Microsoft is planning to kill the legacy version of its Edge browser based on the EdgeHTML rendering engine. Instead, the software giant will adopt Google’s open-source browser project Chromium. According to Microsoft, an April 13 security patch will remove the legacy Edge browser and replace it with a Chromium-based one.
The company also notes that the April 13 security update that’ll bring these changes to Edge is optional, Microsoft recommends that users should install the patch as it comes with important security updates. That said, the update won’t apply to users who’ve installed the latest version of Windows 10, as it comes pre-loaded with Chromium-based Edge.
“With support ending for Microsoft Edge Legacy on March 9, 2021, the out of support desktop application will be removed and replaced with the new Microsoft Edge when you apply April’s Windows 10 Update Tuesday release. This will become available on April 13, 2021. To avoid a disruption in service and continue using your kiosk scenarios, you will need to install the new Microsoft Edge and set up kiosk mode prior to applying April’s Windows 10 Update Tuesday release to your devices,” explained Microsoft.
Microsoft also added that some kiosk mode capabilities would go missing when organizations switch to the new browser. However, more improvements in this regard are set to go live with Microsoft Edge 90. Besides, the company also added that all kiosk mode options from Microsoft Edge legacy would be transitioned to the Chromium version, with the release of version 91. Microsoft Edge 91 is projected to release at the end of May.
