Shortly after Microsoft released Windows 10 in 2015, the company added its own new browser to the operating system, which was intended to coexist alongside Internet Explorer and eventually replace it as the de facto browser for Windows. That replacement plan never came to fruition and now that browser, referred to as Microsoft Edge Legacy, has been replaced by the new Microsoft Edge browser based on Chromium.
This month, Microsoft reminded customers of its sundown plans for Microsoft Edge Legacy.
The official end-of-support date for Microsoft Edge Legacy is March 9, which coincides with the monthly Patch Tuesday update for that month. The browser will receive its final set of updates on that date, but after those are installed, the old version of Microsoft Edge Legacy will no longer receive routine or security-related updates.
On April 13, also a scheduled Patch Tuesday, the new Microsoft Edge will be installed as part of that month’s cumulative updates. When this patch is applied to an organization’s devices, Microsoft Edge Legacy will be removed from those machines and the new Microsoft Edge will be installed. The new Edge will not replace the default browser on those systems, although it can be set as the default once it is installed.
This change does not impact Windows 7 (which is still under Extended Security Update, or ESU, support) and Windows 8.x (its extended lifecycle support ends January 2023) since Microsoft Edge Legacy was never released for those operating systems.
These are the Windows 10 versions impacted by this update:
- Version 1803
- Version 1809
- Version 1903
- Version 1909
- Version 2004
- Version 20H2
If an organization has already migrated to the new Microsoft Edge, no changes will be made to those systems when the March Patch Tuesday updates are installed.
The Chromium-based browser recently passed its first full year of availability, and enhancements added over that first year make it a viable option for enterprise users.
Microsoft supports three testing channels under its Microsoft Edge Insider Program, which enables organizations to test the browser at its various development stages.
And Microsoft has robust documentation covering everything needed for deploying the browser across a company.
