Microsoft Edge is getting a big feature update including editing and saving web images

Microsoft is pushing out some big feature updates to its Edge web browser shortly. We have already reported on a couple of them, including putting the new Bing Image Creator in the Edge sidebar. We’ve also posted about the new Browser Essentials features for monitoring the browser’s security and overall performance. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

In a blog post, Microsoft outlines a few more big new features coming to Edge. Perhaps the most interesting one is that Edge will soon add the ability to both save and edit web images from inside the browser. That might make a number of stand-alone image editor apps obsolete. Microsoft says:

Now instead of having to download, save and edit in a separate app on your PC or macOS device, you can simply right click on the desired web image and, without leaving your browser window, crop, adjust lighting and color, and add filters. From there, you can save the edited image for later use. You can also start editing simply by hovering over an image and selecting edit image from the menu. This reduces the need to toggle from app to app.

Another new feature coming to Edge is called Drop. It’s being included in the Edge sidebar and it’s made to give people a way to share photos, notes, and other files from one of their devices to another device. Microsoft says:

Let’s say you’re at work thinking about what you’ll make for dinner later that day and you find a quick recipe your kids will enjoy. With Drop, you can copy the ingredients and recipe, and send it to yourself so you have it on your mobile for easy reference when you get to the grocery store.

Finally. Microsoft is making some improvements to the efficiency mode in Edge. Previously, if your Windows laptop was running out of juice, the efficiency mode kicks in to cut down on battery use. The new improvements will add two modes. One is “Balanced Savings”which will still extend battery life while still offering full use of Edge. the other mode is “Maximum Savings”and will cut energy use much further but at the expense of Edge performance.

There’s no word on when these new features will roll into the stable version of Edge.