New Features in Microsoft Edge and How to Use Them

Microsoft Edge does add new features quietly, so the fastest way to see what’s new is to check the browser itself, then turn on only the parts you’ll actually use. The most useful recent additions for everyday browsing are Copilot, tab management tools, and a few security and privacy controls. If a feature you saw in an article or screenshot isn’t showing up yet, that usually means Edge needs an update, the rollout hasn’t reached your account, or the feature is under a different profile or settings area than you expected.

Before you start

• Edge is already open on the Windows PC you want to check.
• You can restart Edge if it finishes an update.
• You know which profile you normally use, if you have more than one.
• You’re willing to use Settings search instead of clicking through every menu.

These checks keep you from chasing a feature that’s simply in the wrong profile or still rolling out.

What’s new in Edge right now

The features most people notice first fall into three buckets: AI help, tab tools, and safety controls.

Copilot is the most visible change. In Edge, it can sit in the sidebar and help summarize a page, answer questions about what you’re reading, or draft text without leaving the browser. It’s useful if you read a lot of articles, compare products, or want a quick summary before deciding whether to keep scrolling.

Tab tools are the other features worth watching. Edge keeps adding ways to organize tabs, recover tabs you closed by mistake, and reduce the mess when you’re juggling work, shopping, and personal browsing. If you regularly end up with too many tabs, these features tend to matter more than flashy extras.

On the security side, Edge often ships new protections or makes existing ones easier to turn on. These can include stronger tracking protection, safer browsing controls, and password checks. For everyday use, these are the quiet features that pay off because you do not have to think about them after setup.

A good rule: if a feature helps you read faster, organize tabs better, or block something annoying or risky, it’s probably worth a look. If it only changes the look of the browser, you can usually skip it unless you like experimenting.

How to check which version of Edge you have

Start here, because a feature can only show up if your Edge version is new enough.

1. Open Edge and select the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
2. Choose Help and feedback, then About Microsoft Edge.
3. Wait for the version page to check for updates. If Edge finds one, it usually downloads it automatically.
4. Restart the browser if you’re prompted to do so.

Menu > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge

If you want to compare what you see with a feature announcement or screenshot, this page is the quickest place to confirm whether your browser is current. If Edge is already updated, the page usually shows that status directly. If not, you’ll see it start downloading the newer build.

You can also use this path if a feature seems close but not quite right. Many Edge updates land gradually, so being on a current version does not always mean every new switch appears immediately.

How to turn on the features you actually want

Most useful features live in Edge Settings, and you usually do not need to hunt through every menu to find them. Start with the Sidebar for Copilot and the main Settings page for tab and privacy options.

1. Open Edge and select the three-dot menu.
2. Choose Settings.
3. Use the search box at the top of Settings to look for the feature name, such as Copilot, sidebar, tabs, tracking prevention, or security.
4. Open the matching settings page and switch the feature on or off.
5. If the feature is tied to the sidebar, open the sidebar button on the right edge of the browser and pin or unpin the tool you want.

Menu > Settings

For Copilot, the quickest path is usually to check the sidebar and the related AI or assistant settings. If it’s available in your build, you can turn the sidebar item on so it stays easy to reach. That makes it faster to summarize a page or ask about something you’re reading.

For tab features, look under Settings > Appearance, Tabs, or System and performance, depending on the option you’re trying to change. Edge moves some tab-related controls around over time, so the search box is often faster than browsing by category.

For security and privacy, check Privacy, search, and services and Security. That’s where you’ll usually find tracking prevention, safer browsing, and password-related options. These are good candidates to turn on early because they work in the background once configured.

What to do if a new feature is missing

If a feature from an article or screenshot isn’t visible, the usual causes are straightforward.

• Edge needs another update.
• The feature is rolling out gradually and hasn’t reached your browser yet.
• You’re signed into a different profile that doesn’t have the feature enabled.
• The option lives behind a settings search term you didn’t try yet.
• The feature is only available on certain platforms or in certain regions.

Start with the basics: confirm you’re on the latest version, then restart Edge completely. If you use more than one profile, switch to the one you normally browse with and check again. Some features are tied to a specific account profile, not just the browser itself.

If you still do not see it, search Settings for related terms instead of the exact label from the article. Microsoft sometimes changes the name or location of a setting between builds. For example, a feature mentioned as part of the sidebar might show up under a more general Appearance or Copilot section in your version.

If the feature still does not appear after that, it may simply not have reached your install yet. In that case, there’s nothing to fix on your side; you just need to wait for the staged rollout to catch up.

Which new Edge features are worth keeping on

For most people, the features worth leaving on are the ones that save time without asking for attention.

Copilot is the best fit if you read a lot of web pages, compare information, or want help summarizing long pages.

Tab tools are the best fit if your browser tends to fill up quickly and you want a cleaner way to keep work, research, and personal browsing separated.

Tracking prevention and other privacy controls are the best fit if you want fewer trackers following you around the web without managing it site by site.

Security checks and password-related protections are the best fit if you want Edge to warn you about risky sites or weak credentials before they become a problem.

If you only turn on a few things, start with one AI feature, one tab feature, and one security feature. That gives you a browser that feels more useful right away without making the interface crowded. If a new toggle looks interesting but you never use it after a week, turn it back off and keep the browser simple.

How you know it worked

You know the setup worked when Edge shows the version you just checked, the feature appears in Settings search, and the toggle stays in the on or off position you chose.

For Copilot, you should see the sidebar item or related assistant controls where Edge puts them in your build.

For tab tools, the change should show up under the tab-related settings you searched for, or in the browser behavior you were trying to improve.

For security and privacy, the setting should stay enabled in Privacy, search, and services or Security, and Edge should use it in the background without further work from you.

If you can find the feature without digging through menus and it behaves the way you expected, you’re done.

Conclusion

If you want the shortest path to a better Edge setup, check your version first, then search Settings for Copilot, tabs, privacy, and security. Turn on only the features that solve a real annoyance for you. If something you expected is missing, treat that as a version or rollout issue before you spend time digging through menus. The browser changes often, but the useful parts are usually easy to spot once you know where they live.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Edge show a feature in a screenshot but not on my PC?

Most often, the browser needs an update or the feature is still rolling out gradually. It can also be tied to a different profile or a different settings section than the one you checked.

Where is Copilot in Edge?

If it’s available in your build, Copilot usually appears in the sidebar on the right side of the browser and may also have related settings under Edge Settings.

How do I find a setting without clicking through every menu?

Open Edge Settings and use the search box at the top. Searching for the feature name is usually faster than browsing category by category.