Earlier this week, Microsoft released Edge 102 in the stable channel with no changes but several new policies, which have little to no value to a regular customer. Still, there is one significant change hidden behind an experimental flag. As it turned out, Edge 102 brings the option to enable the Windows 11-like design overhaul.
Microsoft added the option to enable a new UI in Edge a month ago in the Canary channel. It adds the Mica effect to the title bar and toolbar backgrounds when using the default theme. Also, users can enable new rounded tabs using a separate toggle, also responsible for Mica on the toolbar.
Following a brief period of testing, the company decided to add the new design to the Stable channel for more users to test and provide feedback. Still, the redesigned UI remains hidden behind a flag, so you will not see it by default. Here is how to enable it:
- Update Edge to version 102 or newer.
- Paste the following URL into the address bar: edge://flags/#edge-visual-rejuv-show-settings.
- Set the flag to Enabled, then restart the browser.
- Go to Settings > Appearance and turn on the "Show Windows 11 visual effects..." option. You can also toggle on rounded corners for tabs.
- Restart the browser and enjoy the eye candy.
Note that the new visual effects are work-in-progress, and Microsoft warns that users may notice some performance issues. Also, the redesigned UI works only with the default black and white theme.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time Microsoft experiments with the Mica effect in Edge on Windows 11. The browser previously allowed users to enable Mica on the tab strip using a flag, now gone in Edge 102. The latest update replaced it with a new option for managing experimental appearance settings. The latter includes the Mica effect and rounded tabs, plus it might bring more changes in future updates.
Do you like the new Windows 11-like UI in Microsoft Edge?
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