This new Microsoft Edge feature would make it INSANELY easy to adjust your browser settings

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By Kevin Okemwa
published

Edge users might soon be able to control browser settings using voice commands.

Microsoft Edge Sidebar
(Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft Edge users might soon be able to adjust browser settings via the Bing Chat pane using voice commands.
  • The feature is limited to Edge Canary users.
  • It provides a similar experience to Windows Copilot on Windows 11.

Artificial Intelligence will forever continue to unlock new impossibilities for its users, ultimately making work easier. As is the case with Microsoft's AI copilot for the web, Bing Chat. Since its debut, the company has consistently pushed new updates and features to the tool to enhance its user experience.

Microsoft's latest efforts include adding a visual search experience to Bing Chat, designed to let users conduct their searches using images instead of the conventional texts we are all used to. The company also recently started sending Bing Chat invites to Google Chrome users. This shows that the tool will soon be making its way to other browsers.

Microsoft is reportedly working towards making it easier for Edge users to adjust their browser settings. As spotted by Leopeva64 on Twitter, it'll now be possible for users to control Microsoft Edge from the Bing Chat pane using voice commands. The well-known Edge expert further indicated that the feature works like Windows Copilot in Windows 11.

The feature is limited to the browser's experimental channel, Edge Canary. But according to Leopeva64, the feature is characterized by a microphone icon on the Bing Chat side pane. The user further highlighted that clicking on the icon automatically activates the feature, where you can now start giving out prompts and commands such as changing the tab layouts and more. 

Notably, the user has indicated that the experience isn't seamless. The feature cannot perform some commands properly, which is expected with experimental features. Leopeva64 has since shared a short snippet of the feature in action, which you can check out below:

Windows Central's take

Microsoft Edge | Free

Microsoft Edge | Free

Microsoft Edge is the default browser on Windows. It's based on Chromium, so it's compatible with the vast majority of the web. There are several Insider versions of the browser, allowing you to test new features and provide feedback to Microsoft.

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It's unclear if Microsoft will ship this feature to Edge's stable channel for more users to access. However, this is a much-needed change as it will help reduce the time required to configure settings, thus allowing users to focus on more important things. 

We're all aware of how daunting and tedious it can be to make these adjustments, so it's nice to know that there might be an easier way to get things done. It will also be interesting to see how far Microsoft will let users stretch the feature's capabilities.

Kevin Okemwa
Kevin Okemwa
Contributor

Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • Iamdumbguy
    Uh huh. There's zero possibility this works in the way that anyone would reasonably expect. First, who remembers the specific verbiage each app uses? Second, Siri and Google Assistant (both actual in-use assistants unlike anything Microsoft has put out) regularly choke on the simplest commands like playing specific songs, podcasts, or playlists.
    Reply