Microsoft has released Edge 144 to all users in the Stable Channel. The latest feature update for the browser brings a big list of changes, including some useful improvements, such as an easier way to remove Copilot from the browser"s taskbar (you can just right-click the Copilot button to hide it), settings updates, improved autofill, and more.
Here are the update highlights:
- New WebGL software backend. Microsoft Edge, on Windows systems without a physical GPU, now uses the Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP) rasterizer for WebGL workloads. Prior versions use SwiftShader, which is no longer a supported component. This scenario is most commonly associated with headless environments and virtual machines. On non-Windows platforms, a physical GPU is required for WebGL moving forward.
- Announcement page on update experience. Starting in Edge 145, Edge for Business shows a "What"s New" page the first time the browser is launched following a major update. The page helps your users understand new features and how to use them for maximum productivity. Admins can control availability to this feature using the WhatsNewPageForEntraProfilesEnabled policy.
- Performance settings update and feature name changes. The efficiency mode feature name changes to energy saver, and the efficiency mode for PC gaming name will be renamed PC gaming boost to better describe the feature benefits. The new names will be in the browser performance settings after the update.
- Copilot icon visibility. Users can now manage the Copilot icon in their toolbar. To hide the icon, right-click the Copilot icon and select “Hide Copilot”. This opens Settings to toggle the icon’s visibility.
- Improved Autofill experience in Microsoft Edge. When users fill in an Address on a form, they"ll be prompted to choose whether to save it for future Autofill suggestions. This enhancement ensures Autofill data is saved intentionally by users and reduces unwanted entries as part of their Autofill suggestions.
- Desktop Visual Search. Quickly send images to Bing Visual Search from the Edge Desktop Search Bar to identify images, people, animals, and shows; extract, copy, and translate text while keeping its format. Solve questions quickly in various subjects and get trusted information to boost your knowledge. Discover products, fashion, recipes, identify a location and more. Available on Windows devices.
As for fixes, Edge 144.0.3719.82 includes security fixes for various vulnerabilities and a fix for a browser crash that occurred when attempting to upload a file from a local folder.
You can update Microsoft Edge to the latest version by heading to edge://settings/help. Alternatively, you can continue using the browser as is, and it will update itself in the background between restarts.