Ignite 2020: Microsoft Edge is coming to Linux in public preview next month

Microsoft has kicked off its Ignite digital conference this morning with lots of news about Azure, Microsoft 365, as well as Windows, macOS, and even Linux. That’s right, the company’s new Chromium-based Edge browser is finally coming to Linux in public preview starting next month. Linux users will be able to download the Microsoft Edge Dev channel for Linux from the Microsoft Edge Insider website or from the native package manager.

The new Microsoft Edge is currently available on Windows 10, Windows 7 and 8, macOS, as well as iOS and Android. A Linux version has been a top request from developers and IT Pros looking to test their websites on the new browser, and it’s good to see that Microsoft has been listening. If the legacy Microsoft Edge was only available on Windows 10, choosing the leverage the Chromium open-source project allowed Microsoft to quickly bring its new Edge browser to more platforms.

In addition to this new Linux version, Microsoft also announced some upcoming PDF updates for Microsoft Edge. Users will soon be able to view and validate certificate-based digital signatures on PDF files, and add notes to PDF for future recall. Additionally, the Microsoft Edge PDF viewer will get support for interactive tables of content, allowing users to quickly navigate PDF files. All these PDF improvements features will start rolling out to Edge users in October.