Microsoft Edge gains native M1 support in new public beta

Microsoft's publicly available "Canary" beta of the Microsoft Edge browser has been released in a native version for Apple Silicon M1.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft's development team has announced that an Apple Silicon M1 native version of its Microsoft Edge browser is now available. So far it's presented in what the team calls its Canary channel, where the latest versions are available ahead of a full public launch.

You asked, and we delivered! Native support for Mac ARM64 devices is now available in our Canary channel. Download it today from our Microsoft Edge Insiders website! https://t.co/qJMMGV0HjU
— Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) December 16, 2020

The Canary channel presents one download button for the latest version of Microsoft Edge. Selecting it then prompts users to choose between "Mac with Intel chip (most common), and "Mac with Apple chip."

"Microsoft Edge has been optimized for both Macs with Intel chips (most common)," says Microsoft, "and Macs with Apple chips (some newer Mac models)."

The Canary channel is where each day's latest build of Microsoft Edge is automatically uploaded for anyone to try. Releases there may not have been through any testing or checking, but the latest features always appear there first.

Microsoft posts the latest official release on a separate site. Although there is no regular pattern to when beta features arrive in the official release, it's likely that the M1 support will be made public shortly.

3 Comments

JWSC 1203 comments · 7 Years

About 3 years ago

I do want wonder if MS is seriously considering porting their Windows to the M1. I hope they conclude that it is worth their while. Having said that, if they only port their ARM version of Windows what would that mean for 3rd party applications that run on x86 architecture only? Are users left out in the cold?

A subset of Mac users would definitely benefit from being able to use certain x86 Windows only applications. And the speed bump to those applications will be very welcome.

geekmee 647 comments · 13 Years

About 2 years ago

I think Apple has left all those questions behind with decisions to use Windows. Apple is making it a choice, like an OS decision to chose Android.

Apple proven there is more to life than just speed.

Can you say? Privacy
Yeah, I realize ‘privacy’ is relative, but I think Apple has reflected sheer brilliance in reflecting their eco-system in this as a marketing term!
Speed for Microsoft has become known to mean the faster I can sell your identity to advertisers…
‘My little pretty!’

crowley 10431 comments · 15 Years

About 2 years ago

JWSC said:

I do want wonder if MS is seriously considering porting their Windows to the M1. I hope they conclude that it is worth their while. Having said that, if they only port their ARM version of Windows what would that mean for 3rd party applications that run on x86 architecture only? Are users left out in the cold?

Microsoft have a compatibility layer. it's not as performant as Rosetta, but it's ok. And it handles x86-64 and classic x86, so 32-bit applications are fine. I wish Apple would do that.