Microsoft to support ad blockers in Edge browser – update
With the arrival of extensions, Microsoft is going to build support for ad blockers in its browser Edge. That will happen in the new version of the browser that will be released with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer.
The upcoming support for extensions in Edge has been known for some time, but a presentation from Microsoft during Build shows that the browser will also receive support for ad blockers. ZDNet shows Microsoft’s roadmap for Edge and fourth in the list is the adblocker with a notification that it will be available in the next version of the browser. Initially, it was thought that this means an ad blocker will come by default in the browser, but Microsoft employees clarify that the slide relates to extensions.
At the top of the list is extension support. Microsoft has announced that AdBlock, Amazon, OneNote, Evernote and LastPass are coming with extensions for Edge this year, MSpoweruser writes.
The Microsoft Edge roadmap, image via ZDNet.
In the latest Insider Build of Windows 10 it is already possible to experiment with extensions in Edge. It showed that Edge extensions are compatible with Chrome; developing extensions for both browsers is likely to be easy, and the expectation is that the range of extensions for Edge will grow rapidly as Microsoft adds support.
Microsoft also wants to integrate the Bing Translator into the browser, among other things. The new features in Edge will be available to everyone when Microsoft releases the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer. It will also be possible to log in to websites via Edge with biometric data such as a fingerprint, if websites add support for Hello authentication.
Update, 20.15: Initially, this message stated that Edge gets an adblocker by default, but this turns out to be incorrect. This post has been edited based on clarification from Microsoft employees that this is extension support.