Microsoft Edge

ApplicationMicrosoft Corporation

Also called edge, microsoft edge, msedge

Microsoft CorporationBrowsers

The Chromium-based browser that ships with current Windows. The process name is msedge.exe.

What you need to know

Edge is the in-box Chromium browser.

Microsoft Edge shares an engine family with Chrome. Windows also uses Edge WebView for some system surfaces, so you can see Edge-related processes even if you browse elsewhere.

What is it?: The Windows in-box browser
Can I remove it?: Removal is limited on current Windows
WebView?: Some Windows UI embeds the engine

Feex says

If you never open Edge and still see msedge.exe, a WebView or a widget may be using the engine. That is not automatically malware.

What is Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft Edge is the web browser that ships with current Windows. The main process is msedge.exe.

If you have never used it

If you never chose a browser, this is the one Windows already installed. You open it from the blue e, or another app embeds it as WebView2. You do not download Edge from a random exe host. Settings > Apps can hide some pieces, but current Windows still uses the engine for system UI.

What is it used for?

Web browsing

Daily tabs, PDF, and Microsoft account sync.

Collections and shopping

Optional Edge features. You can ignore them and still browse.

Windows WebView hosts

Widgets, Store pages, and other apps can start msedgewebview2.exe without a browser window.

Who is it for?

People who use the browser Windows already has
Work PCs that are policy-managed toward Edge
Users who still prefer another browser for daily tabs

Current status

Actively developed. Microsoft ships Edge on a Chromium cadence. Legacy EdgeHTML is not this product.

How old is it?

Microsoft shipped the first Edge in 2015 on the EdgeHTML engine. In 2020 it rebuilt Edge on Chromium. The old EdgeHTML app is gone from current Windows. If a guide still talks about "Spartan" or edgehtml.dll as the daily browser, it is stale.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Stable

Beta

Dev

Canary

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
CPU	A 64-bit processor supported by current Windows
RAM	4 GB class machines run it. More tabs want more RAM
Operating system	A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per Microsoft

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows the tab or WebView
RAM demand: Can be high with many tabs
GPU demand: Used when acceleration is on

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
msedge.exe	Browser, tabs, and utilities
msedgewebview2.exe	Embedded Edge for other apps

Startup components

Edge can start with Windows if you allow it. Some Windows features start a WebView without opening a full browser window.

File locations

Common Microsoft Edge locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\

File formats

HTMLPDFPNGJPEG

Common problems

Runs while you use another browser

WebView2 and Widgets can start the engine. Check which window is actually open.

Forced as default

Work policy can pin Edge. That is an admin choice, not a virus named msedge.exe.

Getting unstuck

See who started the engine

If you never opened Edge, check Widgets, Outlook, or another app using WebView2. Task Manager > Details can show a parent.

Repair from Settings

Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Edge > Modify. That is the supported repair, not a third-party "Edge cleaner".

Do not hunt for Legacy Edge

Current Windows does not give you the 2015 EdgeHTML browser back. Chromium Edge is the product.

Alternatives

Chrome and Firefox cover the same daily job. On current Windows, some system UI still uses the Edge engine.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Product page	www.microsoft.com/edge What Microsoft ships today
Learn docs	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/ Admin and developer documentation
Support	support.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge Sign-in, sync, and reset help
WebView2	learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge/webview2/ Why other apps start an Edge engine

Related hardware

Same class of need as Chrome: RAM and a current GPU driver matter more than a famous CPU name.

Technical details

Per-version file hashes and volume-license paths are not verified in this preview.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Microsoft Edge documentation · Official Edge docs
Microsoft Edge support · End-user help
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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