A New Year, A New Look for Edge?
Microsoft Edge, the default web browser many of us have learned to love (or tolerate) in Windows 11, is reportedly gearing up to adopt more elements of Microsoft's Fluent Design language in its interface. Detailing the upcoming updates, references unearthed by sleuths at Windows Latest hint at a significant design overhaul, codenamed "msEdgeVisualRejuv." The centerpiece? More Acrylic effects, as Microsoft's signature design language gets another figurative coat of shiny new paint on its browser.
Let’s dive into the whispers, the new features, and how these updates might impact not only the aesthetics but the overall performance.
What is Fluent Design? A Refresher for the Uninitiated
Before we discuss the specific updates, let’s rewind. Microsoft debuted Fluent Design back in 2017 as a successor to Metro Design (Windows 8 users might remember those bold-colored tiles). Fluent Design emphasizes depth, motion, and material-like textures that create a more immersive, tactile digital experience. Two key players in this design framework are Acrylic and Mica, both of which bring shades of transparency and soft blur effects to the interface for a polished and modern look.
- Acrylic Effect:
- Think of it as frosted glass. When applied to menus and UI elements, you’ll see a subtle blur revealing what’s behind without losing legibility.
- It's often used for context menus, dropdowns, and sidebars.
- Mica Effect:
- Unlike Acrylic, Mica blends the background color of the app with your desktop wallpaper. It's less translucent and adds a grounding effect to windowed environments.
With these upcoming updates, Fluent Design’s Acrylic effect will expand its reach in Edge, creating a more cohesive aesthetic with Windows 11's design principles.
What’s Cooking for Microsoft Edge?
Per Windows Latest, Microsoft has been tinkering with two new internal flags named:
- "msEdgeVisualRejuvAcrylicForNativeSurfacesTrigger":
- This unclear technical reference likely points to applying Acrylic effects to more “native” parts of Edge’s UI. Native surfaces might include toolbars, context menus, or even tabs.
- "msEdgeVisualRejuvAcrylicForProfileMenuTrigger":
- A little less cryptic, this flag suggests the Acrylic makeover will also touch the profile menu, that dropdown in the upper left used for switching between profiles, managing Microsoft Rewards, and accessing account info.
Currently, the profile menu lacks any Flour Design charm, presenting itself as a bland, static interface. These updates could finally inject some visual intrigue into this key functionality.
Subtle, Not Earth-Shattering
Will these updates make Edge look radically different tomorrow? No. The adjustments are iterative—a nip here, a tuck there—intended to gradually elevate the user experience. This isn’t the massive AI-powered overhaul that Microsoft’s leadership (including Mustafa Suleyman) has hinted at, but it’s one step closer to a refined, polished browser experience integrated more harmoniously with Windows 11.
Performance Gains on the Horizon: Edge Adopts WebUI 2.0
It’s not just about looking good; Microsoft is also laser-focused on boosting Edge’s speed and responsiveness. As part of this effort, the company is rewriting some of its core features using a faster framework known as WebUI 2.0. Why does this matter? Let’s unpack.
The Problem: JavaScript Bottlenecks
Historically, many of Edge's features were coded using JavaScript, a versatile but not always the fastest solution when it comes to handling modern, complex web applications. JavaScript’s inherent delays contributed to slower loading times for menus and features, sullying the smooth experience Microsoft has been striving for.
The Solution: WebUI 2.0
WebUI 2.0 is designed to simplify rendering UI (user interface) elements with lightning-fast efficiency. By transitioning features from JavaScript to this revamped framework, Microsoft has already seen major improvements in areas like:
- Browser Essentials (Edge optimization tool): Now loads 42% faster.
- Favorites Bar: Responds 40% faster.
- Copilot Compose Box: Improved performance in AI-assisted text generation.
What’s Next for WebUI 2.0?
Future plans include rewriting resource-heavy features such as the PDF reader to enhance both speed and reliability. It also raises an enticing question: could WebUI 2.0 act as the enabler for applying Fluent Design broadly across Edge? It’s plausible, given the technical improvements at hand.
Why Should You Care?
For most users, browser updates like these often fly under the radar until you notice menus loading faster or a striking, new blurred backdrop. While some updates feel purely cosmetic, they rely on robust engineering to deliver deeper changes. Here’s why these updates matter for you:
- Visual Cohesion: Fluent Design makes your browser feel like it belongs on your Windows 11 desktop, giving Edge a sleeker, more modern vibe.
- Enhanced Usability: Faster menus and loading times ensure Edge doesn’t just look good—it feels good to use.
- Productivity Boosts: A better-designed profile menu could make managing multiple accounts or switching profiles smoother, especially for heavy work users.
And let’s not forget those who always root for Microsoft Edge to close the gap with rivals like Chrome and Firefox. Every incremental improvement makes Microsoft's case to convert you a little stronger.
What’s Missing? The Roadblocks to a Fully Fluent Edge
While Microsoft’s direction here is promising, it’s worth wondering: why isn’t Fluent Design already everywhere in Edge? A few hurdles, technical and otherwise, remain:
- Performance vs. Aesthetics: While Fluent effects like Acrylic look stunning, they can tax older systems, especially lower-end GPUs. Microsoft likely wants to avoid alienating users with less powerful hardware.
- Feature Fragmentation: Edge’s development is fast-paced, and rolling out consistent visual changes browser-wide is no small feat. Features written in older frameworks (JavaScript, for instance) may be incompatible with Fluent without major rewrites.
- Incremental Rollouts: Fluent Design’s adoption mirrors Microsoft’s piecemeal approach—test features on a small scale before global implementation. This ensures fewer bugs but also means incremental updates take time.
Edge vs. Chrome: Who Wears It Better?
With Fluent Design enhancements and WebUI 2.0 in play, Edge is positioning itself as more than a Chromium clone. While Google Chrome leads with speed and vast extension options, Edge is carving a niche with its sleek design and tight integration with Windows. In this design tug-of-war, visuals matter, and Acrylic and Mica effects could give Edge an edge (pun intended) in the aesthetics department.
Wrapping Up: Not Just a Pretty Face
Microsoft’s renewed commitment to Fluent Design in Edge—highlighted by features like Acrylic effects—is more than just surface-level frosting. It reflects an ecosystem-wide ambition to merge performance with elegance. Combined with the switch to WebUI 2.0, this step signals a browser that's as fast as it is stunning, built with the future in mind.
The updates may not drop today or even next month, but they’re worth waiting for, whether you’re here for the blurred backdrops or blazing load times. While Chrome is snoozing on design, Microsoft is quietly redefining how a browser should feel on Windows 11. Time to sit up and take note!
Is this enough to finally get you to default to Edge, or is it just another "nice-to-have"? Let us know your thoughts!
Source: Windows Latest Microsoft Edge is eying another Fluent Design update on Windows 11
Before we discuss the specific updates, let’s rewind. Microsoft debuted Fluent Design back in 2017 as a successor to Metro Design (Windows 8 users might remember those bold-colored tiles). Fluent Design emphasizes depth, motion, and material-like textures that create a more immersive, tactile digital experience. Two key players in this design framework are Acrylic and Mica, both of which bring shades of transparency and soft blur effects to the interface for a polished and modern look.
- Acrylic Effect:
- Think of it as frosted glass. When applied to menus and UI elements, you’ll see a subtle blur revealing what’s behind without losing legibility.
- It's often used for context menus, dropdowns, and sidebars.
- Mica Effect:
- Unlike Acrylic, Mica blends the background color of the app with your desktop wallpaper. It's less translucent and adds a grounding effect to windowed environments.
What’s Cooking for Microsoft Edge?
Per Windows Latest, Microsoft has been tinkering with two new internal flags named:- "msEdgeVisualRejuvAcrylicForNativeSurfacesTrigger":
- This unclear technical reference likely points to applying Acrylic effects to more “native” parts of Edge’s UI. Native surfaces might include toolbars, context menus, or even tabs.
- "msEdgeVisualRejuvAcrylicForProfileMenuTrigger":
- A little less cryptic, this flag suggests the Acrylic makeover will also touch the profile menu, that dropdown in the upper left used for switching between profiles, managing Microsoft Rewards, and accessing account info.
Subtle, Not Earth-Shattering
Will these updates make Edge look radically different tomorrow? No. The adjustments are iterative—a nip here, a tuck there—intended to gradually elevate the user experience. This isn’t the massive AI-powered overhaul that Microsoft’s leadership (including Mustafa Suleyman) has hinted at, but it’s one step closer to a refined, polished browser experience integrated more harmoniously with Windows 11.Performance Gains on the Horizon: Edge Adopts WebUI 2.0
It’s not just about looking good; Microsoft is also laser-focused on boosting Edge’s speed and responsiveness. As part of this effort, the company is rewriting some of its core features using a faster framework known as WebUI 2.0. Why does this matter? Let’s unpack.The Problem: JavaScript Bottlenecks
Historically, many of Edge's features were coded using JavaScript, a versatile but not always the fastest solution when it comes to handling modern, complex web applications. JavaScript’s inherent delays contributed to slower loading times for menus and features, sullying the smooth experience Microsoft has been striving for.The Solution: WebUI 2.0
WebUI 2.0 is designed to simplify rendering UI (user interface) elements with lightning-fast efficiency. By transitioning features from JavaScript to this revamped framework, Microsoft has already seen major improvements in areas like:- Browser Essentials (Edge optimization tool): Now loads 42% faster.
- Favorites Bar: Responds 40% faster.
- Copilot Compose Box: Improved performance in AI-assisted text generation.
What’s Next for WebUI 2.0?
Future plans include rewriting resource-heavy features such as the PDF reader to enhance both speed and reliability. It also raises an enticing question: could WebUI 2.0 act as the enabler for applying Fluent Design broadly across Edge? It’s plausible, given the technical improvements at hand.Why Should You Care?
For most users, browser updates like these often fly under the radar until you notice menus loading faster or a striking, new blurred backdrop. While some updates feel purely cosmetic, they rely on robust engineering to deliver deeper changes. Here’s why these updates matter for you:- Visual Cohesion: Fluent Design makes your browser feel like it belongs on your Windows 11 desktop, giving Edge a sleeker, more modern vibe.
- Enhanced Usability: Faster menus and loading times ensure Edge doesn’t just look good—it feels good to use.
- Productivity Boosts: A better-designed profile menu could make managing multiple accounts or switching profiles smoother, especially for heavy work users.
What’s Missing? The Roadblocks to a Fully Fluent Edge
While Microsoft’s direction here is promising, it’s worth wondering: why isn’t Fluent Design already everywhere in Edge? A few hurdles, technical and otherwise, remain:- Performance vs. Aesthetics: While Fluent effects like Acrylic look stunning, they can tax older systems, especially lower-end GPUs. Microsoft likely wants to avoid alienating users with less powerful hardware.
- Feature Fragmentation: Edge’s development is fast-paced, and rolling out consistent visual changes browser-wide is no small feat. Features written in older frameworks (JavaScript, for instance) may be incompatible with Fluent without major rewrites.
- Incremental Rollouts: Fluent Design’s adoption mirrors Microsoft’s piecemeal approach—test features on a small scale before global implementation. This ensures fewer bugs but also means incremental updates take time.
Edge vs. Chrome: Who Wears It Better?
With Fluent Design enhancements and WebUI 2.0 in play, Edge is positioning itself as more than a Chromium clone. While Google Chrome leads with speed and vast extension options, Edge is carving a niche with its sleek design and tight integration with Windows. In this design tug-of-war, visuals matter, and Acrylic and Mica effects could give Edge an edge (pun intended) in the aesthetics department.Wrapping Up: Not Just a Pretty Face
Microsoft’s renewed commitment to Fluent Design in Edge—highlighted by features like Acrylic effects—is more than just surface-level frosting. It reflects an ecosystem-wide ambition to merge performance with elegance. Combined with the switch to WebUI 2.0, this step signals a browser that's as fast as it is stunning, built with the future in mind.The updates may not drop today or even next month, but they’re worth waiting for, whether you’re here for the blurred backdrops or blazing load times. While Chrome is snoozing on design, Microsoft is quietly redefining how a browser should feel on Windows 11. Time to sit up and take note!
Is this enough to finally get you to default to Edge, or is it just another "nice-to-have"? Let us know your thoughts!
Source: Windows Latest Microsoft Edge is eying another Fluent Design update on Windows 11
