Microsoft Edge’s latest feature is removing features

Microsoft Edge’s latest feature is removing features

Image: The Verge

The next version of Microsoft’s Edge web browser might end up with fewer features than before. The new Edge version 117, which is currently in beta and expected to turn stable on September 14th, according to Neowin and 9to5Google, has five features slated for removal. Those features include Math Solver, Picture Dictionary, Citations, Grammar Tools, and Kids Mode.

Microsoft previously mentioned the “deprecation” of these features in its last beta channel release notes on August 25th. The company said the reason is to “improve end user experience and simplify the More tools menu.”

Screenshot: Umar Shakir / The Verge

The More Tools menu on a stable release of Microsoft Edge.

As Microsoft tries to get more people using its Edge browser instead of the more popular Google Chrome browser, it has to find a way to differentiate itself. Sometimes, extra features just read as clutter; if you’ve never heard of the features listed above, they likely only further bloated the browser. For Microsoft, it’s probably looking to lighten the load in other areas around Edge, like tools for parents and academics, as it continues to sink in key AI features and shopping tools.