It's official: Microsoft has released its new Edge browser[1], built using the Chromium open source code base to the stable channel. The new Edge is available for all supported Windows versions (Windows 7 and later) as well as on MacOS.
On any platform, you can download the new Edge from www.microsoftedge.com[2]. It's a relatively small download and a quick install.
On Windows 10, your legacy Edge browser will be automatically upgraded to the new Edge if you're running a retail version of Windows, but that automatic upgrade won't happen on commercial editions (Enterprise and Server) or on systems where the user has signed in using Active Directory or Azure Active Directory.
You can just dive in and start using the new Edge, but I recommend making a few tweaks first. Most of the steps I outline below apply to all versions, but I've specifically focused on Windows 10 in this post.
Note that you can configure most of the Edge options I describe here by clicking the three dots in the top right corner of the browser window (or pressing Alt+F)and then choosing Settings from the Edge menu. In the following sections, I've used the edge://settings shortcuts that allow you to jump straight to a specific section.
Fine-tune your default browser settings
When you install the new Edge, you're prompted to make it your default browser. You can accept or reject that option, and you can change your mind at any time afterward.
To change your default browser setting in Windows 10, go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps. Click the name under the Web Browser heading to change the current default.
Next, at the bottom of the Default Apps page, click Set Defaults By App, then click the name of your default