Microsoft is testing a way to update Edge without forcing a restart, potentially letting you keep working while it switches to a more secure version.
Browser updates can interrupt your work, so you might put off restarting the browser. However, this can delay important security fixes. Microsoft's solution aims to solve both problems by updating Edge in the background while keeping compatible tabs open.
The project is still an early experiment, not a feature you can use today. Microsoft says the prototype isn't part of Edge's production code or the Chromium project.
Microsoft wants Edge updates to be seamless
Currently, browser updates require a restart to safely switch to a newer version. Although Microsoft Edge can restore your open tabs afterward, restarting can still interrupt your work. Microsoft's prototype aims to change that by downloading an update in the background and moving the browser and its supporting processes to the newer version while keeping your work available.
For example, imagine you're filling out a long online form when a security update becomes available. Instead of asking you to restart Edge and interrupt your work, the browser would update in the background while you continue working.
Microsoft demonstrated the prototype in a video, and when the company clicked the "Update" button, the browser switched to the new version while keeping compatible tabs open. Eventually, the goal is to apply updates automatically without requiring users to click anything.
One limitation is that existing tabs can stay open only if they're compatible with the new version. Other tabs will switch to the updated version when you navigate to them.
AI makes faster security updates more important
The project isn't only about convenience. Microsoft notes that AI is accelerating vulnerability discovery and changing the pace of attacks, increasing the need to roll out security fixes more quickly. The company describes the time between a security fix becoming available and an update being applied as the "patch gap." During this period, users who don't install the fix remain vulnerable.
A security update can only protect you after apply it. Restarts add friction to that gap: people may keep a browser open for days because they are in the middle of something important.
Microsoft
The requirement to restart the browser can also make the problem worse when people postpone updates because they don't want interruptions. As a result, applying security updates faster could reduce the time users remain exposed to known vulnerabilities.
So, when can we use it?
This isn't built into the current version of the browser, so don't go through the settings trying to find the option. Microsoft says that the prototype isn't part of the browser or the Chromium project. Instead, the company is sharing its work early and inviting developers and other organizations to collaborate on this project.
Edge already has an update option for idle devices
While the company continues developing its new update mechanism, Microsoft Edge already offers a feature called "Restart to update on idle," previously known as "Instant Updates."
The feature restarts Edge when your device is idle, installs the update, and reopens your tabs. It still requires a restart, but the interruption happens when you're not using the browser.
What's next?
For now, Microsoft Edge's existing update options help reduce delays, while the seamless-updates prototype offers a glimpse of what could come next. Microsoft hasn't announced when, or whether, this approach will become available. The company is sharing the prototype early to encourage collaboration with the community.
However, we'll have to wait and see whether the concept will make it into a future version of the browser. What are your thoughts on this new way to update the browser? Let me know in the comments.
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