Microsoft Edge gets better support for web apps and PDFs
Microsoft has released version 94 of its Chromium-based Edge browser to the Dev channel, bringing new features for PWAs — browser apps that behave like native apps.
As noted by Neowin, this Dev channel release marks the first time Microsoft has put out a new build of Edge in line with Google’s shorter four-week update cycle.
The Edge preview build 94.0.992.1 is the last build for version 94 and brings support for the downloads pop-up in PWAs and websites that are installed as apps.
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If you’re like most people, you’re probably using Google Chrome as your default browser. It’s hard to fault Google’s record on security and patching but privacy is another matter for the online ad giant.
Edge users can also open local HTML or web files on iPhones and iPads, and there’s a new interface for WebView2 to launch the Browser Task Manager and listen for browser exits. WebView2 helps developers embed web HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code in native apps, and is part of Microsoft’s effort to unify Win32 and UWP applications along with its WinUI 3 user interface framework.
Other updates in Edge 94 include a management policy to control the setting for Web RTC to adhere to the OS Routing Table when it is enabled. It also brings back URL suggestions to error pages that result from mis-typed web addresses.
Edge 94 also includes a number of fixes for annoying issues, including certain antivirus products preventing Edge from opening. Windows 10 automatically launches Edge, but users can stop this behaviour in Windows Settings.
It also includes a fix for Edge on Windows 11 where windows are sometimes blank or white, and where searching Settings causes the browser to go blank.
In Edge 94, users should find that Efficiency Mode actually works and spellcheck is enabled when it should be. Microsoft has also been dealing with problems around importing passwords from other browsers, as well as errors in Edge on Android and iOS, and login problems for certain websites.
Microsoft highlights an old Edge and YouTube bug that’s caused by enabling the Adblock extension in Edge, stopping the browser from paying YouTube content.
“Users of certain ad blocking extensions may experience playback errors on Youtube. As a workaround, temporarily disabling the extension should allow playback to proceed,” Microsoft notes.
Microsoft is also advising Kaspersky antivirus users to update their software if they can’t access Gmail through Edge.
“Users of the Kaspersky Internet Suite who have the associated extension installed may sometimes see webpages like Gmail fail to load. This failure is due to the main Kaspersky software being out of date, and is thus fixed by making sure the latest version is installed.”
According to Windows Latest, Microsoft Edge version 94 is also gaining the ability for users to add text to PDF documents opened in the browser. This feature obviates the need to install PDF software like Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Besides a few patches, version 94 is basically done and users can expect it to arrive in the Beta channel soon.
Article source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-edge-gets-better-support-for-web-apps-and-pdfs/#ftag=RSSbaffb68