup is straightforward since everything will be installed automatically. Then you will need to answer a few questions to set up the experience and connect your Microsoft account.
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 15 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 21 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. Email him at [email protected].