Microsoft opens up the Microsoft Edge Addons store to developers

By Sean Endicott
published

Developers can prepare for the new Edge by submitting their addons to the Microsoft Edge Addons store.

New Microsoft Edge logo
New Microsoft Edge logo (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft opened the Microsoft Edge Addons store today.
  • Developers can submit their extensions to have them ready for the new browser's launch in January.
  • Developers can migrate their extensions for the current version of Edge to work with the new Edge.

Microsoft opened the Microsoft Edge Addons store today, clearing the way for developers to prepare for the launch of the new Microsoft Edge. The Chromium version of Microsoft Edge becomes generally available on January 15, 2020, and developers can submit their extensions now to prepare for the new browser's release. Microsoft outlines the process and points developers towards the Partner Center Developer Dashboard (opens in new tab) in a new blog post.

Microsoft states that most extensions built for Chromium will work with the new Microsoft Edge without any changes.

In most cases, existing extensions built for Chromium will work without any modifications in the new Microsoft Edge. Check out our developer documentation to learn more about Microsoft Edge-specific APIs, tips on submitting your extension, and other helpful information.

After December 17, 2019, developers won't be able to submit new extensions for the legacy version of Microsoft Edge. They can, however, be updated going forward. Instead, Microsoft recommends building new extensions for the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge and updating older extensions to help people have a smooth transition.

Microsoft will help migrate over some extensions for the legacy version of Edge with developers' permission. Additionally, Microsoft will migrate user's extensions over to the new Microsoft Edge if the extensions are in the Microsoft Edge Addons store when a person switches over.

Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com (opens in new tab).

5 Comments
  • So will the new Edge roll out through the store automatically come January 15th?
  • no, it will roll out via Windows Update in January unless you use the "Blocker Toolkit for Chromium-based Microsoft Edge"
  • @afgzee Why block it. It should be welcomed by everyone. Hopefully MS will have a decent browser again like IE11 was.
  • Will see how that deadline will work out for external chrome extensions. I think it will take a while for developers to get warm and port chrome extensions to new Edge. Interesting I have seen several names used for the first Edge browser for windows 10: Old Edge, UWP Edge, Classic Edge, Edge, non-chrome Edge, Windows HTML Edge, HTML Edge, New HTML Edge, and apparently now also "legacy" Edge.
  • I only care about THREE extensions; Ghostery, uBlock Origin, Windows 10 Authenticator. If those three are there, I'm happy. According to MS, current Chrome Extension authors need only submit what they already have for MS to package. No changes necessary if it works on Chrome 79 now.