Microsoft has rolled out two innovative features in beta testing as of June 2025: an AI-powered “enhanced search” for browsing history and a media control center designed to streamline audio and video playback.

These additions, unveiled in early June, aim to address user pain points and elevate Edge’s appeal in a fiercely competitive browser market where Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and even Opera hold commanding leads.

Against this backdrop, many see this as more than a mere feature update—it’s a calculated effort by Microsoft to reverse Edge’s fortunes after years of struggling to gain traction, a challenge rooted in the long shadow cast by its failed predecessor, Internet Explorer.

The Enhanced Features

The enhanced search feature marks a significant leap forward in how users interact with their browsing history. Unveiled in beta versions of Edge last week, it allows users to locate previously visited websites using natural language queries, even if those queries include phrases, synonyms, or typographical errors.

A user searching for a site about “artificial intelligence” might find it by typing “machine learning” or even “artifical inteligance.” This flexibility is powered by an on-device AI model that processes browsing history locally, ensuring that sensitive data never leaves the user’s device or reaches Microsoft’s servers.

Microsoft sidesteps the privacy pitfalls that plagued its controversial Recall feature for Copilot Plus PCs, which captures screenshots of nearly everything a user does to enable searchable content across apps, documents, and websites, by confining data processing to the device. The enhanced search, by contrast, is narrowly focused on browsing history, offering a less invasive approach that aligns with growing user demand for privacy-conscious technology.

The feature’s technical underpinnings are equally compelling. Leveraging natural language processing, the AI interprets queries by recognizing semantic relationships and correcting common misspellings, making it intuitive for users of all technical proficiencies. It’s an opt-in feature, requiring users to enable it manually, a nod to Microsoft’s awareness of privacy concerns following the Recall backlash.

The on-device model is designed to handle large browsing histories efficiently, indexing data locally to deliver rapid responses even on devices with modest processing power. For users, this translates to a seamless experience: no more scrolling through endless history logs or struggling to recall exact URLs. It’s a small but meaningful improvement that could make Edge a more attractive option for those frustrated by the limitations of traditional browser history tools.

Complementing the AI-driven search is Edge’s new media control center, a feature tailored to the growing number of users who rely on browsers for media consumption. Whether streaming music on Spotify, watching videos on YouTube or catching up on podcasts, users can now manage all active media streams from a single, centralized interface.

No longer must they hunt through multiple tabs to pause a video or adjust the volume of a song. The control center also enhances Edge’s picture-in-picture mode, allowing users to watch videos in a floating window while multitasking. This mode, now equipped with intuitive controls for resizing and repositioning, makes it easier to keep a video in view while browsing or working.

The feature supports a wide range of media sources, ensuring compatibility with popular streaming platforms and web-based players. For media-heavy users, it’s a polished addition that streamlines the browsing experience and positions Edge as a viable alternative to competitors.

Edge At The Edge of Competition

These features arrive at a critical juncture for Microsoft, as Edge continues to languish in the shadow of its rivals. Despite its modern architecture and integration with Microsoft’s ecosystem, Edge commands just 4-5% of the global browser market, a far cry from Chrome’s dominant 65% share, and Firefox’s 7-8%, according to recent estimates from web analytics platforms.

The roots of Edge’s struggles trace back to its predecessor, Internet Explorer, a browser that once ruled the internet but ultimately became a cautionary tale of missed opportunities.

Launched in 1995 with Windows 95, Internet Explorer quickly rose to prominence, peaking at over 90% market share in the early 2000s. Its dominance was fueled by its tight integration with Windows, the world’s leading operating system at the time. But success bred complacency. By the mid-2000s, Internet Explorer was plagued by slow performance, frequent crashes, and poor support for emerging web standards like CSS3 and HTML5.

Security vulnerabilities made it a prime target for malware, eroding user trust and frustrating developers who struggled to build modern websites compatible with its quirks.

The arrival of Mozilla Firefox in 2004 and Google Chrome in 2008 marked a turning point. Firefox offered an open-source alternative with robust customization, while Chrome combined blazing speed with Google’s ecosystem, rapidly capturing market share. By the mid-2010s, Internet Explorer’s share had plummeted to below 20%, and its reputation as an outdated relic was cemented.

Microsoft responded in 2015 with Edge, a new browser built from scratch to replace Internet Explorer’s tarnished legacy. In 2020, the company doubled down, transitioning Edge to the Chromium engine—the same open-source platform powering Chrome—to improve performance and compatibility.

However, despite these efforts, Edge has failed to ignite widespread adoption. Microsoft officially retired Internet Explorer in June 2022, redirecting users to Edge, but the stigma of its predecessor seems to linger. Many users still view Microsoft browsers with skepticism, associating them with the sluggish, insecure days of Internet Explorer.

Microsoft’s broader AI strategy provides critical context for Edge’s latest push. The company has made AI a cornerstone of its product portfolio, investing billions to integrate it across its software and services.

While these initiatives underscore Microsoft’s leadership in enterprise AI, Edge operates in a different arena. The browser market is a battleground where user choice is shaped by habit, ecosystem loyalty, and perceptions of performance. Unlike Microsoft 365 or Azure, where Microsoft holds a strong position, Edge faces entrenched competitors with loyal user bases.