Overview
Why Microsoft Edge is a powerful AI Browsers tool
Microsoft Edge is Microsoft's free, Chromium-based browser, and in 2026 it doubles as Microsoft's answer to the AI browser trend through a feature called Copilot Mode. Turn it on and Copilot can read across everything you have open — comparing options on a shopping trip, pulling key details out of several research tabs, or finding a page you had open last week — and act on it, up to completing simple multi-step tasks for you. It stays optional: individual features can be toggled, and Copilot Mode itself can be switched on or off.
Beyond Copilot Mode, Edge folds in Copilot Vision (share your screen and ask questions about what's on it), a voice mode for hands-free help, an AI shopping assistant that flags better prices and cashback offers, one-click AI tab cleanup, and generative tools for images and browser themes. It's built on Chromium, so most Chrome extensions work, and it syncs across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
Edge's biggest advantage over the rest of this category isn't a feature — it's distribution. It comes pre-installed on every Windows PC, so for a huge share of the world it's the AI browser they already have without downloading anything new.
