

It can also perform mathematical equations for you. Type something into Apple’s browser and you get not only search suggestions, but links to your iCloud tabs on other devices, and matching results in your bookmarks and history. Mercifully, you can disable this by clicking the Microsoft Edge menu, then unticking “Warn Before Quitting.”Īs well as that, we still prefer Safari’s URL bar. It’s a little jarring as it breaks with the way you expect apps to work on a Mac, and can also result in you accidentally quitting other apps if you hold the key combination a little too long. On Chromium-based browsers (including Edge), you must hold Cmd+Q.
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To quit most Mac apps, you just press Cmd+Q. The button to close a tab is on the right of each tab, for example, whereas in most other Mac apps the close button is on the left. Edge uses Favorites and Chrome uses Bookmarks, but your settings in both apps are contained in a new tab rather than a pop-out menu.Īs its based on Chromium, Edge does things a little differently to what some Mac users may be used to. The layout is almost identical, with a few minor differences in the iconography here and the rounded corners there. If you’ve used Chrome before, Edge will feel instantly familiar. What’s it like to use? Compared to Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge looks very similar Edge doesn’t offer these features yet, but its plain-and-simple approach to managing your privacy is sure to win over many in the normally wary Mac crowd. It can obfuscate your online fingerprint, for example, and can suggest strong passwords when you create new accounts. That said, Safari has some excellent built-in features that operate automatically. Edge gives you far more control over what privacy settings you can change - Safari only lets you alter three privacy settings in its preferences. Surprisingly, Edge and Safari actually trade blows pretty much equally here. It’s one thing to beat Chrome in the privacy stakes, but Microsoft has its work cut out if it’s going to convince Mac users to switch away from Safari. While the other privacy settings are limited to simple text explainers and sliding dials, nothing is hidden or obscured.īut what about Safari? Apple’s own browser is the default on Macs, and the company has already taken a strong stance on privacy. Here you can choose between Basic, Balanced and Strict options, and each one lays out exactly what you get with each choice. Click “Privacy and Services” in the left-hand column and you’re presented with the “Tracking prevention” section. We won’t comment on why that could be.Īs for the settings themselves, Edge scores more points with the straightforward way it presents them. “Privacy and Services” is right near the top of Edge’s list of settings in Chrome, your privacy settings are hidden behind an “Advanced” tab, making them much harder to find. It’s clear straight away that Microsoft has taken a radically different approach to Chrome here. Most of Edge’s privacy settings are stored within its preferences (click Microsoft Edge > Preferences in the top-left corner).
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So, is this really a blow for Mac users’ dearly held privacy?Įdge scores more points with the straightforward way it presents its privacy options. Firefox developer Mozilla certainly wasn’t pleased when the news broke, claiming it would inch us closer to a monopolistic internet under Google’s stranglehold (much akin to Internet Explorer in the early 2000s), with your data standing to be the main victim. You might think that the prospect of Microsoft and Google joining forces would be a privacy and reliability nightmare to send Mac users running for the hills. Let’s take a deeper look at some of those privacy features. It’s clear Microsoft is trying very hard to get it right when it comes to an issue that’s incredibly important to Mac users. Microsoft has even authored a privacy whitepaper, which you can read if you like. Each privacy and security feature has its own section with the opportunity for users to learn more. It’s a matter close to the hearts of many a Mac user. Microsoft then extols the virtues of Edge, but starts with privacy.


The first thing you see is a large banner announcing “Welcome to the new Microsoft Edge,” followed by the revealing phrase: “It’s time to expect more.” Privacy and security Edge’s privacy settings are clear and easy to follow This little-known feature is my favorite part of using a Mac and iPhone togetherĪ new iMac and 15-inch MacBook Air are almost ready to launchĥ features I’m itching to try in Microsoft’s ChatGPT-powered Edge Browser
