Microsoft's Chromium-Based Edge Browser is Ready for Mac and Windows

Microsoft's Edge browser is now available on Windows (7, 8, 8.1, and 10), macOS, iOS, and Android, and can be downloaded directly from Microsoft. The browser is based on Chromium, the open-source browser software that powers Google's Chrome browser.

Microsoft based the new Edge browser on the same codebase as Google Chrome, using the open-source Chromium browser. While a pre-Chromium Edge browser has been available as a beta for macOS since May of 2019, the Chromium-based Edge is the first such browser to work on all major operating systems, with the exception of Linux.

This new browser promises more privacy, security, and browser features than the original Edge and its predecessor Internet Explorer. With the new Defender SmartScreen feature, for example, users are better protected from phishing schemes, malware, and other attacks.

The new Edge also includes several new extensions. If you use the browser on Windows, you'll be able to stream Netflix in 4K Ultra HD, as well. Microsoft has also developed a new feature called Collections, which integrates with Microsoft 365 "to collect, organize, share, and export web content to Word or Excel."

While Google Chrome dominates the browser market with close to 70 percent of users, Microsoft Edge attracts plenty of fans for its built-in functionality. With Chromium support, Edge may chip into some of that market share.