Even if you are a die-hard fan of Google Chrome or Firefox, you will eventually find that Microsoft Edge now excels in many features that have recently made it outshine other browsers, especially when it comes to increasing productivity and flexibility in work. But to give credit where credit is due, let us remember that a browser like Firefox is free and does not generate revenue from users, which may be the reason for its popularity and the desire of many users to rely on it. Additionally, Microsoft Edge was not the ideal choice when it was first launched, and we have discussed the features and drawbacks it had in the early days.
But since 2018, Microsoft has begun to focus more on its browser, working to improve and develop it. Over time, Microsoft Edge has made users feel like Microsoft wants them to give it a second chance. Now it is based on the same platform used by Google Chrome called Chromium, but each has its own way of working. Therefore, we decided to try it again to see what advantages it can offer us to help increase our productivity and understand its current form and nature of work. We found that it has some features that may make you also start relying on it and experience these advantages for yourselves. Most of them may be in Google Chrome, but it does not consume a large portion of RAM like Chrome. Let us clarify these advantages for you better.
1- Longer Battery Life
Microsoft has worked hard to ensure that Edge browser is the best in terms of power consumption compared to any other browser. In fact, this feature alone is enough to make you want to use it while using your laptop outside the home. You do not need to adjust any settings other than its default settings. This way, it allows you to increase your productivity and enable you to do more work without needing to charge the battery shortly after browsing.
2- Reduced RAM Usage Like Never Before
You may be interested: Google Chrome does not consume a large amount of RAM, so how can you solve the problem?
First and foremost, Edge browser uses less RAM than Google Chrome. Over time, its versions have received continuous improvements to reduce RAM usage compared to its early versions. This feature makes it at the top of the list of browsers best used for weak devices that do not have enough RAM capacity. This way, users can open multiple tabs without worrying about running out of RAM and at the same time avoid slow performance.
3- Save Sets of Websites
You can now browse all your favorite websites without the need for any external tools like Evernote. Collections are now your favorite and ideal place to store information while browsing. You can save texts, images, and videos directly with the Edge browser, as well as create new notes, lists, or notebooks.
To add anything to your favorite collections, click on the Collections tab at the top right of the browser, or click on the three dots icon and choose Collections from there. Later on, you will be able to add pages or notes while browsing websites with extreme ease. If you decide to download Edge browser on another device, you will be able to access your saved collections smoothly even when away from your main computer.
4- Save All Websites in Favorites List
If you are used to opening multiple websites at once, you can save multiple websites in a favorites list folder. Simply right-click on any open tab with the mouse button and choose Add all tabs to favorites from the drop-down menu. Then name the group and click Save. Next time, if you want to open all those tabs at once, just click on the folder you named in the favorites list with the right mouse button and choose Open all.
5- Read Website Pages Aloud
Most of the time, the feature of reading aloud and listening to texts in detail is one of the most important factors that help increase focus and productivity while working. If you want the computer to read the site for you, click on the three dots to open the settings and then click on Read aloud. Here you can click on Voice options to change the reading speed or choose a different voice to read to you. You can also select a specific paragraph within the article for the immersive reader to start reading, which is the main idea of its existence, to select a line or paragraph to be read aloud.
Read more: The best free ways and tools to read text aloud on Windows
6- Distraction-Free Immersive Reader
Having numerous side bar ads and pop-up videos can truly distract your focus. The solution here is to rely on Edge Immersive Reader. When you enter the Immersive Reader, you will be able to get rid of all the extra elements and focus on the text alone. You need to press the F9 key on the keyboard or from the browser’s address bar click on the icon that looks like a book with a speaker icon on it, and once you hover the mouse pointer over it, you will immediately see its name Enter Immersive Reader.
You may not be able to benefit from it with all the websites you encounter, but it generally has many features and tools necessary to help people with special reading abilities read more efficiently. Educational websites, brochures, and instructional websites are expected to support audio reading. For example, you can select one line of text at a time, change the font size, or divide phrases and sentences into separate phonetic words to facilitate pronunciation. If you try to print the page, it will do so without displaying ads, and you can resort to the feature of reading the site aloud from within the Immersive Reader, and you can resort to the feature of reading aloud if your favorite sites do not support the Immersive Reader feature.
7- Quiet Alerts
Allowing Windows notifications or website notifications can cause distractions while working, so you can rely on the Quiet Notifications feature in Edge browser. Later on, any notifications from your favorite websites will appear as small dots in the browser address bar instead of appearing as a popup window that distracts you while you are working.
