Microsoft is experimenting with a new Edge Canary feature that allows users to disable and download specific browser features separately, providing a more streamlined browsing experience.
Over the past year, Microsoft Edge has become notorious for the bloatware it has added. In response, Microsoft is now offering the ability to switch off optional browser features while retaining access to them through a separate download.
The first feature to be made optional is “Cite this,” a tool designed to help students manage and generate citations more effectively. When activated, Microsoft Edge automatically generates total and in-text citations in various styles, including MLA, Chicago, and APA 7.
The Optional Features page will display a list of all available optional features. Users can click on “Add” to download and enable any desired feature in the browser.
By adopting a modular approach, Microsoft aims to reduce Edge’s size and eliminate bloatware, offering users a faster and more customizable browsing experience.
Users have criticised Microsoft Edge for its bloatware. The bloatware came to the forefront when Microsoft added unnecessary features to Edge, the most controversial being the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) functionality.
When Edge 96 became widely available, and the general public started encountering the BNPL feature, complaints began pouring in. One user expressed their problem: “Microsoft added Buy Now Pay Later into Edge (and so Windows 10 and 11 base OS), known to be abused to harm people.” They urged others to keep speaking out about the issue.
As users continue to voice their concerns, Microsoft’s decision to make Edge more modular aims to resolve these bloatware issues and provide a better browsing experience.
