I used extensions on Edge for Android for one week, and I don’t know how I lived without them
Microsoft should have added extensions to Edge on Android years ago
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What you need to know
Microsoft started testing limited extension support in its Edge browser on Android recently. Last week, the company added a flag that lets you enable three extensions on the mobile browser. At first, the functionality was limited to Edge Canary, but you can now use extensions on Edge Dev on Android as well.
Only three extensions are available within Edge on Android right now: Dark Reader, uBlock Origin, and Global Speed. Those are three good extensions, but the selection is obviously limited.Firefox for Android gained support for over 450 extensionslate last year, so Microsoft has some catching up to do.
But even just those three extensions improve Edge quite a bit, and I think extensions could be the biggest update to Edge since it first launched on mobile devices.
AI isn’t the answer
I understand that AI is the hot button topic this year but adding a few AI features to Edge and changing its name isn’t going to save the browser. Many of the AI features in Edge aren’t even exclusive to Microsoft’s browser. While I don’t think AI will hurt Edge, I don’t think it will be what converts users from Chrome, Brave, Firefox, or Safari.
Extension support, on the other hand, could differentiate Edge from Chrome and some of the competition. There are other browsers out there that support extensions, such as Firefox and Samsung Internet, but Microsoft would be one of the biggest names to adopt extensions on its mobile browser.
I’ve used extensions on Edge Canary for just under one week and I find myself asking why Microsoft didn’t do this from the start.
If you hop over to the Microsoft Edge subreddit, you’ll see an interesting thread asking people’s thoughts on the mobile browser. Many of the top answers explain that syncing passwords across Edge desktop and Edge mobile is the primary reason they use Edge on mobile.
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Since I’m fully in the Microsoft ecosystem, Edge syncing passwords and data to anywhere I browse the web is useful, but does that matter to someone who uses Chrome on their desktop? Would a Safari user even know that syncing passwords was an option in Edge mobile? I doubt it.
“I use it only because my username and passwords are stored in Edge desktop, and it is the only browser that supports Microsoft account. Otherwise, I have no problem in using Chrome. I don’t use Chrome in Windows. I only use Edge. Hence, I use Edge in Android too,” saidReddit user Vinay_K_K.
That thread was from a year ago, so Edge has gained some features since then, but I think the general sentiment is the same. Edge mobile is a fine browser for those who already use Edge on the desktop, but it doesn’t stand out on its own.
What’s new in Edge Dev
While the option to enable extensions through a flag is the largest change in the latest version of Edge Dev, it’s not the only change. Microsoft outlined the change log in aTech Community post:
Added Features:
Improved Reliability:
Changed behavior:
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
