If you’ve just gotten used to the comforting blankness (or perhaps mildly annoying news widgets and random Bing images) of Microsoft Edge’s New Tab Page, brace yourself: the Edge team is at it again, wielding their experimental hammer in the chaotic playground that is Edge Canary. This time, they’re daring to replace your sacred New Tab Page (NTP) with none other than Copilot, Microsoft’s ever-chatty AI sidekick. Yes, you read that right—opening a new tab may soon plunge you straight into an AI conversation, as if Clippy never truly died but evolved and got supercharged with GPT. Welcome to the future where every new browser tab demands your attention like an overzealous digital butler.
Let’s set the scene: Edge Canary isn’t your typical browser. It’s Microsoft’s digital laboratory, the software equivalent of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, minus the Oompa-Loompas and plus a whole lot of telemetry. Here, oddities emerge and sometimes disappear without a trace. Some features make it to the masses; others are quietly swept under the digital rug, perhaps whispered about in developer Slack channels as cautionary tales.
In the latest round of A/B mischief, Microsoft is testing a bold overhaul: ditching the fairly static New Tab Page in favor of Copilot, their increasingly omnipresent AI. No more unassuming tabs. Instead, you’re welcomed by an interface where you can “chat with Copilot, search the web, and navigate to URLs—all in one place.” Read: Edge wants to know what you want before you even realize you want it.
For IT professionals, this signals a radical rethinking of browser interactivity. The browser’s new tab—once a safe, almost meditative starting point—threatens to become a whirlwind of algorithms eager to guess your next move. Are we ready for this jump? Or, to paraphrase Jurassic Park, is Microsoft so preoccupied with whether it could, it didn’t stop to think if it should?
To the weary IT department, ever-dreading another “critical update,” these flags promise new policies (and headaches) to manage, additional user training, and likely more 3AM calls about “the browser talking to me again.” Some say innovation is a double-edged sword. If these experiments land poorly, it might also be a dull one.
The interaction also includes an option to display your most-visited sites while Copilot lingers below, eager to help or, perhaps, to gently judge your browsing choices. “Ten visits to cat videos today? Let’s talk about productivity strategies, shall we?”
For those who used to treat the New Tab Page as hallowed blank space, this AI-centric reimagining is akin to finding your library replaced with an unsolicited Ted Talk.
However, as any IT pro knows, changing something as fundamental as the new tab action is akin to moving the office coffee machine—everyone will notice, few will be pleased, and there will be complaints. For enterprise settings, the specter of privacy concerns looms large. What data does Copilot see? Who’s eavesdropping on those “quick” conversations? And will we be drafting new policies before users draft their first AI-fuelled shopping list?
Furthermore, not everyone wants an assistant. Sometimes the best conversation with your browser is none at all. While Microsoft gambles on Copilot’s charm, some users will view this as “feature bloat” par excellence—a New Tab Page that tries to do everything and risks pleasing nobody in particular.
On enterprise and education machines, user habits are notoriously hard to change. The NTP is a critical launchpad for frequently-used sites, intranet links, and dashboards. Swapping it out for an AI mediator could upend workflows and spark confusion. Some may love Copilot’s advice; others will yearn for their meticulously cultivated custom NTPs.
Admins should brace for:
For the few brave souls who used Mobile Wallet—perhaps to earn those sweet Bing Rewards—the news is met with disappointment but little surprise. Microsoft giveth, Microsoft taketh away, especially in features you just figured out how to use.
Add in another tweak: Edge may soon “open a bunch of websites based on your browsing history upon launch.” Nothing screams “big brother” like a browser that assumes you want your recently-visited vacation planning sites to pop up every morning during the Monday sales meeting.
The corporate narrative is the same: more productivity, smarter search, an interface that “thinks with you.” But as with all sweeping AI initiatives, there’s the blush of innovation—and the risk of overreach. It’s all too easy to end up with features that are technically impressive but practically extraneous.
For the SEO cynics among us, this could be a search play too. Channeling queries into Copilot keeps users on Bing, harvesting more engagement data, and maybe, just maybe, clawing a little market share from Google. If they can distract you long enough with banter and chatbot wisdom, maybe you won’t wander back to that familiar, googly search bar we all grew up with.
But history shows that experiments sometimes become defaults. Anyone who’s suffered through sudden UI redesigns knows the pain. Microsoft could decide this Copilot NTP is the future, shoving it onto every device within reach, and leaving legions of frustrated users to Google “how to restore classic new tab page in Edge.” (Pro tip: start learning about Edge flags now.)
IT professionals, prepare your shields and PowerShell scripts. Users, brace for new tab surprises. As for Copilot, it’ll be waiting, ready to offer advice, answers, or—if you’re lucky—a witty rejoinder about tab explosion.
Change is the only constant in tech, but not all change is progress. Sometimes it’s just someone, somewhere, trying to fix what wasn’t broken, one experimental flag at a time.
Source: Windows Report Microsoft Edge experiments with replacing New Tab Page with Copilot
The Edge of Experimentation: Canary Edition
Let’s set the scene: Edge Canary isn’t your typical browser. It’s Microsoft’s digital laboratory, the software equivalent of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, minus the Oompa-Loompas and plus a whole lot of telemetry. Here, oddities emerge and sometimes disappear without a trace. Some features make it to the masses; others are quietly swept under the digital rug, perhaps whispered about in developer Slack channels as cautionary tales.In the latest round of A/B mischief, Microsoft is testing a bold overhaul: ditching the fairly static New Tab Page in favor of Copilot, their increasingly omnipresent AI. No more unassuming tabs. Instead, you’re welcomed by an interface where you can “chat with Copilot, search the web, and navigate to URLs—all in one place.” Read: Edge wants to know what you want before you even realize you want it.
For IT professionals, this signals a radical rethinking of browser interactivity. The browser’s new tab—once a safe, almost meditative starting point—threatens to become a whirlwind of algorithms eager to guess your next move. Are we ready for this jump? Or, to paraphrase Jurassic Park, is Microsoft so preoccupied with whether it could, it didn’t stop to think if it should?
NTP Composer: Experimental Flags and Chaos in the Lab
Let’s do a quick tour of the experimental flags Microsoft is tinkering with:- NTP Composer: Activates the new, Copilot-infused New Tab Page, promising a “new way to chat, search, and navigate” that presumably won’t immediately induce fear in seasoned sysadmins.
- NTP Composer Chat Ranking: Adjusts the order of chat suggestions in the search box because, apparently, even our casual AI conversations require algorithmic curation.
- NTP Composer Focus: Sets autofocus to the Unified Composer from the NTP Online experience—raising the stakes for anyone who opens new tabs with trembling hands.
- NTP Composer Use Copilot Search: Redirects your search suggestions to Copilot instead of generic web search, making sure the AI always has the first word.
To the weary IT department, ever-dreading another “critical update,” these flags promise new policies (and headaches) to manage, additional user training, and likely more 3AM calls about “the browser talking to me again.” Some say innovation is a double-edged sword. If these experiments land poorly, it might also be a dull one.
A New Tab for the Copilot Era
Patchwork flag-fiddling aside, what does this NTP Copilot experience look like? Here’s the breakdown: open a new tab and, instead of the familiar assortment of shortcuts, news, and that Bing daily image you never asked for, you’re gifted a Copilot search box. Three options accompany it:- Default: Lets you search, navigate, and chat. Basically, it’s Jack-of-all-trades but master of none.
- Search and Navigate: Focuses on “smarter search” with Copilot’s AI flexing its suggestion muscles.
- Chat: Limits you to direct questions and conversations with the AI—a minimalistic talking mode for those who want less clutter and more existential queries about the meaning of tab-opening.
The interaction also includes an option to display your most-visited sites while Copilot lingers below, eager to help or, perhaps, to gently judge your browsing choices. “Ten visits to cat videos today? Let’s talk about productivity strategies, shall we?”
For those who used to treat the New Tab Page as hallowed blank space, this AI-centric reimagining is akin to finding your library replaced with an unsolicited Ted Talk.
Implications: The Rise of Conversational Browsing (or Annoyance?)
Microsoft’s vision seems clear: Copilot, once a sidebar novelty, is to become a persistent, almost intrusive part of the web experience. Why settle for a mere search bar when you can have instant AI banter laced with your browsing motives? The hope is users will grow to love Copilot as a sort of “web-wheeling, problem-solving, advice-giving” sidekick.However, as any IT pro knows, changing something as fundamental as the new tab action is akin to moving the office coffee machine—everyone will notice, few will be pleased, and there will be complaints. For enterprise settings, the specter of privacy concerns looms large. What data does Copilot see? Who’s eavesdropping on those “quick” conversations? And will we be drafting new policies before users draft their first AI-fuelled shopping list?
Furthermore, not everyone wants an assistant. Sometimes the best conversation with your browser is none at all. While Microsoft gambles on Copilot’s charm, some users will view this as “feature bloat” par excellence—a New Tab Page that tries to do everything and risks pleasing nobody in particular.
Real-World IT Impact: “Edge Cases” in Enterprise and Education
Edge, despite steady gains, remains the “other browser” on many systems, stubbornly clinging to market share like a determined second-placer in a three-legged race against Chrome and Firefox. This experiment, if it sticks, could be a differentiator—or just another reason admins sigh before updating GPOs.On enterprise and education machines, user habits are notoriously hard to change. The NTP is a critical launchpad for frequently-used sites, intranet links, and dashboards. Swapping it out for an AI mediator could upend workflows and spark confusion. Some may love Copilot’s advice; others will yearn for their meticulously cultivated custom NTPs.
Admins should brace for:
- Increased User Queries: “Why is my new tab talking to me?” “Is this thing secure?” Good thing you’re always on call.
- Policy Reviews: A fresh crop of IT settings to restrict or tune AI behavior, lest Copilot shares stock tips with accounting.
- Training Needs: Suddenly, “how to talk to your browser” is not just joking banter but an honest item on onboarding checklists.
The Shadow of Feature Deprecation and Baffling Choices
Of course, the march of progress has casualties. Alongside the great Copilot NTP experiment, Microsoft is also signaling the demise of the Mobile Wallet feature in Edge on Android. Yes, while trying to infuse AI into the new tab, they’re quietly killing off another utility.For the few brave souls who used Mobile Wallet—perhaps to earn those sweet Bing Rewards—the news is met with disappointment but little surprise. Microsoft giveth, Microsoft taketh away, especially in features you just figured out how to use.
Add in another tweak: Edge may soon “open a bunch of websites based on your browsing history upon launch.” Nothing screams “big brother” like a browser that assumes you want your recently-visited vacation planning sites to pop up every morning during the Monday sales meeting.
The Bigger Context: Microsoft’s AI-First Strategy
If this all feels like déjà vu, that’s because it is. Microsoft has been busily threading Copilot into every corner of its ecosystem: from the Office suite to Windows 11 itself, and now spring-boarding Copilot straight to the forefront of browser interaction.The corporate narrative is the same: more productivity, smarter search, an interface that “thinks with you.” But as with all sweeping AI initiatives, there’s the blush of innovation—and the risk of overreach. It’s all too easy to end up with features that are technically impressive but practically extraneous.
For the SEO cynics among us, this could be a search play too. Channeling queries into Copilot keeps users on Bing, harvesting more engagement data, and maybe, just maybe, clawing a little market share from Google. If they can distract you long enough with banter and chatbot wisdom, maybe you won’t wander back to that familiar, googly search bar we all grew up with.
Usability and User Choice: Empowerment or Overwhelm?
The core pitch is seductive: a browser that listens, assists, and predicts your needs. But in a world beset with notification fatigue and digital clutter, the last thing many users want is more “help” from their browser. For now, the features are hidden behind flags—opt-in for the adventurous, ignorable for the sane.But history shows that experiments sometimes become defaults. Anyone who’s suffered through sudden UI redesigns knows the pain. Microsoft could decide this Copilot NTP is the future, shoving it onto every device within reach, and leaving legions of frustrated users to Google “how to restore classic new tab page in Edge.” (Pro tip: start learning about Edge flags now.)
The Verdict: Brave, Bonkers, or Both?
So, are we witnessing a leap forward in browser innovation, or an exuberant AI solution frantically searching for a problem? Only time (and user outcry) will tell. On one hand, the Copilot-powered NTP holds vast potential: tailored answers, smarter workflows, and an almost symbiotic interface. On the other, it risks becoming yet another overbuilt feature foisted on a user base that just wanted a quiet place to start browsing.IT professionals, prepare your shields and PowerShell scripts. Users, brace for new tab surprises. As for Copilot, it’ll be waiting, ready to offer advice, answers, or—if you’re lucky—a witty rejoinder about tab explosion.
Change is the only constant in tech, but not all change is progress. Sometimes it’s just someone, somewhere, trying to fix what wasn’t broken, one experimental flag at a time.
Source: Windows Report Microsoft Edge experiments with replacing New Tab Page with Copilot
