Add Import/Export Flags option

[HotCakeX]

Let us import/export the list of enabled flags in Edge insider so we can apply it again to other builds or the same build after a reinstall.

alternative is to sync flags with our Microsoft account like passwords, favorites etc.

[#2]

Hi @HotCakeX, we view flags as a very temporary way for us to experiment and control feature roll-outs.  If you are dependent on a flag, either being enabled or disabled, filing feedback is a much better way.  We can then look at either adding it as a fully supported feature, or as a setting that users can toggle on and off.  Thanks - Elliot

[#3]

Oh, I like what your saying Elliot.

Dennis5mile

[#4]

Thanks for clarifying, I didn't know you view flags that way,
in that case, would you please consider this:
you are using controlled roll out or A/B testing so unlike Google Chrome canary, not everyone have access to the same feature sets.
also now you mentioned that you use flags to experiment and control feature roll-outs.
the problem is, not every feature that you introduce as part of the controlled or A/B rollout, can be activated using flags. the switch is still in the hands of the Edge team.
for example the new privacy dashboard design, or the share button, or the tab grouping feature and many more features like that, are not available in flags.
there is no way for an enthusiastic user to test out these new features, because we have no control over them.
Canary channel is kind of supposed to be having bleeding edge technology, not very much stability although stability is very great.

[#5]

Also I noticed that you are categorizing users based on their country and location which on Internet is very relative (using proxies, VPNs and other similar technologies that are prevalent these days), is it possible to inform Edge insider users about exact country restrictions?
I honestly don't see why there needs to be one. for example on the Windows insider, Cortana 2 beta was for a period of time only available in U.S and gradually expanded to other regions. it's understandable because it's a voice assistant and given the fact that it's deeply integrated with Windows, user spoken language and such it's ok to have a controlled roll out.
but I'm experiencing very weird behaviors in the Edge insider. I happen to be using VPNs a lot with various IPs and what i'm seeing is that Edge insider is automatically adding or removing features on the fly, mostly happens when I turn on/off VPN.
for for example now I'm in the Edge settings and i'm seeing the new design, some minutes later i refresh the same settings page and it reverts back to the old design!
the same applies to share button, tab grouping and most likely to the future additions which will be part of the same roll out.
I really hope something be done about that..Thank you!

[#6 · Accepted solution]

So i found a workaround for this, even though there hasn't still been added any functionality to the UI, it can be done using unconventional ways.

The file containing the state of flags is in the user directory.

for Edge Canary: "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge SxS\User Data\Local State"

for Edge Dev: "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge Dev\User Data\Local State"

for Edge Stable: "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Local State"

*replace USERNAME with your own Windows Username.

You can backup the "Local State" to keep your applied flags or keep the record of them.

you can use the file by copying it to multiple machines to apply the same flags to all of them. it can be done in organizations and push the same flags to all of computers.

I tried it myself on latest Edge Canary and Dev (version 81) and it worked.

[#7]

So are you saying that I can copy the file "Local State" from Canary and paste it into Dev and end up with the same flags I have in Can? Or does Can have to stay with Can and Dev with Dev?

Dennis5mile

[#8]

Well i only tried with browsers on the same channel, it could also work between different channels but you have to keep in mind that canary usually has newer flags than dev so not all flags will work 🙂

[#9]

@HotCakeX  the copy paste for local state dont work in edge browser, even if you paste the files would revert back as soon as edge loads again