Option to completely remove Microsoft News Feed

Steel Contributor

I understand there may be reason higher up the corporate ladder for wanting the inclusion of the Microsoft News Feed permanently in one way or another but please add an option to completely remove the bar at the bottom of the new tab page. It's ugly and obtrusive and ultimately kind of ruins the idea of the 'Inspirational' or 'Focused' layout being what they are describing. The News Feed is the Number one reason for the people I know refusing the switch to Old Edge. It will cripple the initial adoption of New Edge when it eventually released to market. Untitled.png

 

54 Replies

BTW for what it's worth, I actually like the News Feed.  I would only like 2 things.  1) The news content only takes up the center, with huge gutters on either side.  The feed needs to be stretched to either side to fully fill the browser screen.  2) Remove whatever code is blocking extensions like Dark Reader from darkening the webpage, that blinding bright white doesn't sit well with my sleeping wife.

@Joe Hoffman That doesn't completely solve the problem because while it gets rid of the feed nonsense it also locks it to focused mode with no option for insparational.  In addition to that a basic function like this should really be selectable normally and not require tinkering in the backend of the settings.  This needs fixing by Microsoft before the browser goes live if they want it to have any chance vs Chrome/Firefox.

 

NB: Writing this I noticed there's no spell checker working in Edge yet, that needs fixing too lol.

@Cameron_Bush I actually liked the Tabs at the Bottom of the New Tab Page quite a bit. They're gone now, and I would like an option to return them for those of us that were enjoying the feature.

@SD777 

 

I use an extension called New Tab Redirect that allows me to specify what page I want to display as my new tab page.  This might work for you.

 

Bill

There is flag for that: edge://flags/#use-edge-local-ntp just enable it

@Deleted I am aware. Someone else commented this work around 2 weeks ago. The request is for a toggle on the new tab page not how to do it in flags. That flag just tells Edge to request the offline version of the New Tab page which also knocks out other features at the same time like changing the layout type. The point is that end users will not like the News spotlight at the bottom of the page and it will turn users away just as badly as Old Edge did.

@Cameron_Bush Yeah I know that, I was just proposing a workaround till then

@Deleted Thanks, yeah I've seen some pretty nice new tab replacement extensions.  My fear is that they have access to all my browsing info, although I suppose I should be worried about MS having that info as well.  The reason I would like to stick with the MS new tab page is I  like the news feed, but through the forced Bing search and the bright white page I'm forced to ditch Microsoft completeley. 

@Cameron_Bush Agree.  Should be a way for people to fully, 100% disable news suggestions.  No scroll, nothing - just a new tab page with top/recent sites visited.

@Cameron_Bush @RichardUK 

 

@Elliot Kirk 

This is the reason that I joined this channel - The first thing I did after downloading the MS insider Edge is to find the option to turn the News feed completely off, and to my disappointment, the option does NOT exist. I clicked on the toggle button, and I could only choose between "on scroll" and "always". ☹

To repeat, Bing.com will do, does do what you want. To have New tab page be the use the one from the Chrome store I recommended. When I not on my mobile :mobile_phone: and back at my machine I will get you the name, soon.  I have the set up you desire in use as we speak.  Give it a try.

It is Infinite Dashboard

Cheers,
Drew.

It really sucks that this design flaw was reported months ago and there is still no viable solution >.>

 

I know this is still an alpha but it's not exactly like this is a difficult thing to fix /sigh

Are there any new on this?

@Elliot Kirk although I agree with OP that users should have an option to remove the news feed completely under Custom, please let the new tab devs know at least one user is very satisfied. People usually only bother to post complaints, but I LOVE the Edge Dev new tab Inspirational layout. It's one of several key features that inspire me to keep Edge Dev as my default browser—even in it's unfinished state.

I never scroll down to look at the news feed because I prefer Microsoft News app and reddit, but the Personalized news button is discreet enough that it doesn't bother me. 


I don't know when or if the default New tab page will be all that people want or prefer.  And, sure, one can say it is sad to have to use an extension to have what one wants. Some want a feed, some don't, some want a blank page, heaps variations, some possible, some aren't, at least now right now. HOWEVER, if an extension is not viewed as something terrible, THIS will give or do all anyone would want and more (cool choices) they hadn't, even, imagined. I urge y'all to take time to look at it.  You might well like it.  I know I sure do!

Cheers,
Drew
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@Elliot Kirk Hi, I used to be able to disable the news feed by using

 

edge://flags/#use-edge-local-ntp

 

However, that flag is no longer available.  How do I disable the news feed now?

 

Thanks!

@vovchyk 

Ah, there's the $64,000 question... And it goes back to my recently 'daydreaming' here in the Forum (another thread) about Bing being used for the NTP.  Why?  Because, it does/can give or do what you want... and, even better than the NTP flag since, it's has full Bing functionality, including, different daily photo..  I use Bing for Start-up page as, it can be SO clean and powerful too, as a nice bonus.  Below you can compare, Bing on the left, default NTP on the right; you can see the red circled bit is not on the left.  The Feeds (and the Menu Bar) are/have been removed on the left.  It's the one similar place that allows removal of Feeds (& more).  But, sadly, cannot be used for NTP.  I have told the Team it should be & you should, also.

NoFeeds.jpg

In other words, without the NTP flag, there is no way, but, Bing does it.  Doesn't that just add to your frustration; I empathize.

Cheers,
Drew
thVY64FD02.jpg

@Cameron_Bush 

Hi, 

Update, the option is now added:

 

Edge insider Version 79.0.287.0 (Official build) canary (64-bit)

 

Annotation 2019-09-28 100838.png

 

@vovchyk @IllusionMH @Mike Glenn @Cameron_Bush 

Hi there, if you use Edge insider Canary channel Version 79.0.287.0 (Official build) canary (64-bit),

chances are you can do it right now. give it a try! it will take more time before it is available to Dev channel.

 

Annotation 2019-09-28 101124.png