Microsoft Edge on Android is getting support for extensions. Here’s how it will work
Microsoft's Edge browser may bring extension functionality to its Android browser, giving it an advantage over Google Chrome. The Edge beta version with extensions support is expected to come to the beta channel in February and a stable release is likely by the end of March.
Microsoft Edge browser may now be looking to bring extension functionality to its Android browser, which could give it an upper hand against its main rival, Google Chrome. According to data from Similarweb, Google Chrome is the most widely used Android browser with around 58% market share, while Edge has a tiny share of the overall pie.
The extension feature was first spotted by Lance Adams on X (formerly Twitter), who is an expert at spotting changes coming to Microsoft Edge for Android, according to an XDA Developers report. Adams, who goes by the name 'Leopeva64' on X, pointed out that the extensions supported Microsoft Edge for Android is currently on the Canary build, where users can find a toggle for extensions behind the browser's flags. After configuring the settings, users will be able to download Chrome-based extensions to their browser, similar to the desktop version of the app.
Adams also noted that some extensions like uBlock Origign, Global Speed and Dark Reader are already showing up on the Edge Extensions Beta page.
A report from 9to5Google noted that while Google Chrome hasn't confirmed anything about extensions coming to its mobile browser, since Chrome and Edge are built on the same Chromium technology, any work Edge does in bringing extensions to mobile devices could go a long way in bringing the same options to Google. In addition, another Chromium-based browser, Kiwi, already allows users to download extensions on mobile, while bringing a similar interface as Chrome to mobile.
When will Edge with extensions be available to all users?
According to 9to5Google report, the extensions feature is currently in its early days and it is currently hidden behind a flag in Edge version 123. The Edge beta version with extensions support is likely to come to beta channel in February while a stable release is likely to come by the end of March at the earliest.
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Business NewsTechnologyNewsMicrosoft Edge on Android is getting support for extensions. Here’s how it will work
First Published:1 Feb 2024, 01:59 PM IST
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