Microsoft Edge updated with new AI features in latest release

Microsoft’s Edge browser continues to gain more features with a new stable version testing a beefed-up magnifying experience alongside incorporating the more robust Notebook AI feature that boasts support for a larger character count when prompting.

New Magnify Image experience

Twitter user @leopeva64 spotted some new features in Microsoft Edge that include an expanded character count for Copilot prompts, the addtion of Microsoft Designer as well and a new Magnifying Image experience.

Copilot's "Notebook" feature is now also available in the latest Edge Canary build for Android:https://t.co/9i0hnVMePT pic.twitter.com/3xC12SVD65

— Leopeva64 (@Leopeva64) March 18, 2024

Microsoft recently rolled out an updated build to the Stable Microsoft Edge Insider channel that brings Magnify Image to the browser’s context menu as well as support for the feature through key commands. Most Windows 11 users should be able to test out the new Magnify Image experience today by simply right-clicking on an image or double pressing Ctrl.

The new feature is highlighted with a NEW label next to it in the context menu to help easily identify it and also supports left-click gestures to zoom in for users who prefer a less tactile method with custom mice. There are also options to zoom in and out with a normal click of the mouse, located in the bottom right corner of images that are presented in a popped-out light box experience.

Microsoft Designer on its way to Edge

Microsoft is also looking to bundle much of its new AI-led Microsoft Designer features into the image experience of Edge. Users can now use a similar order of operations to summon the basic Image editing features produced in a similar light box UI when clicking the Edit Image selection from the context menu.

The browser-based version of Image Edit consists of many from the first-party Windows 11 Photos platform such as Crop, Filters, Markup, rotation, and Adjustments to Brightness, Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, and more.

However, there is now an additional way to bring up the branded version of Microsoft Designer in Canary Edge builds that includes the following steps:

1. Type Edge Canary in the Start menu and click the Open file location option.
2. Next, Right-click on the Microsoft Edge Canary shortcut and select Properties.
3. Go to the target field and type –enable-features=msEditImageWithDesigner after the path.
4. Hit Apply and then OK.
5. Re-launch Edge Canary. Right-click on an image and select the Edit image from the context menu.
6. A branded version of Microsoft Designer will load.

Users will now be able to edit an image and immediately transfer it into Microsoft Designer for further work with more AI tools.

Large character counts in prompts

Also in the Canary build version of Edge Microsoft is testing a Notebook AI version of Copilot in the browser. As previously mentioned, the Notebook AI version of Copilot allows for more characters in the prompt window. Notebook AI for Edge will accompany the growing list of supported apps that make up the sidebar in Edge if users aren’t already hiding the side toolbar by default.

Unlike the Magnify Image feature, the Notebook version of Copilot or unbranded Microsoft Designer isn’t being automatically pushed to users. Instead, Edge Canary users will need to manually update their browser to enable the more robust version of Microsoft’s AI assistant.

To try out the upgrade to Copilot for Edge browser

1. Type Edge Canary in the Start menu and click the Open file location option.
2. Next, Right-click on the Microsoft Edge Canary shortcut and select Properties.
3. Go to the Target field and type –enable-features=msEdgeChatNotebookHeaderIcon after the path.
4. Hit Apply and then OK.
5. Re-launch Edge Canary and click the Copilot icon.
6. Switch to the newer version by clicking the ellipses in the top corner and select Notebook.

The current consumer version of Edge with Copilot only supports up to four thousand characters per prompt while the Notebook version should allow for 18,000-character prompt limits.

Microsoft continually adds features to Edge, but it has yet to be seen how these new additions will affect performance as the browser gets weighed down with increased experiences.