Microsoft Edge has been around for years, but users are still overlooking some nifty features beyond its web browsing capabilities. In 2026, the browser has several newer tools and clever built-in features that can help users organize research, manage tabs, share files, listen to content, and work more efficiently. Here are the Microsoft Edge features that can help turn everyday browsing into a smoother, more productive experience:
Copilot sidebar
Copilot’s sidebar integrates AI help directly into Microsoft Edge. Instead of opening another app or switching tabs, users ask questions, summarize web content, draft text, compare information, or transform rough ideas into clear starting points, all within the browser. Copilot can quickly condense long articles, compose polished emails from blank pages, and explain complex topics simply. It moves users seamlessly from reading to action, helping them maintain momentum.
Collections
Collections is a project folder for browser-based information, allowing users to save and organize web pages, notes, images, and research materials by topic. Teams across the business can leverage this feature to compile competitor pages, research, policy links, vendor details, and more. Collections groups this useful information, making it easier to revisit and preventing content from scattering across crowded tabs.
Text to speech
Text to speech in Edge, or Read aloud, reads web content out loud. It can make long articles, research pages, reports, and online documentation easier to review. Hearing content can also help users catch details they might miss while skimming, as well as give tired eyes a break during a busy day. What’s more, someone reviewing a lengthy page can listen while taking notes, checking a document, or preparing for a meeting.
Workspaces
Workspaces help users organize tabs by project, client, department, or task. Rather than mixing every open page into one crowded browser window, users can create a dedicated workspace for each area of work.
One workspace might hold accounting tools and reports. Another might contain client portals, shared files, and meeting notes. A separate one could support hiring or onboarding. Switching between these spaces makes it easier to pause one task and return to another without rebuilding the entire browsing setup.
Tab groups and vertical tabs
Tabs can quickly become messy, especially when users rely on several web apps throughout the day. Tab groups and vertical tabs make that clutter easier to manage.
Tab groups let users bundle related pages under a simple label, such as “Research,” “Invoices,” or “Client Review.” Vertical tabs move open tabs to the side of the browser, where longer page titles are easier to read. Together, these tools help users find the right page faster and spend less time hunting through a crowded tab bar.
Sleeping tabs
Sleeping tabs help Edge manage inactive pages more efficiently. When a tab has not been used for a while, Edge can put it into a resting state. Clicking the tab brings it back when needed.
That is useful for people who keep dashboards, documents, email, calendars, and research pages open at the same time. Sleeping tabs can help reduce the strain on system resources, which may lead to a smoother browsing experience during video calls, spreadsheet work, and other demanding tasks.
Drop
Drop lets users send files, links, images, and notes between devices through Edge. It is a cleaner alternative to emailing yourself a file or pasting reminders into a personal chat.
A user can find an article on a desktop and send it to a phone for later reading. A photo taken on a mobile device can be moved to a work computer. Quick notes and links can travel with the user, making it easier to shift between devices without losing track of small but important items.
Built-in Microsoft 365 access
Microsoft Edge works closely with Microsoft 365, giving users easier access to apps and files they rely on every day. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams are just a few clicks away. That connection can save time when employees need to open a recent file, jump into a web app, or continue work stored in the cloud.
These features merely scratch the surface of what Microsoft Edge and other Microsoft apps can do. If you want to learn other ways to get more from the tools you already use, contact our team today for practical tips and advice.