Microsoft Edge is poised for a significant overhaul with its upcoming version 137, which will see the browser shed several existing functionalities. This move, set to begin rolling out in the Beta channel from mid-to-late May and hitting the Stable channel around May 29th, signals a strategic streamlining by Microsoft. Users will soon find features like the built-in Image Editor, the Image Hovers menu, the mini menu, Video Super Resolution (VSR), and the Wallet Hub deprecated. This decisive culling of features contrasts with the more common, gradual phasing out seen in other browsers. Phased Farewell: What's Being Removed? Microsoft is taking a rather direct approach with Edge 137, removing a suite of features that users may have grown accustomed to. The company has announced that these changes will occur progressively over the coming weeks in the Beta channel before the full stable release. Key Features on the Chopping Block: Image Editor: The integrated tool for basic image modifications directly within the browser will be removed. Users who relied on this for quick crops, annotations, or adjustments will need to look for alternative browser extensions or standalone applications. Image Hovers Menu: This contextual menu, appearing when hovering over images and offering quick actions, is also being deprecated. This will likely change the workflow for users who frequently interacted with images using this feature. Mini Menu: The contextual menu that appeared on text selection, offering quick actions like search, copy, or define, will be discontinued. This was a convenience feature for many, providing quick access to common tasks without right-clicking. Video Super Resolution (VSR): A significant feature for video consumers, VSR aimed to automatically upscale online videos and reduce compression artifacts, with support for both AMD and Nvidia GPUs. Its removal is a notable change, especially for those without dedicated upscaling solutions. Wallet Hub: The centralized location for managing payment information, passwords, and other credentials within Edge is also slated for removal. While these features are being removed, Microsoft has indicated that new functionalities are also in the pipeline, with a particular emphasis on enhancements for Edge for Business users. This suggests a strategic pivot, possibly to declutter the browser for general users while beefing up its capabilities for enterprise environments. The Curious Case of Video Super Resolution (VSR) Among the deprecated features, the removal of Video Super Resolution (VSR) has sparked considerable discussion. VSR was designed to enhance the viewing experience by algorithmically improving the quality of streamed video content. Impact and Alternatives The primary benefit of VSR was its ability to upscale lower-resolution videos and clean up compression artifacts, making for a clearer and crisper image. While Nvidia GPU owners have access to Nvidia's own VSR technology (often considered superior and controllable via the Nvidia control panel), users with AMD GPUs or integrated graphics who relied on Edge's built-in VSR will feel this loss more acutely. They may need to resort to third-party tools like Lossless Scaling to achieve similar results. A Troubled History? The journey of VSR in Edge has not been without its bumps. As early as February 2024, some users reported that VSR had disappeared following an Edge 122 bug fix update, though methods to re-enable it were shared . More recently, users in the Edge Beta channel (specifically version 136.0.3240.29) encountered issues where the VSR settings page was missing crucial options to select the enhancement method . This effectively defaulted the system to Microsoft's Super Resolution and, in some cases, broke HDR support when video enhancement was active. Tech-savvy users found temporary workarounds, such as navigating to edge://flags/#edge-video-super-resolution and disabling the flag. This action, paradoxically, could force Edge to utilize GPU-driver-level enhancements like Nvidia's RTX VSR when available, bypassing Edge's problematic implementation . These ongoing issues might have contributed to Microsoft's decision to remove the feature altogether, perhaps to re-evaluate its implementation or to rely on GPU manufacturers to provide these enhancements. Streamlining and Strategic Shifts Microsoft's decision to remove these features, particularly in a relatively swift manner with Edge 137, points towards a broader strategy of refining the browser's core experience. Reducing Bloat and Focusing on Business One perspective is that Microsoft is attempting to reduce "feature bloat." Modern browsers are complex applications, and over time, the accumulation of features can lead to increased resource consumption and a more cluttered user interface. By removing less-used or problematic features, Microsoft might be aiming for a leaner, faster Edge. The simultaneous announcement of new functions for Edge for Business further suggests a strategic realignment. Microsoft could be tailoring the standard Edge experience for broader appeal and simplicity, while channeling more specialized or power-user features into its business-focused offerings or relying on the extensions ecosystem. Community and Compliance Considerations User feedback and specific needs also play a role. For instance, discussions on platforms like Reddit have highlighted that some organizations have compliance requirements to disable features like "Enhance Image Features" . The removal of the built-in Image Editor and related functionalities might align with such administrative or security considerations, simplifying policy enforcement for IT departments. Microsoft's approach to feature management often involves controlled rollouts and administrative policies, as seen with features like AI-driven theme generation (controlled by the AIGenThemesEnabled policy) . This structured approach allows for granular control, but outright removal indicates a more definitive stance on the future of these specific tools within the main browser. Adapting to the New Edge The upcoming changes in Microsoft Edge 137 represent a significant evolution. As these features are phased out, users will need to adapt: For image editing: Seek out browser extensions or use dedicated photo editing software. For video upscaling: Nvidia users can rely on their driver's VSR. AMD and other users may need to explore third-party applications. For contextual menus: Users will revert to standard right-click menus or keyboard shortcuts. For wallet features: Users might migrate to dedicated password managers or payment solutions that offer browser integration. This update underscores the dynamic nature of web browsers. They are constantly evolving, with developers adding new capabilities while also pruning features that are deemed underutilized, redundant, or misaligned with strategic goals. The removal of these Edge features, while potentially disruptive for some, is part of this ongoing cycle of innovation and refinement in the competitive browser landscape.
