How do I open edge and navigate to a website?

Click the Edge icon (a blue wave shape) in your taskbar or Start menu. In the address bar at the top of the window, click once to select it and type a web address (like cnn.com or google.com) or a search term. Press Enter. Edge will either go to the website directly or show you search results.

How do I open and manage tabs?

To open a new tab, click the "+" button at the top of the browser next to your current tabs, or press Ctrl + T on your keyboard. To close a tab, click the "×" on that tab or press Ctrl + W. You can have many tabs open at once — they will shrink in size as you add more. Right-click on any tab to see options like "Pin Tab" (keeps it always open) or "Mute Tab."

How do I save a favorite (bookmark)?

When you find a website you want to come back to, click the star icon on the right side of the address bar, or press Ctrl + D. A popup will ask you to name the favorite and choose where to save it — the "Favorites Bar" appears directly below the address bar for quick access. Click "Done" to save. To see all your saved favorites, click the three horizontal dots menu > Favorites, or press Ctrl + Shift + O.

How do I use collections to save and organize pages?

Click the Collections icon (it looks like a stack of papers with a "+" on it) on the right side of the toolbar. If you do not see it, click the three dots menu and choose "Collections." Click "New collection" and give it a name. While on any web page you want to save, click the Collections icon and then "Add current page." You can add notes to your saved items by typing in the text box that appears below each saved page.

How do I turn on reading mode?

When you are on a news article or blog post, look for the book icon at the right end of the address bar — it looks like an open book. Click it to switch to reading mode (also called "Immersive Reader"). The page will transform into a clean, distraction-free layout. Use the "Text Preferences" and "Grammar Tools" buttons at the top to adjust font size, line spacing, and background color to suit your comfort.

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Microsoft Edge is the web browser that comes pre-installed on all Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers. A browser is the program you use to visit websites — it is the software that makes internet browsing possible. Edge replaced the older Internet Explorer browser starting in 2020.

Many people switch to browsers like Chrome or Firefox by habit, but Edge has quietly become a very capable browser with some genuinely useful features that even Chrome does not offer. It also tends to use less battery power on laptops, which can be helpful when you are away from a power outlet.

Edge is built on the same technology as Chrome (called Chromium), which means most websites and extensions that work in Chrome also work in Edge. If you have been hesitant to try Edge, the main difference you will notice day to day is the interface — the buttons are in slightly different places, and it has a few unique features.

Collections is one of Edge's standout features. It is like a scrapbook where you can save web pages, images, and notes all together — organized by topic. For example, you could create a "Vacation Ideas" Collection and save pages from different travel sites into it, along with your own typed notes.

Reading mode is another useful feature that strips away all the ads, sidebars, and clutter from a web article and presents it as a clean, clear, readable page — almost like reading a book. You can also adjust the text size, font, and background color in reading mode, which can be more comfortable for your eyes.

Microsoft Edge Browser: A Beginner's Guide

Open Edge and navigate to a website

Open and manage tabs

Save a favorite (bookmark)

Use Collections to save and organize pages

Turn on reading mode

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