Microsoft Edge Canary has quietly started turning the browser’s New Tab Page into a mini Copilot prompt board — a strip of “Try something new” suggestion cards that push Copilot tasks front and center every time you open a new tab, whether you asked for it or not. The experimental UI places a three-card module beneath the Copilot chat box that pre-fills helpful-looking prompts such as
“Latest on topics I follow,” “Summarize news takeaways,” or
“Turn my browsing into an image.” Clicking a card opens Copilot with the prompt already filled in, and the suggestions refresh on each new tab — a behavior that testers say can interrupt fast tab-based workflows.
Background
Why this matters now
Microsoft has been aggressively integrating Copilot into Edge for months, evolving the assistant from a sidebar experiment into a persistent, mode-level capability called
Copilot Mode that can read multiple open tabs, summarize content, and — with explicit permission — perform multi‑step web tasks. This broader strategy makes Copilot a primary interaction surface in the browser rather than just an optional tool tucked away in menus. Independent reporting and hands‑on analysis show Copilot Mode is being rolled out as an opt‑in, staged preview and is heavily exercised in Edge Canary builds where Microsoft tests new UI and features.
Canary vs Dev vs Stable: what “experimental” means
Edge ships in multiple channels.
Canary is the most experimental and receives daily builds, so new behaviors you see there often exist only for testing and may never reach Dev or Stable. Microsoft’s developer documentation and the Edge team’s change notes consistently point readers to Canary as the place for early experiments; that matches how Copilot Mode and related features have appeared in practice. Expect features to appear in Canary first, later to Dev, and finally to Stable — but also expect rollback, redesign, or outright removal while testing continues.
What’s changed on the New Tab Page
The new “Try something new” prompt cards
Testers have spotted a new block on the New Tab Page, titled
“Try something new,” that shows three Copilot suggestion cards immediately under the Copilot chat box. Each card highlights a task-oriented suggestion (for example:
Latest on topics I follow,
Summarize news takeaways,
Turn my browsing into an image) and includes a
Try it action. Clicking that action launches Copilot with the corresponding prompt pre-filled, effectively shortening the path from “open a tab” to “start an assisted task.” This UI element appears in Edge Canary builds at time of testing.
Dynamic, adaptive suggestions
The cards reportedly rotate with each new tab and appear to be
contextual — Edge changes examples based on how you use Copilot and possibly your browsing patterns. In practice, this means the suggestion set is not static and the New Tab surface becomes a live place for Copilot discovery rather than a blank page or a quick-launch surface. Early testers note the cards reload when multiple tabs are opened quickly, which can create a perceptible UI flicker or momentary readjustment of the new-tab layout.
Where the control lives
If the behavior is unwanted, Edge Canary exposes a toggle to turn the suggestion block off: open a new tab, click the New Tab Page settings (Page Settings icon), locate
Copilot suggestions, and switch it off. That removes the “Try something new” section entirely from the New Tab Page in that build. Because this is an experimental Canary behavior, the exact setting name or location could change before any broader rollout.
Hands‑on UX: how this feels in real use
For casual users and Copilot adopters
For people actively using Copilot or curious about AI features, the suggestion cards are a convenience: they surface productive starter prompts, lower the discovery barrier for Copilot capabilities, and can help users discover workflows (e.g., multi‑tab summarization or image generation) without digging into menus. The design aligns with Microsoft’s goal of making Copilot more discoverable and reducing friction to first use.
For power users and tab-heavy workflows
For users who rely on the keyboard and fast tab openings to jump to a URL or to start a quick search, the rotating card block can feel like clutter or interruption. Testers reported the suggestions reloading as new tabs open and suggested the experience can break the mental model of “open a new blank tab = type a URL.” That’s especially relevant for users who keep their New Tab Page set to about:blank or who use it as a rapid navigation surface. The suggestion cards change the default expectation from “blank canvas” to “assistant prompt.”
Accessibility and visual weight
Adding a third, changing module to the New Tab Page increases visual density. If the Discover feed, Quick Links, and Copilot chat box are already present, the New Tab surface can quickly feel busy. For users who prefer minimalism or who depend on assistive technologies, the additional elements increase navigational complexity unless Microsoft ensures clear focus order, keyboard shortcuts, and ARIA labeling for each suggestion. The Canary build’s experimental nature means accessibility polish may still be forthcoming.
Verification and what’s uncertain
- Verified: Microsoft has pushed significant Copilot integration into Edge, including Copilot Mode features (multi‑tab summarization, agentic Actions, and Journeys). Multiple independent outlets and hands-on reports confirm Copilot’s expanding role in Edge and its staged, opt‑in preview model.
- Verified: The “Try something new” suggestion cards have been observed in Edge Canary and the New Tab Page includes a Copilot suggestions toggle to disable them in that build. This behavior was reported by testers and demonstrated in screenshots circulating with the report.
- Unverified / single-source: The exact card texts shown in early screenshots (for example “Latest on topics i follow”, “Summarize news takeaways”, “Turn my browsing into an image”) and the card rotation cadence currently derive from a single published hands‑on report and screenshots. Other outlets have not yet produced independent reproductions of the exact phrasing or rotation behavior. Treat those specific prompt strings as observational evidence rather than confirmed, permanent product copy.
- Evolving behavior: Because this feature appears in Canary, Microsoft may refine copy, controls, or roll‑out logic; it may never reach Stable in this form. Edge experiments frequently change between Canary, Dev, Beta, and Stable channels.
Strengths: what this change offers
- Boosted discoverability: The cards actively surface Copilot capabilities that many users otherwise won’t find, potentially increasing helpful adoption for productivity workflows like multi‑tab summarization and quick content transforms.
- Reduced friction to start tasks: Pre-filled prompts cut the steps between intent and execution — useful when Copilot can produce concise outputs (summaries, images, or topic digests) that would otherwise require several manual steps.
- Tight product integration: The change is consistent with Microsoft’s strategy to integrate Copilot across Windows and its apps — placing generative AI where users already work instead of behind separate apps or extensions. That can create productivity synergies when combined with Microsoft 365 connectors or on‑device protections.
Risks and downsides
- UX interruption: Rotating suggestions on each new tab and a visual module below the chat box can slow down users who expect new tabs to be minimal or blank. This interrupts established workflows and keyboard-first patterns.
- Default‑nudge concerns: The placement of Copilot suggestions on the New Tab Page is another example of how platform vendors surface first‑party services in prime UI real estate. For privacy‑minded users or those preferring competitor AI tools, repeated nudges may feel like coercive design. Historical examples show that such nudging degrades trust if users feel the controls are hidden or ineffective.
- Privacy and telemetry questions: Copilot’s usefulness rises with contextual access — reading open tabs, history, or page content. Microsoft states many of these capabilities are permissioned and opt‑in, but when suggestions route users toward functionality that requires granting context access, it increases the chance non‑technical users inadvertently expose sensitive content. Enterprises and privacy-conscious users should review Page Context and telemetry settings.
- Fragmented control surfaces: Experimental settings live in different places (page-level settings on the New Tab Page, global Copilot toggles, enterprise policies), which can confuse users who want a single persistent opt‑out. Canary behavior may also differ between builds, making it harder to provide stable guidance to end users.
How to disable Copilot suggestions in Edge (practical steps)
- Open a new tab in Edge Canary.
- Click the Page Settings icon (usually a gear or similar control on the New Tab Page).
- Locate Copilot suggestions in the settings panel.
- Toggle Copilot suggestions off. This should remove the “Try something new” section from the New Tab Page in that build.
Notes:
- Because this is an experimental Canary control, the setting label or location may differ in other Edge channels or future builds.
- For enterprise environments, administrators should consult Edge group policy templates and administrative templates to control Copilot-related features centrally.
Enterprise and policy considerations
Administrative controls and governance
Enterprises should treat Copilot and its New Tab prompts as features that require governance. Microsoft’s messaging around Copilot Mode emphasizes opt‑in permissioning and enterprise controls; administrators can apply group policies to restrict Page Context access, telemetry, or Copilot usage in managed profiles. IT teams should:
- Audit Edge settings templates and Group Policy / Intune profiles for Copilot toggles.
- Test Canary or Dev builds in a lab environment before permitting them inside corporate images.
- Train users about Page Context permission flows, and enforce DLP protections where necessary when Copilot is allowed to access enterprise content.
User education
Because prompts and nudges can steer non‑technical users toward giving access, clear training materials and in‑app prompts that explain what Copilot can and cannot access are essential. Admins should provide short, actionable guidance: when to enable Page Context, when to avoid using Copilot on private or sensitive pages, and how to disable the New Tab suggestions if preferred.
How this compares to rival browsers
- Google Chrome has been experimenting with AI-powered features but has largely embedded assistant features into the omnibox or separate experimental flags rather than turning the New Tab Page into a prompt board.
- OpenAI’s ChatGPT Atlas and Perplexity’s Comet take a different approach: they center the assistant as a persistent sidecar or first-class product experience rather than adding assistant suggestions to a general-purpose browser’s New Tab Page.
- Microsoft’s strategy is distinct: instead of shipping a new browser, it layers Copilot into Edge and uses the New Tab Page and the omnibox as discovery points. This choice favors a “reach users where they already are” approach but also invites scrutiny over how discoverability affects choice and competition.
Recommendations for Windows and Edge users
- If you dislike the suggestion cards, turn them off in Page Settings immediately while using Canary builds until the feature stabilizes or the setting becomes persistent across channels.
- For privacy-sensitive browsing, avoid granting Page Context or cross‑tab permissions to Copilot unless you explicitly need multi‑tab synthesis for research or work tasks. Review Copilot permission prompts carefully before acceptance.
- Enterprises should pin down policy settings for Copilot features and test configurations across channels. Consider blocking Canary usage on managed devices or restricting Copilot Mode to approved user groups during rollout.
Final analysis: useful nudges or creeping default engineering?
Microsoft’s New Tab Copilot suggestion cards represent a predictable next step in the company’s Copilot-first push: surface helpful AI prompts where users can discover them and make the assistant an obvious option. For many, that will be a net positive — quick, pre-filled prompts reduce friction, and Copilot’s cross-tab capabilities can save time on research and synthesis tasks.
But this feature also underscores tensions that have accompanied platform-level AI integration since the technology’s arrival: discoverability vs. interruption, assistance vs. steering, and convenience vs. privacy tradeoffs. The fact this appears in Edge Canary — and that the precise texts and rotation logic have only been documented in a single hands-on report so far — means the behavior is still provisional. Users and administrators should treat reported details as tentative and verify the behavior in their own builds before accepting it as permanent.
In short: the “Try something new” cards are another example of Microsoft making Copilot easier to try — valuable for productivity-minded users and frustrating for those who prize a lean, predictable New Tab experience. The ability to disable the feature at the New Tab Page level is good, but persistent trust requires transparent defaults, clear enterprise controls, and easily discoverable, persistent opt‑outs as the feature migrates beyond Canary (if it does).
Conclusion
Edge’s New Tab Page is evolving from a launchpad into a discovery canvas for Copilot features — intentionally so. That makes the browser more powerful for those who embrace an assistant-first workflow, and more intrusive for those who rely on the New Tab for rapid navigation. Because the feature lives in Canary today, expect iteration: Microsoft may refine the interface, improve accessibility and controls, or change the nudging logic entirely. Until then, users who prefer a minimalist New Tab can disable
Copilot suggestions in the Page Settings, and enterprise teams should apply governance and user education as Copilot becomes a central part of the Edge experience.
Source: Windows Report
Edge turns the New Tab Page into a Copilot prompt board, whether you asked for it or not