Microsoft Edge 100: Master Password and PDF Thumbnail Support

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Microsoft released a new development build of Microsoft Edge 100 for the Canary channel this week with master password support and PDF thumbnail viewing.

Microsoft Edge Canary is the main development version of the browser. You get the features first and interested users and developers can use the browser for testing purposes.

The new update is now available. Canary users may need to select Menu > Help & Feedback > About Microsoft Edge to get it. The page that opens displays the current version and runs a search for updates. Loading edge://settings/help directly into the browser’s address bar opens the same page.

Edge Primary Password

Microsoft Edge automatically signs users into websites by default. Browser users could change behavior in the past to block autocomplete. Until now, users could change the setting to “with device password,” which would require the device password before Edge automatically filled in passwords.

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Edge 100 introduces support for a master password; this is a custom password that can be different from the device password. The Master Password is saved only locally and must be entered for the browser to fill in password fields on websites.

Edge asks for permission once per browsing session by default, but there is an option for Edge to ask for permission every time a password can be autofilled.

Entering the primary password adds the data to the field. If you do not provide it or click on the close icon, the operation will be abandoned. It is still possible to enter the username and password manually on the site.

Edge’s Master Password feature only works with stored passwords. Edge users can disable the requirement to restore one of the other two password completion options in Edge.

Other changes to the Edge 100

Microsoft lists a large number of changes on its Tech Community website. Here is a short list of the most important ones:

Option to view thumbnails of PDF document pages for navigation.
Support for the text prediction attribute in forms on web pages.
Custom text cursor support on Windows.
New preference on Mac devices to update Edge for all device users.
Edge’s Read Aloud feature works on Android now even if the browser is in the background.
New admin policy to freeze the version number at 99 and move the major version number to the second position in the version string to avoid compatibility issues when Edge hits version 100.
New APIs for developers.
Various bug fixes.

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Microsoft lists several known issues that affect the development version of Edge. Users who block ads may experience issues on YouTube, and Microsoft recommends disabling the extension as it will allow all content on the site to play. A support article from June 2020 offers more information according to Microsoft.

Edge 100 will hit the stable channel in the coming months.

Now you: Would you use a master password in your browser?

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