Microsoft details new Fluent Design updates for its Edge browser

It’s been a week now since some Edge Insiders started to see new rounded corner icons, and the company has now officially unveiled new Fluent Design updates for its Edge browser. Microsoft says that it has begun rolling out the first phase of the new icons, giving Edge a bit of a refresh.

“The new Fluent iconography system provides functional optimizations for user experience as each icon is based on a standard keyline and grid. This will improve scannability as you browse menus and navigation. We’ve also seen optimized rendering across platforms and devices so no matter which device you’re browsing the web on the icons will appear sharp and easy to read,” the Microsoft Edge team explained yesterday.

Microsoft has been working to overhaul the look and feel of all Windows 10 apps and services for quite some time. As a part of the redesign, the company is planning to bring its Fluent Design language into the new Edge browser, making all form components look more like their counterparts in UWP apps. However, unlike all other apps, the Edge Insider Team is adding Fluent Design elements in more subtle ways.

In the blog post yesterday, Microsoft explained that the new Fluent icon updates will arrive in two phases. The first phase, which is currently rolling out, will only focus on the address bar, tabs, navigational bar, and more. With this change, the company plans to refresh the flat and monochromatic icons by adding new ones with more rounded corners.

Similarly, the second phase of these Fluent icon updates will cover some advanced settings such as Developer Tools (Inspect Element), the Extensions experience, and more.

Until now, we haven’t seen what the Microsoft Edge team has planned to update the icons with a touch of Fluent Design. With this announcement, we’re expecting Microsoft Edge’s Fluent Design icons to finally show up in the Stable channel in the coming months.