Microsoft Chromium Edge has been updated to version 97.0.1072.55, which brings new features to the browser and security updates. Edge 97 is a blessing in disguise for the students, as it brings in a new citations feature to the stable channel.
Furthermore, Edge 97 will now automatically upgrade HTTP websites to HTTPS for those that support the feature, increasing your connection’s security. The feature was also introduced to Google Chrome 94 in September 2021, which hints that Microsoft Edge may be behind in the competition.
That said, there are other features in Edge 97 discussed in this post. Let’s now detail what significant changes this update brings.
Release Summary
- Complete release build: 97.0.1072.55
- Release date: Thursday, January 6, 2022
- Compatibility: Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7 (32-bit and 64-bit), Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- Previous build: Edge 96.0.1054.53
New in Microsoft Edge 97
Built-in Citations
Microsoft Edge can now detect metadata from a webpage and sort out citations automatically in one of the following formats of your choice:
- APA 7
- Chicago
- Harvard
- IEEE
- MLA
If some data is missing or Edge is unable to pick up on it, you can also edit the information right then and there, and then save it. At the end of your research, you can collect all the citations and put them into your document as required.
This feature has been put in place to keep the students in mind and how they are required to cite their source. With this feature, students no longer need to divert their minds in remembering the formats and their sources, but instead focus on their research.
To use this feature in Edge 97, open the webpage you want to cite and click on the ellipses (3 dots) in the top-right corner of the browser, expand More Tools, then click Cite this.
You will now see a window on the right of the browser displaying the information for the citation. You can now choose your format for the citation and edit it accordingly.
Note: Since this feature is a work-in-progress, it may not be available to all users right now, but it will be rolled out gradually. Furthermore, currently, automatic detection of data from a webpage is only supported for a limited number of academic websites.
HTTP to HTTPS
Edge 97 will now automatically upgrade HTTP websites to HTTPS if they support the feature. HTTPS secures your incoming and outgoing data packets with encryption, making them more secure, and adds a layer of protection to prevent a hacker from infiltrating your network.
Other features
- Microsoft Endpoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a solution to monitor and control your traffic flow on the network. With Edge 97, MacOS users will have support for DLP natively on their computers.
- If multiple work and school profiles are logged into Edge, users will be asked to sign into a website using those accounts through the account picker.
- The legacy WebSQL feature will be blocked from 3rd-party frames.
- Microsoft Edge 97 supports more fine-grained protection by combating memory corruption vulnerabilities and by protecting indirect calls using Control Flow Guard (CFG).
Download Microsoft Edge 97
If you already have Microsoft Edge on your PC, you can simply upgrade it to the latest build. If not, use the links below to install it now.
Microsoft Edge comes preinstalled in Windows 11 and 10. Learn how to uninstall Microsoft Edge.
Learn more about DLP solutions here.
Upgrade to Edge 97
Follow the steps below to upgrade to the latest available Edge version
- Click on the ellipses in the top-right corner of the browser, expand Help and feedback, and then click About Microsoft Edge.
- Edge will now begin to scan for an update, and then download and install it if one is available. Once the download is completed, you will need to Restart the browser.
Once it relaunches, you can return to the About page and check that it has been updated to version 97.0.1072.55.
Download Edge 97 Installers
If you want to use Edge 97 on any operating system other than Windows 11 and 10, like Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android, you will need to download its offline installers.
You can download the latest Microsoft Edge installers (including stable, beta, and dev releases). You can also download the browser in your preferred language using the tips given on the above-mentioned page.
Use Portable Edge Chromium Updater
If you are using Edge’s portable version, it will not update on its own. For that, a small tool known as Portable Edge Updater is available on GitHub, which allows you to install or update the existing Microsoft Edge Chromium to the latest build available. You can also use this tool to download the x64 and x86 versions from all channels, including the stable channel and the 3 channels from Edge Insider.
Download the tool by opening the Portable Edge GitHub page and then clicking on the link provided Portable.Edge.Chromium.Updater….7z.
The tool is then downloaded. Extract it and then run the .exe file. Inside the tool, click on the channel and bit architecture you want to download (the versions are also mentioned). In this case, we will download Edge version 97 from the stable channel.
The browser will then begin to update (or download). Once it is done, you can check that the Microsoft Edge Chromium portable 97 is now available on your device.
Microsoft Edge Update History
| Edge Version | Release Date | Features & improvements |
|---|---|---|
| Edge 119 | 2-Nov-23 | Addresses 16 vulnerabilities, improves split-screen restore, ability to manage sidebar app auto-launch, “Always show sidebar” option placed under Copilot settings |
| Edge 118 | 13-Oct-23 | Addresses 15 vulnerabilities, and introduces AI-powered Find on Page. |
| Edge 117 | 15-Sep-23 | Addresses 14 vulnerabilities, includes More Tools deprecations and unload event deprecation, includes support for Microsoft Edge for Business for BYOPC via Intune. |
| Edge 116 | 21-Aug-23 | Addresses 23 vulnerabilities, introduces split screen, ability to drop files across devices, and ability to attach Edge sidebar to desktop. |
| Edge 115 | 21-Jul-23 | Microsoft Edge management service, rounded tabs, mouse gestures, split screen view. |
| Edge 113 | 5-May-23 | Basic Enhanced Security Mode was removed, shifted to EdgeUpdater on macOS, and introduced new policies, addresses 2 security vulnerabilities. |
| Edge 112 | 6-Apr-23 | Introduced Browser Essentials in place of the Performance Hub, improvements to enhanced security mode and some policies. |
| Edge 111 | 13-Mar-23 | Bing copilot in the toolbar, auto-hiding sidebar, hover over the sidebar to expand, and policy to clear IE mode history on browser exit. |
| Edge 110 | 9-Feb-23 | Introduces Immersive Reader policies, Azure Active Directory synchronization, Drop feature to share files, and several security updates. |
| Edge 109 | 13-Jan-23 | 14 security updates, 8 new policies, and 2 deprecated policies. |
| Edge 108 | 5-Dec-22 | Important security fixes, a new policy to disable Web Select amongst others. |
| Edge 107 | 27-Oct-22 | Improved sidebar, new policies, and security fixes. |
| Edge 106 | 3-Oct-22 | Improved web defense and increased the maximum number of search results to 4 |
| Edge 105 | 2-Sep-22 | Improvements to IE mode and enhanced security |
| Edge 104 | 5-Aug-22 | Support to import data and enhanced security on the web |
| Edge 103 | 23-Jun-22 | Improvements for online and web gaming |
| Edge 102 | 31-May-22 | With reverse image search and security improvements |
| Edge 100 | 1-Apr-22 | Sends 3-digit user agent string, PDF updates, and hardware-enforces stack protection |
| Edge 99 | 3-Mar-22 | Custom primary password and PDF navigation |
| Edge 98 | 4-Feb-22 | Edge Bar, reduced resource consumption |
| Edge 97 | 6-Jan-22 | Auto-citation, endpoint data loss prevention (DLP) |
| Edge 96 | 10-Dec-21 | Super duper secure mode, typosquatting |
| Edge 90 | 15-Apr-21 | SSO, PDF printing |
| Edge 89 | 4-Mar-21 | Vertical Tabs, Sleeping Tabs, Startup Boost |
| Edge 88 | 21-Jan-21 | Password generator, transparent privacy controls |
Closing Words
With the new features introduced to Edge, we believe all students will be shifting to Edge unless other web browsers also introduce the citations feature. However, some features introduced in other browsers caught on early compared to Edge, making it a bit of a trade-off situation.
That said, it can be noted that all the important features, especially the security vulnerability patches, eventually make their way to the trending web browsers.
