Microsoft Edge 137 Update: Features Removed, New Security & AI Enhancements

Microsoft Edge, the browser that once aimed to set itself apart from the pack through a rich tapestry of features, has just undergone a transformation that is making waves in the Windows community. The recent arrival of Edge version 137.0.3296.52 in the Stable channel has sparked extensive discussion—not just for what’s newly introduced, but for what is conspicuously missing. While software updates are typically moments of anticipation and promise, this particular rollout illustrates the double-edged sword of progress: even as useful tools and fresh capabilities appear, cherished features slip away into the browser graveyard.

A Closer Look: What’s Gone and Why It Matters​

Anyone who has made Microsoft Edge part of their daily workflow will immediately notice some prominent absences. With version 137, Microsoft has removed several features that previously helped the browser stand apart:

• Image Editor: Once a convenient way to annotate or tweak images directly within Edge, the removal of this built-in tool means users will now need to rely on external apps or web-based solutions for quick edits.
• Image Hover Menu: This streamlined interface for interacting with images—allowing quick saves, sharing, or copy actions—no longer pops up, curbing some of Edge’s signature convenience.
• Mini Menu: The compact context menu designed for faster access to text manipulation and sharing is now absent, disrupting established habits for many users.
• Video Super Resolution (VSR): A much-touted feature that upscaled streaming video quality, VSR is now gone. For media enthusiasts and those with lower resolution content, this is an undeniable loss.
• Wallet Hub: Edge’s attempt at digital wallet integration has also exited the stage. While this sounds drastic, Microsoft has made concessions to continuity—explained below.

This series of removals signals a broader shift in Microsoft’s approach, likely motivated by a combination of telemetry data, usage statistics, and resource management. While Edge, as part of its Chromium foundation, can draw upon a vast ecosystem of extensions, many users depended on these native features for their speed, security, and integration.

The Fate of Wallet Hub and Your Data​

Wallet Hub’s removal could have spelled confusion or even panic for anyone relying on Edge to store payment credentials or personal data. However, Microsoft has clarified that all Wallet information will automatically migrate to the integrated password manager. This tool now supports not just passwords and logins, but also stores payment details and personal info, centralizing sensitive data in a single, more robust location. This consolidation aligns Edge more closely with competing browsers like Chrome and Firefox, which have similarly been folding wallet features into their password managers for convenience and simplicity. As always, users are advised to review their saved data for accuracy and completeness following a migration of this nature.

What’s New in Edge 137? Notable Additions and Improvements​

Despite the reduction in feature count, Edge 137 is no mere slim-down operation. Microsoft has introduced several upgrades, some of which stand to fundamentally reshape the experience for users in both home and enterprise settings.

Smarter Playback in Picture-in-Picture Mode​

One quality-of-life improvement comes in the form of enhanced playback controls for picture-in-picture (PiP) video. Until now, PiP in Edge allowed basic play and pause, but the updated version gives users more control:

• Skip forward and rewind without leaving PiP
• Drag the progress bar directly
• Smoother experience for multitaskers in meetings or while watching tutorials

This aligns Edge’s behavior more closely with dedicated media players, reflecting Microsoft’s attention to the evolving ways users consume content alongside work or browsing.

Web Content Filtering: A Leap for Enterprise Security​

Perhaps the most significant addition comes for administrators and corporations. First announced at Build 2025, the new Web Content Filtering tool enables IT teams to block entire categories of sites—adult, gambling, or other undesirables—using policy controls. The system:

• Receives daily updates for URL categories, keeping pace with the ever-changing web
• Is currently in preview, meaning final behavior and UI may still shift
• Offers enterprise peace of mind and reduces the need for third-party extensions

By integrating this natively, Microsoft is leveraging its cloud and AI infrastructure to help enterprises enforce safer browsing environments, likely in direct response to increasingly sophisticated privacy and compliance challenges.

Microsoft 365 Copilot: Beyond Buzzwords​

Edge 137’s release also expands the reach of Microsoft 365 Copilot, a suite of AI-driven features originally targeted at Office and cloud users but now becoming deeply embedded into the browser:

• Page Summaries and Contextual Queries: These surface in the Work tab, letting users extract quick insights from corporate intranets or SharePoint pages.
• Find on Page in Copilot Chat: Edge for Business users can now perform granular document searches via natural language, reducing time spent hunting for information in long web pages or internal documentation.

This shift underscores Microsoft’s grand strategy: blur the boundaries between browser, productivity, AI assistant, and workspace hub.

Bug Fixes and Security: The Unseen Work​

Behind the scenes, Edge 137 quietly addresses numerous technical issues. One standout is a fix to a nagging bug where links clicked in Outlook or Teams failed to display sidebar content if the sidebar was hidden. For busy professionals, this resolves a frustrating barrier to workflow.
More urgently, this update also patches eight documented security vulnerabilities. While Microsoft hasn’t released exhaustive details (likely for risk mitigation), users and admins are encouraged to review the official Security Update Guide for deeper technical insights and ensure prompt deployment across devices.

Critical Analysis: Edge’s Razor-Thin Balancing Act​

The trajectory of Edge’s development—and indeed, Microsoft’s broader approach to its user-facing software—mirrors the constant tug-of-war between innovation, simplification, and resource constraint.

Strengths​

• Focus on Enterprise Needs: Through tools like Web Content Filtering and Copilot integration, Edge is doubling down on the lucrative business and education markets. These verticals crave not just security, but compliance and deep Microsoft 365 integration.
• Media and Multitasking Improvements: Enhanced PiP controls reflect a thoughtful approach to user experience, recognizing that browsers are more media-centric than ever. By baking in better controls, Edge remains competitive for users who demand flexibility.
• Security Vigilance: Regular patching and bug squashing is non-negotiable in today’s threat landscape. Microsoft’s commitment to rapid response here earns justified praise.

Risks and Downsides​

• Loss of Differentiation: The removed features, notably Image Editor and Video Super Resolution, set Edge apart from Chrome and other Chromium derivatives. With these gone, users may ask: What makes Edge unique now? There’s a risk that, in seeking to streamline, Microsoft will erase the distinctiveness fans appreciated.
• User Confusion and Disruption: Removing features—especially with little warning—can frustrate loyal users and erode trust. For those who built routines around features like the Mini Menu, this can mean additional friction or even incentive to look elsewhere.
• Migration Growing Pains: Even with data consolidation (like the Wallet migration to Password Manager), there is always a non-zero risk of lost information or unexpected behavioral quirks. Tech-savvy users may adapt quickly, but average users may not discover the new location of features until an inopportune moment.

Community Reaction and Early Sentiment​

Though it’s too soon to find large-scale usage reports, early chatter on forums and social media falls into two camps: those who appreciate the leaner, faster browser that Edge has become, and those left mourning the sudden disappearance of tools they relied on. Several Edge power users have already shared workarounds, such as recommending specific extensions or external software to fill the gap left by the Image Editor and VSR. Some even speculate that Edge’s roadmap is becoming more reactive—focused on supporting Microsoft’s strategic ambitions around AI and enterprise, rather than delivering incremental convenience features for individual users.

Outlook: The Path Ahead for Microsoft Edge​

The stakes for Microsoft Edge have never been higher. In a world where Google Chrome dominates and browser innovation largely happens behind the scenes, moves like those embodied by version 137 are more than just technical shuffles—they are philosophical choices about what kind of software gets to define a user’s digital life.
Whether Edge’s pivot toward enterprise controls, AI integration, and security can offset the dismay of feature-hungry users remains to be seen. What is clear is that Microsoft is willing to make hard trade-offs, betting that the future of browsing will be anchored in ever-closer ties to the cloud, to AI, and to the nuanced needs of business and institutional customers.
For users—both die-hard Edge fans and those just passing through—the message is mixed. Expect more change, perhaps less bloat, and a browser that increasingly anchors itself as the “front end” to Microsoft’s sprawling cloud ambitions. If there’s a lesson to be taken from Edge 137, it’s to keep your workflows flexible and your expectations nimble.

Key Takeaways​

• Microsoft Edge 137 removes several built-in features, including Image Editor, Mini Menu, Video Super Resolution, and Wallet Hub, prompting users to seek third-party alternatives or adapt their routines.
• Critical user data from Wallet Hub will be retained and migrated to the Edge password manager, reducing risk of data loss.
• New features—smarter PiP controls, enterprise web content filtering, and expanded Copilot integration—signal a renewed focus on security, productivity, and AI-driven workflows.
• The update patches multiple vulnerabilities and fixes longstanding bugs, reinforcing Edge’s security posture.
• These changes reflect a drive towards enterprise and AI-centric use cases, but risk leaving longtime individual users feeling underserved or left behind.

Anyone updating to Edge 137 should review their workflows, revisit the viability of alternative apps for deprecated features, and stay tuned for further shifts as Microsoft continues to redefine what its browser should be. Swift, sometimes jarring evolution is now the norm. The only certainty for Edge users is that the browser’s identity will keep changing—sometimes for the better, sometimes at real cost—whenever Microsoft senses the wind of opportunity or danger.

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Source: Windows Report Edge 137 hits Stable Channel, takes away some useful features