So many removed flags in Edge Canary Version 84.0.494.0

MVP

After updating to this new build, I noticed these flags are no longer available:

 

Spoiler

Focus Mode
If enabled, allows the user to switch to Focus Mode – Mac, Windows

#focus-mode



Reduce default 'referer' header granularity.
If a page hasn't set an explicit referrer policy, setting this flag will reduce the amount of information in the 'referer' header for cross-origin requests. – Mac, Windows

#reduced-referrer-granularity



Tab Groups
Allows users to organize tabs into visually distinct groups, e.g. to separate tabs associated with different tasks. – Mac, Windows

#tab-groups



Tab Hover Cards
Enables a popup containing tab information to be visible when hovering over a tab. This will replace tooltips for tabs. – Mac, Windows

#tab-hover-cards



Show block option in autoplay settings
If enabled, block will appear as an option in media autoplay settings. – Mac, Windows

#edge-autoplay-user-setting-block-option



Edge Crashes page in React
Enables the Edge Crashes UI to be rendered in React – Mac, Windows

#edge-crashes-page-react



Reading Preferences in Reading View
Enable Reading Preferences in Reading View – Mac, Windows

#edge-reading-view-reading-preferences




Enable Text Highlights for PDF
Enables creation and modification of Text Highlights for PDF. – Mac, Windows

#edge-pdf-highlight




Global Media Controls
Enables the Global Media Controls UI in the toolbar. – Mac, Windows

#global-media-controls




Warning for Passive Mixed Content
Causes a 'Not Secure' chip to be shown in the omnibox if a site contains passive (aka optionally blockable) mixed content. – Mac, Windows

#passive-mixed-content-warning





Negotiation with GCM cipher suites for SRTP in WebRTC
When enabled, WebRTC will try to negotiate GCM cipher suites for SRTP. – Mac, Windows

#enable-webrtc-srtp-aes-gcm




WebRTC hybrid Agc2/Agc1.
WebRTC Agc2 digital adaptation with Agc1 analog adaptation. – Mac, Windows

#enable-webrtc-hybrid-agc




Fractional Scroll Offsets
Enables fractional scroll offsets inside Blink, exposing non-integer offsets to web APIs. – Mac, Windows

#fractional-scroll-offsets




WebAssembly baseline compiler
Enables WebAssembly baseline compilation and tier up. – Mac, Windows

#enable-webassembly-baseline




WebAssembly SIMD support.
Enables support for the WebAssembly SIMD proposal. – Mac, Windows

#enable-webassembly-simd




WebAssembly threads support
Enables support for the WebAssembly Threads proposal. – Mac, Windows

#enable-webassembly-threads


Pull-to-refresh gesture
Pull-to-refresh gesture in response to vertical overscroll. – Windows

#pull-to-refresh




Touch initiated drag and drop
Touch drag and drop can be initiated through long press on a draggable element. – Windows

#enable-touch-drag-drop




Substring matching for Autofill suggestions
Match Autofill suggestions based on substrings (token prefixes) rather than just prefixes. – Mac, Windows

#enable-suggestions-with-substring-match




Enable native notifications.
Enable support for using the native notification toasts and notification center on platforms where these are available. – Mac, Windows

#enable-native-notifications


Bypass user engagement checks
Bypasses user engagement checks for displaying app banners, such as requiring that users have visited the site before and that the banner hasn't been shown recently. This allows developers to test that other eligibility requirements for showing app banners, such as having a manifest, are met. – Mac, Windows

#bypass-app-banner-engagement-checks



Cast Media Route Provider
Enables the native Cast Media Route Provider implementation to be used instead of the implementation in the Media Router component extension. – Mac, Windows

#cast-media-route-provider




Use Windows Runtime MIDI API
Use Windows Runtime MIDI API for WebMIDI (effective only on Windows 10 or later). – Windows

#use-winrt-midi-api




TLS 1.3 Early Data
This option enables TLS 1.3 Early Data, allowing GET requests to be sent during the handshake when resuming a connection to a compatible TLS 1.3 server. – Mac, Windows

#enable-tls13-early-data




Experimental accessibility language detection
Enable language detection for in-page content which is then exposed to assistive technologies such as screen readers. – Mac, Windows

#enable-experimental-accessibility-language-detection




Experimental accessibility language detection for dynamic content
Enable language detection for dynamic content which is then exposed to assistive technologies such as screen readers. – Mac, Windows

#enable-experimental-accessibility-language-detection-dynamic




WinRT Sensor Implementation
Enables usage of the Windows.Devices.Sensors WinRT APIs on Windows for sensors – Windows

#enable-winrt-sensor-implementation




Generic Sensor Extra Classes
Enables an extra set of sensor classes based on Generic Sensor API, which expose previously unavailable platform features, i.e. AmbientLightSensor and Magnetometer interfaces. – Mac, Windows

#enable-generic-sensor-extra-classes




GDI Text Printing
Use GDI to print text as simply text – Windows

#gdi-text-printing




Enable new USB backend
Enables the new experimental USB backend for Windows. – Windows

#new-usb-backend




Service worker on UI thread
Enables browser process logic related to service workers to run on the UI thread rather than the IO thread. – Mac, Windows

#enable-service-worker-on-ui




Force color profile
Forces Microsoft Edge to use a specific color profile instead of the color of the window's current monitor, as specified by the operating system. – Mac, Windows

#force-color-profile

Default
Runs network service in-process
Runs the network service in the browser process. – Mac, Windows

#network-service-in-process

Default
Disable fetch with keepalive set
Disable fetch with keepalive set (https://fetch.spec.whatwg.org/#request-keepalive-flag). – Mac, Windows

#disable-keepalive-fetch

Default
Use XPS for printing
When enabled, use XPS printing API instead of the GDI print API. – Windows

#use-xps-for-printing

Default
Enable lazy image loading
Defers the loading of images marked with the attribute 'loading=lazy' until the page is scrolled down near them. – Mac, Windows

#enable-lazy-image-loading

Default
Enable lazy frame loading
Defers the loading of iframes marked with the attribute 'loading=lazy' until the page is scrolled down near them. – Mac, Windows

#enable-lazy-frame-loading

Default
Disable saving local copy of uploaded card when credit card upload succeeds
When enabled, no local copy of server card will be saved when credit card upload succeeds. – Mac, Windows

#autofill-no-local-save-on-upload-success

Default
Expose 'display: none' nodes for accessibility
Expose 'display: none' nodes that have an HTML ID to the browser process accessibility tree. – Mac, Windows

#enable-accessibility-expose-display-none

Default
Allow Signed HTTP Exchange certificates without extension
Accepts Origin-Signed HTTP Exchanges to be signed with certificates that do not have CanSignHttpExchangesDraft extension. Warning: Enabling this may pose a security risk. – Mac, Windows

#allow-sxg-certs-without-extension

Default
Navigation suggestions for lookalike URLs
Enable navigation suggestions for URLs that are visually similar to popular domains or to domains with a site engagement score. – Mac, Windows

#enable-lookalike-url-navigation-suggestions

Default
Calculate window occlusion on Windows
Calculate window occlusion on Windows will be used in the future to throttle and potentially unload foreground tabs in occluded windows – Windows

#calculate-native-win-occlusion

Default
Allow Intranet Search Engine
Allow automatically adding Intranet single word website as search engine. – Mac, Windows

#edge-allow-intranet-search-engine

Default
Web Platform Fluent Controls
If enabled, HTML forms elements will be rendered using an alternative style to align with Microsoft's design language to improve touch and keyboard accessibility. – Mac, Windows

#edge-controls

Default
De-elevate browser on launch
When the browser is launched in admin mode, automatically relaunch as the currently logged-in user. – Windows

#edge-de-elevate-on-launch

Default
Enable remote debugging through Windows Device Portal
Enables remote debugging of browser tabs over the local network through Windows Device Portal. – Windows

#edge-devtools-wdp-remote-debugging

Default
Enable remote Windows device debugging in edge://inspect
Enables the edge://inspect page to connect DevTools to browser tabs running on remote Windows devices. – Mac, Windows

#edge-inspect-remote-windows-devices

Default
Enable remembering protocol launch prompting preferences
Enables avoiding additional prompts before launching external protocols on a per Origin+Protocol basis – Mac, Windows

#edge-exclude-schemes-per-origin

Default
Experimental Tracking Prevention Features
Enables upcoming and experimental improvements to Tracking Prevention. – Mac, Windows

#edge-experimental-tracking-prevention-features

Default
Use Aura for Find on page
Compose Find on page UI using Aura instead of using a popup window – Windows

#edge-find-aura

Default
Enable IE Diagnostic page
Enables IE diagnostic page in edge://compat – Windows

#edge-internet_explorer-diagnostic-enabled

Default
Enable enhanced hang resistance for IE Integration
Enables enhanced hang resistance for Internet Explorer mode – Windows

#edge-internet-explorer-integration-enhanced-hang-resistance

Default
Enable IE window hang resistance for IE Integration
Enables resistance to Internet Explorer window hangs for Internet Explorer mode – Windows

#edge-internet-explorer-integration-window-hang-resistance

Default
Enable Delete Browsing History Support for Internet Explorer Integration
Enable Delete Browsing History for Internet Explorer Integration on settings page, and Delete Browsing History on Exit integration with Internet Explorer mode. – Windows

#edge-internet-explorer-integration-delete-browsing-history

Default
Enable MIP for PDF
Enables viewing of MIP protected files in the browser – Mac, Windows

#edge-mip-enabled-pdf

Default
Native UI Automation
Enables the native implementation of the UI Automation accessibility API. – Windows

#edge-native-ui-automation

Default
Use Aura for Omnibox
Compose Omnibox using Aura instead of using a popup window – Windows

#edge-omnibox-aura

Default
Microsoft Defender SmartScreen AppRep support
Enable Microsoft Defender SmartScreen AppRep support. – Windows

#edge-smartscreen-apprep

Default
Enable SmartScreen Model Evaluation
If enabled, Microsoft Defender SmartScreen may collect information about sites you visit to evaluate their reputation. – Mac, Windows

#edge-smartscreen-evaluate-model

Default
Potentially unwanted app protection
If enabled, Microsoft Defender SmartScreen will protect against downloading potentially unwanted apps. – Mac, Windows

#edge-smartscreen-pua

Default
Microsoft Edge tracking prevention
Enables tracking prevention in Microsoft Edge – Mac, Windows

#edge-tracking-prevention

Default
TopSites from NextUrlService
If enabled, runs the NextUrl Prediction Model using a client-side ML runtime to produce the list of top sites on the new tab page. – Mac, Windows

#edge-top-sites-from-next-url-service

Default
Application Guard Prelaunch
If enabled, Microsoft Edge Application Guard will be prelaunched in the background when recently used. – Windows

#edge-wdag-prelaunch

Default
Allow Windows Credentials for HTTP Authentication Challenges
Allows the user to share Windows credentials to pass certain HTTP authentication challenges using Windows CredUI including Windows Hello. – Windows

#edge-windows-credentials-for-http-auth

Default
Enable share functionality with Windows Information Protection.
Enables share feature in the browser to honor WIP policies. – Windows

#edge-wip-share-contract

Default
Enable receiver device to handle peer connection requests.
Enables receiver device to connect and share data using a peer to peer connection. – Mac, Windows

#sharing-peer-connection-receiver

Default
Enable sender device to initiate peer connection requests.
Enables the sender devices to connect with chosen device using a peer to peer connection for transferring data. – Mac, Windows

#sharing-peer-connection-sender

Default
CSSOM View Scroll Coordinates
Enables CSSOM View Scroll Coordinates, this affects to box scroll coordinates in scrollTop / scrollLeft / scrollTo' when ScrollOrigin isn't at the left top corner. i.e. For leftwards overflow direction box the X coordinate will start from 0 to negative value. For upwards box the Y coordinate will start from 0 to negative value. And for other directions(rightwards and downwards) the value will start from 0 to positive – Mac, Windows

#enable-cssom-view-scroll-coordinates

Default
Enable Text Fragment Anchor.
Enables scrolling to text specified in URL's fragment. – Mac, Windows

#enable-text-fragment-anchor

Default
Audio Focus Enforcement
Enables enforcement of a single media session having audio focus at any one time. Requires #enable-media-session-service to be enabled too. – Mac, Windows

#enable-audio-focus-enforcement

Default
Media Session Service
Enables the media session mojo service and internal media session support. – Mac, Windows

#enable-media-session-service

Default
Hardware Media Key Handling
Enables using media keys to control the active media session. This requires MediaSessionService to be enabled too – Mac, Windows

#hardware-media-key-handling

Default
Enable occlusion of web contents
If enabled, web contents will behave as hidden when it is occluded by other windows. – Mac, Windows

#web-contents-occlusion

Default
Native File System API
Enables the experimental Native File System API, giving websites access to the native file system – Mac, Windows

#native-file-system-api

Default
Remove the option to save local copies of unmasked server cards
When enabled, the server card unmask prompt will not include the checkbox to also save the card locally on the current device upon success. – Mac, Windows

#autofill-no-local-save-on-unmask-success

Default
Web Platform Controls updated UI
If enabled, HTML forms elements will be rendered using an updated style. – Mac, Windows

#form-controls-refresh

Default
Match @font-face { src: local(<name>) } names by PostScript and full font name.
Match local() src attributes in @font-face declarations precisely by PostScript name and full font name instead of the previous behavior of matching those unspecifically as family names. – Mac, Windows

#font-src-local-matching

Default
Disable mouse implicit capture for iframe
When enable, mouse down does not implicit capture for iframe. – Mac, Windows

#mouse-subframe-no-implicit-capture

Default
Use Windows Spellchecking
Use Windows spellchecking dictionaries when available to find spelling mistakes and provide suggestions. – Windows

#win-use-native-spellchecker

Default
Temporarily unexpire M78 flags.
Temporarily unexpire flags that are expired as of M78. These flags will be removed soon. – Mac, Windows

#temporary-unexpire-flags-m78

Default
Temporarily unexpire M80 flags.
Temporarily unexpire flags that are expired as of M80. These flags will be removed soon. – Mac, Windows

#temporary-unexpire-flags-m80

Default
Secure DNS lookups
Enables DNS over HTTPS. When this feature is enabled, your browser may try to use a secure HTTPS connection to look up the addresses of websites and other web resources. – Mac, Windows

#dns-over-https

Default
Web Bundles
Enables experimental supports for Web Bundles (Bundled HTTP Exchanges) navigation. – Mac, Windows

#web-bundles

Default
Quieter notification permission prompts
Enables quieter permission prompts for notification permission requests. When a site wishes to show notifications, the usual modal dialog is replaced with a quieter version. – Mac, Windows

#quiet-notification-prompts

Default
Back-forward cache
Enables back-forward cache. NOTE: this feature is highly experimental and will lead to various breakages, up to and including user data loss. Do not enable unless you work on this feature – Mac, Windows

#back-forward-cache

Default
Raw Clipboard
Allows raw / unsanitized clipboard content to be read and written. See https://github.com/WICG/raw-clipboard-access. – Mac, Windows

#raw-clipboard

Default

 

the list is huge. must be a bug.

 

13 Replies

Yes, I confirm :cry:

@HotCakeX what I can make out of removing of these flags is most of those flags resemble features:

  • They are working on
  • Have been implemented 
  • May be related to older versions of Chromium

Might be a cleanup of the codebase/flags I guess? 

 

However, the removal of Global Media Controls, I was using it with PiP support on websites...

Tab Hover Cards was good for customizing the tab's tooltip

@tistou I suppose they removed those flags because they are prominent to Chrome- Hover Tab Card, Global Media Controls, Tab Groups.

@Rohit Yadav 

 

I really doubt that's the case this time. it's not just the flags that are removed, the features they were responsible for are removed as well. should be a bug

What a disappointing news, I hope they will come back soon

Hi @HotCakeX, I agree, pretty sure it must be a bug. Otherwise I'd go mad loosing Media Controls. 

 

Btw, I'm fascinated that you're always the first to recognize and inform us of newest changes or newly added/removed flags. Thanks a lot, you're a kind of living Canary changelog that we all miss so much. Meanwhile I just call it Cakelog strikes again ;)

But I'm pretty curious how you do it, raw copy paste the flags list and compare it to the previous one? Or is there a more sophisticated way I didn't get behind by now? Would you like to reveal the magic to us, please? Well, I know you love to keep certain things a bit mysterious (may I say I love your artwork?), but maybe you want to make an exception this time :stareyes:

 

Thanks and best wishes

Vicki

@HotCakeX In build 495, some of the flags seem to be back, including Global Media Controls and other flags. This strengthens my point even further and I still think they removed the flags which were related to older Chromium versions, Chrome features and other categories of flags...

Tab Hover Cards is not present :cry:

Unfortunately a lot of this is upstream too :( I opened Chrome Canary yesterday and was shocked to see that they force tab hover cards. I hate it. I couldn't see the full titles of pages. The only reason I hover over tabs.

I was expecting some of these flags to go but I was hoping that Microsoft and Google would see my preferences and hopefully make good decisions.

btw here's the chromium issue for gesture settings:
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=1060053
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=1064533

It's strange that y'all are saying that those features have been removed too. Must actually be a bug. Phew? I'm still scared after seeing Chrome Canary. Rohit said some flags are back though. I'm going to hold off updating for a while. I don't know when Edge will forcibly update.

Still nothing in the last Canary :cry:

Any comments, MS?

Some gone back, "Tab Hover Cards" for example