During Build 2025, Microsoft unveiled several new ways developers can work with the Edge browser. Microsoft also introduced features for general Edge users, such as PDF translation
Over the coming months, IT admins will be able to block inappropriate sites in Edge for Business and developers will be able to leverage Microsoft's Phi-4-mini model within web apps.
New Edge APIs
New AI APIs in Microsoft Edge will allow developers to integrate AI into web apps using on-device models built into Edge. The APIs also give sites and extensions access to Phi-4-mini, which is a model developed by Microsoft.
The APIs make on-device processing possible for AI features. Cloud-based AI models can create security risks that developers may wish to avoid, particularly if sensitive information is being processed.
The AI APIs include Prompt API, which allows sites to prompt Microsoft's AI model, and several Writing Assistance APIs, which can generate, summarize, and edit text. Both of those APIs are available in developer trials.
The Translator API is expected to ship in the coming months.
The new AI APIs are already in testing for Edge Canary and Edge Dev.
PDF translation
Microsoft Edge already supports translating webpages. Soon, the same functionality will be available when viewing PDF documents. The new feature will ship to everyone in June 2025, but Edge Canary users can test it now.
PDF translation within Edge will support more than 70 languages. Microsoft highlighted during its Build coverage that people usually have to translate PDF documents line by line. The new addition to Edge should streamline that process greatly.
Block inappropriate sites in Edge for Business
IT admins of schools and small businesses will soon be able to block inappropriate websites with less effort. Web content filtering is on the way to Microsoft Edge for Business.
The feature is currently in preview and comes at no additional cost to schools and small businesses.
When the feature is enabled, IT admins can select categories of sites to block, and Edge for Business will automatically handle the filtering.
Web filtering is quite complicated, since new websites come out regularly. Basic keyword filters often have flaws and can block appropriate content. A managed list within Edge that can be sorted by categories should reduce the stress put on IT admins that have had to maintain their own block lists and whitelists up to this point.
