Microsoft’s Edge browser has faced way too much ridicule online. However, Microsoft has spent time over the years to incorporate features that will make the browser handier and more user-friendly. Speed might not be its biggest strength, but it has some well-thought out and clever features your favourite browser probably doesn’t have. It is the default browser that comes with most laptops, so you might as well learn to make the best of it.

 

 

To make things even better you can now get the Microsoft Edge browser on your Mac systems. Microsoft has officially made the preview version available for download. The browser is now available for the macOS 10.12 and above.

 

1. EPUB reader

The Edge browser will now let you turn it into an ePub reader without any hassles. You can open any DRM-free ePub files. The browser supports tools that heighten user’s reading experience like letting you adjust fonts and changing spacing and themes.

 

It also lets you enable the parts of the speech option. This tool will highlight them for you and help you get a better hang of the English Language. It also keeps an archive of your reading progress in case you mistakenly close the browser or it crashes.

 

2. Read aloud feature

Looks like the Edge browser favours reading. It is great for a book reader, especially with the read-aloud feature. This feature essentially means that your browser reads the content of any PDF file, article, eBook or page to you out loud.

 

You can access this feature easily by right-clicking on the page and selecting Read Aloud. It’s that easy. The best part is that you can customise the voice and speed to suit your hearing needs.

 

 

3. Share wirelessly

The browser has a built-in sharing feature that helps you easily transfer contents from your browser to another device quickly. It lets you do this without even leaving the page you are viewing. It works like the social-sharing button but with an ability to customise and more controls.

 

The wireless share feature is very simple and efficient. You can either do a wireless share using Wi-Fi or use your OneNote or Mail app. You can simply set this up by accessing the Share icon in the taskbar. However, you will first need to go to your Settings > System > Shared experience to configure the Nearby Sharing option.

 

4. Silence tabs

You can use the Edge browser to silence distracting auto-play videos. All these sites that have autoplay videos embedded can be very annoying especially when you are listening to something very important or having a Skype conversation while surfing the net.

 

You can mute individual tabs by right-clicking the offensive tab and selecting the Mute tab. It will inherently silence the guilty site.

 

5. Private mode extensions

Users can use add-ons when browsing in the InPrivate Mode of the Edge browser. This is like the incognito mode on the Safari browser. However, it is important to know that the browser has no control over how the extensions collect data so you may want to be careful when activating this feature. You can enable the Allow for InPrivate browsing in the extension’s settings to use the feature.

 

 

6. Easy printing

The clutter-free printing option lets users print web pages without ads. It helps you save money, paper and, ultimately, the environment. The feature can also be adapted to the print to PDF option.

 

7. Easy phone-to-computer transfer

This Continue on PC feature lets you quickly share web pages from your phone to your PC. The only buzz about this feature is that you will need to download and install the Microsoft Launcher app on your iPhone or Android device first. It is an easy way to share web pages; it just requires a tap on the Share option on the phone browser. You can then select the continue on PC option.

 

8. Easy form entries

Edge now lets users save and manage debit and credit card information. It also lets you save the information already input in other online forms filled. To access this feature, go to Advanced settings. Then go to Autofill Settings, Save Cards, and then Manage Cards. You can now add the card number, name and expiry date. As a security measure though, the CVV code is exempted, and you will need to input that when making a transaction.