Ongoing sync between Microsoft Edge and Chrome - Discussion

[akhator]

Thanks for your feedback requesting the ability to have ongoing sync between Microsoft Edge and Chrome. 

While we recognize this need, we’re currently focused on creating great 1st party sync experiences with your Microsoft account and Work or School account. If you are a Chrome user today, you already have option available to import all your data from Chrome to have Microsoft Edge personalized with all your browsing data.

If you are still looking for ongoing sync between Microsoft Edge and Chrome, please share some more details about your scenario.

1. Why would you like an ongoing sync between the two? What problem would it solve for you?
2. Do you expect to leverage this ongoing sync only for a short period of time (for instance during initial assessment of Microsoft Edge) or for long period (continue to use multiple browsers)?
3. How would the absence of this ability change your perspective on Microsoft Edge adoption?
4. Would the creation of a Chrome extension fulfil your requirement?

We will keep you updated as we better understand the needs of our community.

[#2]

Hi,

You should ask the users if they want to sync from Edge and Chrome. 

Like, install a extenstion so that not everyone needs to do so.

The cast to media is still disabled, you need to enable.

Fix it.

Chrome extenstions, not all work since you need to be signed into chorme to work since requries you to be signed into google account.

A nice greeting, and weather for edge new tab seen last year in beta edge in Novemeber.

Surf game coming soon?

Linux?

Share button for mac?

Bing image of the day on new tab or put a few options, like icon for do you like, bing imgae.

Also a nice clock would be nice on new tab!!

@akhator 

[#3]

@Deleted 

Spoiler

---

@Deleted wrote:

Hi,

You should ask the users if they want to sync from Edge and Chrome. 

Like, install a extenstion so that not everyone needs to do so.

The cast to media is still disabled, you need to enable.

Fix it.

Chrome extenstions, not all work since you need to be signed into chorme to work since requries you to be signed into google account.

A nice greeting, and weather for edge new tab seen last year in beta edge in Novemeber.

Surf game coming soon?

Linux?

Share button for mac?

Bing image of the day on new tab or put a few options, like icon for do you like, bing imgae.

Also a nice clock would be nice on new tab!!

---

Hi,

that's exactly what @akhator is asking...

the rest of the stuff belong to other threads..like Linux support which is planned

surf game which is available for now only on Dev and Canary channels but soon on Beta and Stable too.

chrome extensions do work, only chrome apps don't and they are being depreciated anyway.

[#4]

@akhator Just putting my hand up to say yes this would be useful.

Especially as we are in this stage where people (such as myself) have decided to use both for whatever their reason. Maybe it is Chrome is for mobile and Edge for desktop, maybe they are just trying Edge and trying to wean themselves off Chrome. maybe they have a VPN split tunnel and using Edge on VPN and Chrome on the internet.

Extension is fine and of course it should only be optional.

Thanks

[#5]

What you want is not just Coke and Pepsi in the same building, you want Coke and Pepsi mixed together in a bottle, call it a PepsiCoke or whatever. That's not how it works.

[#6]

@akhator I have no Idea about the Chrome and Micro$oft Edge. All I asked why Edge did not relate better to Internet Explorer as outlook really screwed up things. I finally got a Man Through Micro$oft that knew how to set it up. It works fine now but it is complicated for most users. >> Straight from the HORSES MOUTH!!

The new Microsoft Edge is here

The new Microsoft Edge is powered by the same open source technology as Google Chrome, providing best in class web and extension compatibility.

[#7]

@thekft 

Yes. I can see that some people have good, legitimate reasons to want, or not want this sync. All I really ask is that it is not required or put in for all users. I don't really know how this syncing process would work, or what will have to be done to add it. I do have a concern for security with a massive hole that links up to Google servers and into Edge, and I also am concerned if Google services will need to be added into Edge. It should definitely be optional, and they should go more in depth about what will have to be done to accomplish this.

[#8]

@RexRocky 

This is the wrong conversation for what you're asking. Outlook is an email service that can be accessed online because it is a website, and it's not even put in the browser itself (and the same goes for the rest of Office). A website that's not open in a browser cannot slow your computer like you previously suggested. And another comment on what you previously suggested about multiple internets: Browsers simply just access the internet, and the internet is just the network of websites and information being transmitted. Microsoft has zero capability to make a new internet, nor does it even run the internet now.

Also, Edge has existed since 2015. The new Edge is supposed to be an upgrade from the original Edge. Internet Explorer is a completely different browser, although they have an Internet Explorer mode for the business version of the new Edge. Then again, a browser is just a gateway to the internet. Nothing can actually be installed to it. There can be links to another website on a new tab page or in menus (these just being links for a website that is not currently open, cannot slow your computer down).

[#9]

@Keith Davis 

You are suggesting putting Google in a Microsoft product, not having both browsers on one computer or in the same environment. Having them mixed together is different than in the same place.

[#10]

@Mason425 Yep. agreed - whatever the mechanism it should only be a option for those who want it.

[#11]

@thekft 

I can see that some people have good, legitimate reasons to want, or not want this sync. All I really ask is that it is not required or put in for all users. I don't really know how this syncing process would work, or what will have to be done to add it. I do have a concern for security with a massive hole that links up to Google servers and into Edge, and I also am concerned if Google services will need to be added into Edge. It should definitely be optional, and they should go more in depth about what will have to be done to accomplish this. I just really don't want Google services to have to be added into Edge. I wouldn't really care about the sync that much if it was optional, or if it wouldn't affect everyone else who wouldn't use the sync. I just feel that it is necessary for Microsoft to elaborate more on what needs to be done to get this sync, and what it would mean for people who wouldn't use it. Most of these debates and arguments are coming from people who are afraid about what will need to happen to Edge for this sync to be implemented. I really don't want Edge to have to put in Google services; I just want it to stay as the Microsoft browser it has always been, without Google.

[#12]

For that matter Google should add Microsoft support to their Chrome browser then

[#13]

1. Why would you like an ongoing sync between the two? What problem would it solve for you?

     > I'm not yet sure about going full-on Edge. I want to be able to go back to Chrome anytime I want and to not have to manually import any new bookmarks/favorites, settings, and extensions from Edge to Chrome. I want to be able to switch to either browser as needed.

2. Do you expect to leverage this ongoing sync only for a short period of time (for instance during initial assessment of Microsoft Edge) or for long period (continue to use multiple browsers)?

     > I believe I have answered this partly in my response to the first question. To say it again, I'm looking at testing Edge's capabilities. But I don't see any reason to say goodbye to Chrome now. I'm an Android user and I don't know if Edge has an Android version. I want to be able to sync my browsing preferences throughout all my devices: desktop, laptop, and phone. So I want to experience this ongoing sync now -- and hope that in the future it will stay there as an option. Just please give us users an option. An open one.

3. How would the absence of this ability change your perspective on Microsoft Edge adoption?

     > It would hurt. I mean I don't understand why others hate Chrome so much. I'm not that used to Edge either. Without the option for an ongoing sync, I might get back to Chrome. I hope I could experiment on both browsers without having to encounter such hiccups.

4. Would the creation of a Chrome extension fulfil your requirement?

      > I guess so. I'm interested in tech but I'm not that techie either. So a Chrome extension might solve the problem. Please let me know if this already exists. Thanks.

@HotCakeX 

[#14 · Accepted solution]

Thanks everyone for sharing your perspective on this topic. It is really helpful to see the sentiments and thoughts towards such a possibility. Please consider this thread closed for now. Stay assured, we are paying attention to everyone's requirements and concerns and are committed to doing the right thing for all of you.   

[#15]

@akhator 

I think it would be great if we could all just go back to using "C:\Documents and Settings\User\Favorites" IE still uses that folder and it is much easier to manage compared to Chrome bookmarks. Windows and Mac both support the .url files. Sync is convenient, so we could have built-in sync to OneDrive. I really think Chrome should support .url bookmarks. I mean a .url file is just about as platform agnostic as you can get.

What would be really awesome is if I could just use Internet Explorer and be able to switch out rendering engines as desired or needed. So Trident and edgeHTML obviously, but then Blink and WebKit too.

Back to the subject of the thread though, I don't know if an extension would be the best solution. It seems clumsy to me. I wouldn't think that these two browsers are so different that they can't share a database file. You would have to protect it from getting corrupted by it being accessed at the same time or if one browser dramatically changes something. Maybe, folder redirection like what OneDrive uses now, or a write-filter?

[#16]

@akhator I would very much appreciate this feature as I evaluate Edge as an alternative default browser and yes, an extension would work for me.

[#17]

@akhator 

Well. I can understand all the anti-Google hate on here since it's a MS community.

However, it is an added feature we are talking about here. You'll will have the ability to turn it on and off.

If you hate it, you just turn it off. If you need it, you turn it on....

I personally need this feature.

I've been like the majority, Edge was my Chrome downloader.

MS needs to consider the majority of the market uses Google Chrome.

With Chromium Edge, I gave Edge a chance. 

I want it to be my main browser, however, I have everything on Google and on Chrome already.

With the one time sync, I now have everything on Edge. It feels like home. 

I haven't opened Chrome for a while on my laptop.

The problem is that I start to save new information such as password/autofill/creditcard information.

With all these new information, I have to manually import them into Chrome from time to time.

I even started opening Chrome just to operation the task so I can save the information without  manual import.

Why do I need it on Chrome you ask?

- I have an Android device. 

With Google's ecosystem, all my app passwords are saved with Google as well.

NOT JUST in-browser logins.

Don't get me wrong, I have Edge on my Android device too.

But when I try to login to an APP or pay with credit card I saved. I realized that it was saved with Edge instead.

THIS really makes me want to go back to Chrome.

You might not understand if you use iOS or if you don't use autofill.

This is the problem it solves, and I expect to leverage this ongoing sync for a long period of time.

Absence of this ability hugely changes my perspective on Microsoft Edge adoption, I can never 100% give in on using Edge without this feature.

I even recommend my friends to use the new Edge on PC, but they face similar problems and went back to Chrome.

Just remember that currently Google Chrome IS the majority, and this feature is what majority of Chrome users need to give Edge a shot in the first place!

I believe Chrome extension will work for me as long as it does the job; however, i'm not sure if it'll be able to attract the majority of Chrome users.

If during setup process, it shows an option to "allow edge and chrome ongoing sync", or even "allow edge ongoing sync to chrome only", people might feel safer to make Edge their main browser!

Cheers

[#18]

For me it would be a huge support. I love edge and prefer it to chrome, yet I have all my data set up on google, emails, bookmarks, notes, that will not change to microsoft. I use also office 365 and google docs simultaneously, a google sync extension (at least bookmarks, because e.g. passwords, etc. I have in keeper) for the ones who want it and of course not mandatory like some people pointed it here, would be beautiful. Without it I think it will be hard for me to make the switch in the longrun, I am a crossplattform guy and will continue to be so. @akhator 

Thanks!

[#19]

@akhator 

We need this feature because of the Edge couldn't sync bookmarks probably after import from Chrome. Once syncing feature working well, we may not need this anymore.

Edge just able to sync small amount of bookmarks, with large amount, Edge sync wouldn't work as expected.

[#20]

You are right. I am surprised no one is suggesting this. Microsoft should work on increasing the adoption of Edge for Android instead of this.

[#21]

@akhator 

1. Why would you like an ongoing sync between the two? What problem would it solve for you?

To drive corporate adoption of the new Edge we will need to make the transition smoother for users from Chrome to Edge. Until applications are validated for use with the new Edge there will always be exceptions. This would reassure users that it's safe to experiment.

2. Do you expect to leverage this ongoing sync only for a short period of time (for instance during initial assessment of Microsoft Edge) or for long period (continue to use multiple browsers)?

I would hope for short period but plan for long period, as there are sometimes legacy applications and extensions which may take a long time to migrate. We still deploy IE11 as some legacy enterprise apps demand it and won't work without it.

3. How would the absence of this ability change your perspective on Microsoft Edge adoption?

We would have to consider sticking with the current offering which is built in Edge, Chrome and IE11.

4. Would the creation of a Chrome extension fulfil your requirement?

Possibly. Two way sync would be best but one way could be made to work. Would the Chrome extension work in new Edge too?