Microsoft is working on an interesting change for its browser: "spawning" a new tab instead of shutting down the browser when you close the last tab. As spotted by users, the new behavior is rolling out gradually to Edge Insiders in the Dev and Canary Channel. However, you can also force-enable it using a short command.
Creating a new tab instead of closing the browser is not a new concept. Opera, Firefox, and other browsers allow you to customize this behavior in settings. A few months before the launch of Edge Chromium, some users complained about the lack of that option in Edge. Four years later, Microsoft seems to be ready to change its mind.
You can try the new close tab logic by installing Microsoft Edge Dev or Canary from the official website. After that, modify the browser"s shortcut the following way:
- Right-click the shortcut and select "Properties."
- Click the "Target" field, add one space, and type --enable-features=msSpawnNtpOnLastTabClose
- Press OK to save the changes.
- Launch Microsoft Edge using the modified shortcut.
Those accustomed to exiting Edge using Ctrl + W or closing all buttons may ask a reasonable question: how do I close the browser now? You can choose several options: click the X button; open the menu and select "Close Microsoft Edge;" right-click the browser on the taskbar and select "Close window." The good-old Alt + F4 will do the trick too.
There is no information on whether Microsoft plans to allow customizing what happens when you close the last tab in Edge. The best option is to let users pick their side and not enforce a single solution since changes like that can seriously disrupt "muscle memory" and upset a lot of users who already have enough reasons to complain about Microsoft"s browser.
Are you team "close browser" or "open a new tab?" Let us know in the comments.