Microsoft is purging several features from Edge in its latest update, stripping out tools that, apparently, weren’t worth keeping. According to the official changelog, Edge version 137 will deprecate and remove a handful of features in what Microsoft undoubtedly hopes will be seen as “streamlining” rather than just admitting defeat on poorly received additions.
Gone but (probably not) mourned:
- Image Editor – Because who was really editing photos inside a browser anyway?
- Image Hovers Menu – A fleeting experiment in making images “more interactive” that nobody asked for.
- Mini Menu – Another UI tweak nobody remembers.
- Video Super Resolution – Because, apparently, AI upscaling isn’t worth keeping.
- Wallet Hub – Microsoft is finally realizing people don’t want their browser acting like their banking app.
One particularly glaring omission from this cleanup effort? The forced Klarna integration Microsoft awkwardly jammed into Edge a few years back in an attempt to make buy-now-pay-later schemes a core browser experience. Despite near universal criticism, Klarna’s presence lingers, with Edge still offering installment payment options directly within the browser, because nothing says “responsible tech” like encouraging impulse debt financing for everyday purchases.
On one hand, Microsoft is removing niche features that failed to gain traction, suggesting a move toward leaner development for Edge. On the other hand, the company is doubling down on AI-driven enhancements, like Copilot-powered page summarization, while strangely leaving questionable partnerships intact.
Microsoft’s feature purge shows that Edge is still trying to figure out what it wants to be—a serious contender against Chrome or just another Windows pre-installed app that people tolerate out of convenience. Perhaps the next big removal should be forced payment service integrations, but alas, we’ll likely have to wait for another cleanup cycle for that.
What’s your take? Is Edge finally shaping up or just spinning its wheels?
