Microsoft wants AI to read your browser history — but there's one reason not to worry

A future update for Microsoft Edge will allow the browser to use AI to look through your browser history. The feature will make it possible to find sites you have visited even if you can't remember the exact URL, site name, or have a typo in your search query. It is also a feature many may want to disable right away.

It's important to note that AI-powered History search uses an on-device model. It's trained using your data, but that data never leaves your device and isn't sent to Microsoft. But some are leery of AI.

Windows Recall, which passively captures screen activity, also keeps your data on your device and runs locally, but the feature has drawn criticism since its initial announcement. Microsoft had to delay Recall and add several security features in response to questions and concerns.

The new AI-powered History search could run into similar skepticism from users. Luckily, just like Recall, the new browser feature can be disabled. Admins can also control the feature through a policy.

AI-powered History search is in testing in Microsoft Edge version 138.0.3351.14, which is now in testing among Edge Beta.

That same update adds a media control center similar to the one found in Google Chrome. Microsoft outlines the changes in a set of release notes.

Feature Updates

• Use Primary work profile as default profile to open external links. Microsoft Edge currently opens external links using the “Last Used” profile by default. While for enterprise users, the Primary Work Profile (signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID for enrolling the device) is normally the best profile for opening external links. With this feature, for Windows, Edge will check if it the Primary Work Profile exists and make it the default profile for opening external links if available. For Mac and Linux, if only one work profile signed in with a Microsoft Entra ID account is found, it’s treated as the Primary Work Profile. Admins can control availability to this feature using the EdgeOpenExternalLinksWithPrimaryWorkProfileEnabled policy. Note: This is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.
• Media control center. With media control center in Microsoft Edge, users can easily manage and control multiple media sources from any website, all in one place. Quickly access videos in picture-in-picture mode, cast media to other devices, and control music, video, or any other sounds playing in Edge. Simply click on the media control center icon, depicted as a music note icon, found to the right of the address bar when media with sounds are playing to get started.
• New Autofill Personal Information Settings Configuration. A web form field collection consent toggle will be available in Autofill settings (edge://settings/autofill/personalInfo). This will allow users to consent to Microsoft Edge collecting web form field labels (e.g., "First Name," "Email") to improve Autofill suggestion accuracy. Only field labels are collected and not user-entered data. The web field labels are stored securely per Microsoft's privacy standards.
• This new setting is manageable via existing policies in Autofill e.g., AutofillAddressEnabled, EdgeAutofillMlEnabled. AutofillAddressEnabled is the parent setting for EdgeAutofillMlEnabled. The EdgeAutofillMlEnabled policy is the parent of this new setting, thus turning off the EdgeAutofillMlEnabled policy will turn off this setting. Note: This feature is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.
• AI-powered History search. Enhanced search finds sites in your History even when you use a synonym, phrase, or typo. After this feature is turned on, sites you visit will be shown in enhanced history search results. An on-device model is trained using your data, which never leaves your device and is never sent to Microsoft. Admins can control availability to this feature using the EdgeHistoryAISearchEnabled policy. Note: This is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.
• Adding support for viewing Sensitivity labels applied to a Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) Protected PDF. Enterprise customers can view sensitivity labels applied to MIP protected PDF to be well informed of the data classification to enable them to handle such sensitive documents. This change is available in the new Microsoft Edge built-in PDF reader. Note: This is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat Summarization in Microsoft Edge Context Menu. Microsoft Edge is introducing a Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat summarization menu item to our context menu. This feature will help users quickly unpack and ask questions about their open page. Note: This feature is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.
• Improvements to surfacing performance notifications. Microsoft Edge is making improvements to how users can learn about and improve their browser's responsiveness. Performance and Extensions Detector notifications may appear in the Settings and more menu when Edge's performance slows. Note: This feature is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.

Running AI locally

As Copilot+ PCs with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) become common, you should expect to see more AI features that run locally. There are also some AI features that can run on-device even if a PC lacks an NPU.

Running AI locally has several benefits, including the ability to use features when your PC is offline. But perhaps most importantly, AI that runs on-device can operate without sending data to servers.