Microsoft’s new version of Edge has officially left its preview status and entered general availability for download. Entitled Microsoft Edge 89 stable, it can now be downloaded from the company’s website.
To assist with upgrading over a hundred million PCs using windows around the world to the new browser, Microsoft has offered assistance to make the process as non-intrusive and smooth as possible. It does this with the aim of causing minimum risk to enterprises and users alike, along with delivering an excellent experience.
Installation of the new Edge Browser
When installing the new Microsoft Edge on a device using the latest version of Windows 10, it will exchange the previously employed version, known as the “legacy version”, with the new browser. Users may then be prompted to install several additional updates, however all settings will be carried over to the new Edge automatically. These include passwords, favourites and other basic settings. Edge preview channels such as Canary or Dev and web apps, such as those constructed on EdgeHTML, will continue to function without any interruption.
Users employing Microsoft Edge on Android or iOS will not be required to take action as their devices will automatically update.
Auto rollout for Microsoft customers
Users who would rather not install the new Edge manually are welcome to wait for it to be installed automatically in future Windows 10 updates as part of the rollout taking place over several months in 2020. Beginning with a small group of Windows Insiders included in the Release Preview selection, Windows 10 clients will be migrated to the new version of Microsoft Edge.
Enterprise options and updates
Unlike other customers, organisations possess complete control over when the new browser will be deployed on managed devices. Automatic updates to the new Edge will not occur on managed devices. In addition to these, Workstation Pro Edition, Education and Enterprise devices will not be updated automatically at the present time. Organisations wishing to block auto delivery of the new version of the Edge browser to Pro and Home editions that have Windows Update fully enabled can either do so via downloading and using the Blocker Toolkit, or simply selecting it in Microsoft Edge Update policies. Internet Explorer will not be affected during the automatic rollout of the new browser.
Those ready to deploy the new Edge browser can find more information about rollout and management of Microsoft Edge across their organisation from Microsoft’s enterprise documentation. They can also download offline resources such admin policy templates and deployment packages for configuring Edge on both macOS and Windows on Microsoft’s enterprise page. Those Office 365 customers who are eligible will also benefit from App Assure and Fast Track support during the first quarter of 2020.
Businesses using Microsoft technology in their day-to-day processes can rely on WM Reply for advice and assistance. Experts in Microsoft products such as Office 365 and SharePoint, we can help when it comes to installing the latest versions of Microsoft solutions. Contact our dedicated team of professionals today to ensure your enterprise keeps running smoothly.