Microsoft Edge 137 Beta Update: Key Features, Changes, and AI Integration

With the rollout of Microsoft Edge 137.0.3296.16 in its beta incarnation, a wave of significant changes is cresting for users and IT administrators alike. Microsoft is taking decisive action, trimming down long-standing features, introducing fresh design tweaks, and investing further in productivity-driven AI integrations. This sweeping update represents not merely another iteration in the Edge development cycle but rather a pivotal juncture in Microsoft's evolving browser philosophy.

A Streamlined Browser: Features on the Chopping Block​

One of the most immediate impacts for Edge users is the removal of several commonly used features. Microsoft’s development team has opted to phase out tools such as Wallet Hub, Mini Menu, Image Editor, the Image Hover menu, and Video Super Resolution. According to official statements and corroborated by changelogs, these removals are part of an intentional effort to “support a streamlined experience” by reducing overlapping or rarely used components.

Wallet Hub: Consolidation and Change​

The Wallet Hub, a feature originally envisioned to centralize user payment options, loyalty cards, and select travel reservations, now has its functionality largely folded into the built-in password manager. The dedicated Wallet section in Settings is being retired; its responsibilities—storing and managing personal information, passwords, and payment details—will shift to a unified settings experience. Microsoft claims this change offers users a more intuitive, less cluttered settings interface. However, it's clear that for those reliant on quick-access Wallet features, especially frequent online shoppers or travelers, this will entail some habitual adjustments.

Mini Menu & Image Tools: Missing but Not Forgotten​

The Mini Menu—a floating context interface that enhanced selecting, copying, or translating web text—is also being sunset. For power users used to contextually rich actions (like web research or productivity tasks), this may feel like a regression. More conspicuously, the integrated Image Editor and Image Hover menu, which allowed for simple in-browser image editing and previews, are being cut. While Microsoft hasn’t provided detailed usage metrics, such pruning often aligns with low or declining adoption rates or efforts to reduce code complexity.
Similarly, the highly-touted Video Super Resolution feature, which could upscale lower-quality video streams using onboard hardware, is being retired. This decision is likely influenced by both technical hurdles and real-world demand. Microsoft's original marketing positioned Video Super Resolution as a boon for users on limited data connections or older laptops, but consumer feedback and independent reviews suggest its day-to-day benefits were niche.

Gradual Rollout and Managed Change​

It’s important for users not to panic if these features seem to persist after updating. Microsoft is employing a staged rollout strategy—a proven approach to minimize disruption and collect user telemetry. Businesses and organizations can manage the pace and presence of these changes via group policies such as the EdgeEntraCopilotPageContext, ensuring IT admins maintain granular control over browser capabilities.

Edge’s New Face: Productivity and Multimedia Upgrades​

Where features are subtracted, others are being refined or newly introduced, echoing Microsoft's pivot toward productivity and professional users.

Revamped Picture-in-Picture for Video​

Among the most tangible updates, the redesigned picture-in-picture (PiP) player stands out. Now, users can pause, play, skip, or scrub through video content without leaving the floating window—a functionality that was previously limited or inconsistent across websites. The user experience feels closer to best-in-class solutions by competitors like Chrome or Opera, and Microsoft’s development notes confirm that this revamp is aimed at closing longstanding feature parity gaps.

Smart Copilot Integration: The Real Game Changer​

Perhaps the most ambitious development is Edge’s deepening integration with Microsoft Copilot. Available to Microsoft 365 subscribers, this update brings contextual AI directly into the browsing workflow. Users can prompt Copilot to summarize web pages instantly, receive context-aware suggestions in Business Chat, or ask questions specific to the content of a loaded page. This leap signifies Microsoft's intent to make AI not just a discreet assistant, but rather a core browsing companion.

• Web Page Summaries: Instead of sifting through long articles or reports, users can issue a single prompt and receive a concise summary tailored to their needs.
• Business Chat Suggestions: Professionals operating in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem will appreciate the contextual insights embedded directly into their chats, offering both convenience and potential productivity gains.
• Work Tab Extensions: Copilot now provides smart prompts based on the specific workflow, further entrenching AI as both navigator and collaborator.

However, it's important to note these features are gated behind a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and are subject to a controlled rollout. IT administrators can enable or restrict these capabilities, balancing adoption pace against regulatory or policy requirements.

Other Notable Technical Changes​

Beyond major user-facing shifts, Edge 137 introduces several updates intended for developers and enterprise environments:

Obsolete Policies: MutationEventsEnabled​

With this release, the MutationEventsEnabled policy has been marked obsolete. Developers are instructed to transition to the more modern and efficient MutationObserver API, a shift that aligns Edge with broader web standards and improves site performance and compatibility.

Built-in PDF Enhancements​

Edge's built-in PDF reader, now backed by Adobe Acrobat, receives an internationalization boost. The “Add text” feature—allowing users to annotate or fill in PDF forms—now supports a broader set of languages, underscoring Microsoft’s global ambitions for Edge as a professional productivity tool.

Find on Page and Copilot Chat Integration​

In a boon to content-heavy users, the familiar Ctrl+F “Find on Page” search for Edge for Business is being enhanced with Copilot Chat integration. For those working through dense documentation or technical manuals, this should significantly reduce time spent searching and increase the relevance of search results.

Weighing the Pros and Cons​

The Upside: Simplifying Edge​

The principal strength of this update lies in Microsoft’s willingness to prune features in favor of focus and simplicity. By folding Wallet Hub into the main settings and removing underused or duplicative elements, the browser experience should become less cluttered for the majority of everyday users. The new PiP player and Copilot enhancements offer genuinely useful upgrades, especially for those within the Microsoft 365 and professional productivity ecosystem.
Furthermore, aligning with modern web standards and ending support for legacy APIs like MutationEventsEnabled assures IT teams and developers that Edge’s future remains closely synced with open web development practices.

The Downside: Alienating Power Users and Niche Demands​

Yet, there are tangible downsides. Power users who relied on Mini Menu for advanced text interactions or the in-browser Image Editor for quick photo tweaks may feel abandoned, with no direct replacements in sight. The loss of Video Super Resolution, while perhaps justified based on limited adoption, also removes an advertised differentiator between Edge and its competitors.
Additionally, the march toward AI-driven browsing—while ambitious and in step with current market trends—can be a double-edged sword. Features like deep Copilot integration are inaccessible without a Microsoft 365 subscription, potentially fragmenting the user base into “haves” and “have-nots.” For educational or personal users not embedded in an enterprise ecosystem, these headline features may never be experienced, undermining some of the browser’s innovative allure.
Caution is warranted as well regarding the assumed privacy and security posture; embedding AI tools directly into the browser increases the surface area for potential data triggers and tracking. While Microsoft has repeatedly emphasized its privacy commitments, independent assessments and transparency reports should be referenced before organizations broadly roll out Copilot-enhanced Edge.

Tablets vs. Touch—Who Gains and Who Loses?​

These changes also arrive at a time when Edge is attempting to strengthen its presence on tablets and hybrid touch devices. The removal of lightweight tools like Image Editor or Mini Menu—both of which provided natural utility on touch screens—may represent a step backward for users on tablets or 2-in-1 laptops. Microsoft has yet to announce dedicated replacements or enhancements targeted at this demographic, offering only general reassurances about future “streamlining” being in the user’s best interest.

Enterprise Admins: Policy Management and Controlled Rollouts​

For system administrators, the update’s most valuable aspect is its enhanced manageability. New and existing group policy controls allow granular tuning of feature availability. Especially with the controlled introduction of Copilot capabilities, IT departments can decide when—and if—these machine learning-powered enhancements reach their user base. This controlled deployment model offers a buffer for risk assessment, compatibility testing, and security auditing before widespread adoption.
Additionally, the modernization of developer policies (like sunsetting MutationEventsEnabled) translates to smoother, more standardized deployment pipelines for enterprise web apps.

Market Context: Edge’s Place in the Browser Wars​

Edge 137’s updates land as Microsoft’s browser continues striving for relevance against Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, all of which continue to evolve at a rapid clip. Although Edge’s market share in the desktop browser space has shown incremental growth, real traction will be determined by how seamlessly Microsoft can integrate productivity, security, and AI features—without overburdening users with complexity or subscription requirements.
The removal of rarely-used features may sharpen Edge’s competitive profile for new users seeking a simple, fast browser. However, the gradual gating of advanced and AI-driven features behind Microsoft 365 subscriptions means that its most visionary tools won’t reach the broader consumer market. This bifurcated approach—simplicity and productivity for the masses, full power for subscribers—will likely shape Edge’s evolving reputation and long-term adoption trajectory.

What’s Next? User Feedback and Future Directions​

Given Edge 137’s incremental, policy-driven rollout, early user feedback will play a major role in determining which changes stick and which may be revisited. Microsoft’s recent history of both deprecating and reinstating features based on vocal user response underscores its willingness to pivot when met with substantial criticism or declining engagement metrics.
Savvy users are encouraged to experiment with the new release and provide direct feedback via insider channels. For now, the message from Redmond is clear: Edge is refocusing, condensing, and betting big on AI-driven productivity. Time—and ongoing user sentiment—will reveal whether this vision resonates or prompts another wave of feature reversals.

Conclusion: A Calculated Bet on the Future​

In sum, Edge 137 is a milestone built around calculated trade-offs. Microsoft is trimming the edges, quite literally, in a bid to enhance usability and focus energy where it believes true browser innovation lies—AI, productivity, and deep integration with enterprise tools. For many, this will yield a cleaner, faster browser that keeps pace with work demands and technological shifts. For others, especially those drawn to customization or consumer-oriented novelties, the loss of tools like Wallet Hub, Mini Menu, and Video Super Resolution may reduce Edge’s immediate appeal.
As Microsoft continues iterating at the intersection of simplicity and sophistication, users will ultimately determine whether this leaner, smarter Edge carves out a truly unique place in the browser ecosystem—or merely meets the status quo. For now, the 137 beta release delivers a clear signal: the future of Edge will be guided by clarity, integration, and, above all, adaptability.

---

Source: Windows Report Microsoft just killed these features with Edge 137 beta release