What you need to know
- Microsoft Edge is now the second most popular browser on desktops.
- Edge's market share reached 9.65% in March 2022, which is just enough to surpass Safari's 9.57% share.
- Google Chrome still sits comfortably in first place with a 67.26% market share.
Microsoft Edge has passed Safari and is now the second most used desktop browser. According to StatCounter, 9.65% of desktop users now use Edge, which is an uptick from the browser's 9.61% share in February 2022. Safari's market share fell from 9.77% to 9.57% in the same timeframe, allowing Edge to jump a spot in the rankings.
Earlier this year, we predicted that Edge would pass Safari. Microsoft's browser has steadily gained ground on Apple's since its launch.
Several factors may have contributed to more people using Edge. Microsoft revamped the browser back in 2020. The new version of Edge has received mostly postiive reviews, but it can take time for the word to get out about an app improving.
Microsoft also consistently adds new options to Edge, such as features for saving money and developer tools. Microsoft has also improved IE mode to persuade legacy users to make the switch.
Edge is the default browser on Windows 11 and Windows 10, which run on a combined 1.4 billion devices.
Source: StatCounter Global Stats - Browser Market Share
While Edge has gained ground and beat out Safari, it still sits far below Google Chrome, which has a desktop browser market share of 67.29%. Chrome saw a small dip in market share in February but has since returned to around its normal figure.
Microsoft has several versions of its Edge browser for testing new and experimental features. You can grab the stable version instead if you'd just like to use Edge as your everyday browser.
