Microsoft Edge, found on all our district devices, is becoming a leader in the web browser market with its improved features such as higher speed, safer internet interactions, and dynamic features. First released in April of 2015, Edge was created to replace the very slow and awkwardly designed Internet Explorer (IE). What is fascinating about how Microsoft created Edge is that they made the essence of IE still accessible in Edge; meaning if you had an older website or software that ran off IE, then it still would work in and be supported by Edge. By June 15 of this year, IE will officially be retired, and moving forward Edge will be the web browser officially created and supported by Microsoft. Support will still be available, however for “legacy” IE sites and supported software through 2029.
Edge is currently as fast if not faster than any other web browser that the district uses. As a district, we are beginning to make the move to using the Microsoft Edge web browser more often and potentially exclusively starting in the fall.
Edge also offers the highest-rated phishing and malware protection, Password Monitor (scanning to see if your passwords have been used elsewhere), and tie-ins to Microsoft Security which creates an optimal experience for educational organizations such as WICSD.
In the coming months, we will take a deeper dive into some of the dynamic features that Microsoft Edge has to offer. Check out this article to see some of the cool features it has to offer. In the meantime, we encourage staff, students, and parents to take a look at the exciting and interesting features that Edge has to offer. Please reach out to the Information Technology office by calling 336-3113 for any questions that you may have. We are always happy to help.