If you’re sitting there wondering exactly how old is Edge, you aren't alone. It’s a trickier question than it looks. See, depending on who you ask, Microsoft Edge is either a decade-old veteran or a relatively fresh-faced four-year-old. It’s got two birthdays. One in 2015 and another, arguably more important one, in 2020.
Most people remember the "Spartan" days. That was the internal codename. Back when Microsoft finally decided to kill off the blue "e" of Internet Explorer—or at least hide it in a basement—they launched the original version of Edge. That happened on July 29, 2015. It arrived alongside Windows 10. It was supposed to be the future. It wasn't.
📖 Related: Why 1969 Was the Most Important Year for the First Moon Landing
The Two Lives of Microsoft Edge
The version of Edge we use today is fundamentally different from the one that launched in 2015. Tech nerds call the first one "Edge Legacy." It ran on a proprietary engine called EdgeHTML. It was fast, sure, but it broke half the websites you visited because the whole world was already building for Chrome.
By late 2018, Microsoft gave up on trying to make their own engine work. They did something nobody expected: they adopted Chromium. That’s the same open-source engine that powers Google Chrome. This "new" Edge launched on January 15, 2020. So, if you’re asking how old is Edge because you’re noticing it actually works well now, you’re likely using the version that is roughly six years old. But the brand itself? That’s over a decade deep into the tech wars.
Why the Age Matters More Than You Think
Software years are like dog years. In the browser world, a five-year gap is an eternity. When Edge Legacy was the "it" thing, we didn't have the same level of web assembly or complex tracking protection we have now.
Microsoft had to pivot. Fast.
The move to Chromium was a massive admission of defeat that turned into a huge win. Honestly, it saved the brand. If they had stuck with the 2015 tech, Edge would be as dead as Netscape right now. Instead, by leveraging the Chromium engine while adding their own memory management features, they created something that—dare I say it—often runs better than Chrome. It’s less of a "RAM hog," as the kids say.
The Timeline of Microsoft's Browser Identity Crisis
Let's look at the milestones.
- January 2015: Project Spartan is officially announced.
- July 2015: Edge 1.0 launches with Windows 10. It had a pen tool for drawing on websites. Barely anyone used it.
- December 2018: Microsoft announces they are throwing in the towel on EdgeHTML. They start rebuilding the browser from scratch using Google’s tech.
- January 2020: The "New" Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) is released to the public. This is the version with the colorful swirl logo instead of the flat blue "e."
- 2023-2024: Edge becomes the testing ground for "Copilot" and heavy AI integration.
Think about that. In less than ten years, the browser went from a basic PDF viewer that happened to browse the web to an AI-heavy productivity hub. It’s a lot of growth for a piece of software that people used to only use to download Chrome.
Breaking Down the Versions
You might find yourself looking at your version number and feeling confused. If you go into your settings and see a version number like 120 or 130, don't panic. That doesn't mean the browser is 130 years old. Those numbers represent the "build" cycles. Because Edge follows the Chromium release schedule, it updates almost every month.
The age of the codebase is actually much older than the Edge name. Chromium started back in 2008. So, while the "Edge" wrapper is from 2015 or 2020, the engine underneath has been refined for nearly 18 years. It's a Frankenstein's monster of software history.
Is It "Old" Compared to Other Browsers?
Safari is from 2003. Firefox (in its current form) dates back to 2004. Chrome is a 2008 baby. Compared to the big hitters, Edge is actually the "youngest" major browser on the market. It doesn't have the same legacy baggage.
Wait. That's not entirely true.
Edge still carries the weight of Internet Explorer's reputation. For a lot of users, anything with a Microsoft logo on it feels "old" or "clunky." It’s a branding hurdle that Microsoft is still trying to jump over. They keep adding features—coupons, sidebar apps, workspaces—to make it feel fresh. Sometimes it feels too fresh, like they’re trying too hard to be the cool new kid at school when everyone knows their dad is the guy who made Clippy.
Security and Longevity
People often ask about age because they worry about security. "Is an old browser safe?"
Here is the thing: the age of the brand doesn't matter as much as the frequency of the updates. Because Edge is now based on Chromium, it gets security patches at the same lightning speed as Chrome. If a zero-day exploit is found on Monday, Edge usually has a fix by Tuesday or Wednesday.
📖 Related: Kingston Ontario Weather Radar Explained (Simply)
If you are still using the "Legacy" version (the one with the flat blue icon), stop. Seriously. It’s 2026. That version is a literal digital antique. It hasn't been supported since March 2021. Using it is like driving a car without brakes; you might get where you're going, but it’s going to end badly eventually.
What’s Next for the 10-Year-Old?
Microsoft isn't slowing down. They are currently pivoting Edge to be more than just a window to the internet. It’s becoming an "AI browser." With the integration of GPT-4 and whatever comes next, the browser is essentially being reborn again.
We are seeing features like "Compose" where the browser writes your emails for you, and "Designer" where it creates images. It’s a far cry from the 2015 version that just wanted to show you a Bing search result.
Actionable Steps for Edge Users
If you want to make sure you're using the "modern" version of Edge and keep it running smoothly, do these three things:
Check your version. Click the three dots (...) in the top right, go to Settings, then About Microsoft Edge. If it says you're up to date, you’re using the post-2020 Chromium version.
Manage your Sidebar. One of the reasons Edge feels "heavy" as it gets older is the sidebar. Right-click it and turn off the stuff you don't use. It cleans up the UI and makes the browser feel 5 years younger.
Use Sleeping Tabs. This is one of the best features added in the last few years. Go to Settings > System and Performance and turn on Efficiency Mode. It puts inactive tabs to "sleep" so they don't eat your laptop's battery.
Whether you consider Edge to be 6 years old or 11, it’s currently the most aggressive browser in terms of updates. It’s no longer the "Internet Explorer Lite" we all feared it would be. It’s a powerhouse, even if it did have a bit of a mid-life crisis back in 2019.