Will new Edge be the new default browser in Windows 8.x and 7?

[starik36]

Apologies, if this has been answered already.

When Chromium based Edge is released, will it replace Internet Explorer as the default browser in Windows 8.x and Windows 7?  If so, will it be pushed to those machines automatically via Windows update or will users be needing to download and install it manually?

[#2]

Hi there,
There is currently no plan to make the new Edge insider the default browser on Windows 7, 8 , 8.1 By Microsoft's direct intervention, and I can say with 99.99% certainty that they won't have a role in choosing or replacing the default browser in the said Windows versions. since the installers are standalone, users have free choice to make whatever browser they like as default.
the new Edge insider does not rely on the Windows update servers, nor does it rely on Windows store updates.
hope that helps :)

[#3]

I really hope the Edge team reconsiders or finds a creative way load the Chromium engine into IE 11 when a certain meta tag is present in the web page. 

The pain of having to develop for IE 11 (the only non ES6 browser out there) is a drag on the entire internet.  

Even on Windows 10, IE has 5.5% market share - I don't even understand how that's possible given how well hidden the browser is in the OS.    https://i.imgur.com/UZ0WwCu.png

[#4]

Are you referring to the IE mode?
if you are then yes you can already do that, Edge can load websites using IE mode inside itself.

you can find all the information you want regarding that in this official video:
https://mybuild.techcommunity.microsoft.com/sessions/77794

Yes, i'm on Windows insider fast ring and IE is not pre-installed, not in the optional features in the control panel. Only in the optional features list in the Windows 10 settings.

apparently they are not going to get rid if the IE, not any time soon. the IE mode inside Edge needs IE files and relies on them.

[#5]

@HotCakeX 

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@HotCakeX wrote:
Are you referring to the IE mode?
if you are then yes you can already do that, Edge can load websites using IE mode inside itself.

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No, I am talking about getting rid of IE in some way.  Like having a "modern mode" in IE that swaps out the rendering engine if there is a certain signal to do that in the web page.

[#6]

Yes it's possible, but it would work between IE and the new Edge browser, not between IE and classic Edge. I tested this myself on Windows server 2019 and Windows 10 1903 clients.

it can be achieved using Group Policy

https://www.microsoftedgeinsider.com/en-us/enterprise

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/edge-ie-mode

the engines can be swapped based on a list of websites (IE or Edge chromium engine) but they will still be shown in the modern Edge chromium window.

for the same purpose, Internet explorer files must be available in Window but not required for IE to be opened whatsoever unless you explicitly specify on that list that a website needs to be opened in the IE program.