Microsoft Edge, the pre-installed default browser for Windows devices, could be getting a new AI-powered capability that will enable you to create custom browser themes. This might be the next step in Edgeâs AI evolution, with the browser already having Copilot, Microsoftâs AI assistant, integrated into its user interface. This development will affect Microsoft Edge in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
As highlighted by Windows Latest, the revelation comes courtesy of a section in the Microsoft 365 roadmap titled âMicrosoft Edge: AI theme generator,â which explains how the new feature will allow you to enter a text prompt and generate a series of images to preview as potential Edge themes. If you choose one of these images to apply, it will become the background in newly opened tab pages, and the dominant color in the image will be applied to the browserâs frame.
Currently, Edge only supports Windows 10âs and Windows 11âs default themes (dark or light) and other built-in themes. While there are more themes available for download in Microsoftâs Edge Add-Ons store (in the Themes section), the AI-generated theme feature will allow you to whip up a theme thatâs unique to your PC.
[IMG alt=âMicrosoft Edgeâ]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c3...FtVPfMKwZC.jpg
(Image credit: Microsoft; Shutterstock)
An AI image generation tool already exists within Edge in the form of Copilotâs image generator feature thatâs powered by OpenAIâs DALL-E 3 tech. Microsoftâs classic Paint app has also got an AI tune-up, with its own image generator named Image Creator (formerly Cocreator).
One catch with these, though, is that they produce images with a 1,024 x 1,024 resolution. With Edge, though, the resolution will be ramped up to cater for creating backgrounds that will be displayed sharply and clearly on 1080p (1,920 x 1,080) or higher resolution monitors.
[HEADING=1]Edge could also get âclutter-freeâ printing[/HEADING]
Windows Latest further observes that Microsoft is also testing a âclutter-freeâ printing feature in Edge, with the reference âClutterFreePrintingâ found in a test build of the browser (from the Canary channel).
This feature appears in the Edge interface as a âSmart Printâ toggle, and when used it automatically removes ads from the page youâre trying to print, leaving only the main contents of the page. Windows Latest gave this a go and didnât have much luck, trying the tool on a page with no adverts (from Wikipedia) and a page with ads (from its own site). The former resulted in the siteâs structure being jumbled, and the latter cut out all the images on the site, whether an ad or relevant to the article. Of course, the tool is still being tested and Microsoft is still working on it, so itâll doubtless be improved by the time itâs included in a future Edge update.
The AI theme generation feature is kind of neat, I suppose, but itâs not totally necessary and I donât know how much itâll meaningfully improve the core Edge user experience. Still, it might be fun to try, and a way of adding more visual customization to your software. On the other hand, there are people out there who will likely feel itâs about capitalizing on AI hype by sticking this functionality in everywhere possible, whether thereâs a substantial benefit or not.
[HEADING=2]YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKEâŚ[/HEADING]
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As highlighted by Windows Latest, the revelation comes courtesy of a section in the Microsoft 365 roadmap titled âMicrosoft Edge: AI theme generator,â which explains how the new feature will allow you to enter a text prompt and generate a series of images to preview as potential Edge themes. If you choose one of these images to apply, it will become the background in newly opened tab pages, and the dominant color in the image will be applied to the browserâs frame.
Currently, Edge only supports Windows 10âs and Windows 11âs default themes (dark or light) and other built-in themes. While there are more themes available for download in Microsoftâs Edge Add-Ons store (in the Themes section), the AI-generated theme feature will allow you to whip up a theme thatâs unique to your PC.
[IMG alt=âMicrosoft Edgeâ]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c3...FtVPfMKwZC.jpg
(Image credit: Microsoft; Shutterstock)
An AI image generation tool already exists within Edge in the form of Copilotâs image generator feature thatâs powered by OpenAIâs DALL-E 3 tech. Microsoftâs classic Paint app has also got an AI tune-up, with its own image generator named Image Creator (formerly Cocreator).
One catch with these, though, is that they produce images with a 1,024 x 1,024 resolution. With Edge, though, the resolution will be ramped up to cater for creating backgrounds that will be displayed sharply and clearly on 1080p (1,920 x 1,080) or higher resolution monitors.
[HEADING=1]Edge could also get âclutter-freeâ printing[/HEADING]
Windows Latest further observes that Microsoft is also testing a âclutter-freeâ printing feature in Edge, with the reference âClutterFreePrintingâ found in a test build of the browser (from the Canary channel).
This feature appears in the Edge interface as a âSmart Printâ toggle, and when used it automatically removes ads from the page youâre trying to print, leaving only the main contents of the page. Windows Latest gave this a go and didnât have much luck, trying the tool on a page with no adverts (from Wikipedia) and a page with ads (from its own site). The former resulted in the siteâs structure being jumbled, and the latter cut out all the images on the site, whether an ad or relevant to the article. Of course, the tool is still being tested and Microsoft is still working on it, so itâll doubtless be improved by the time itâs included in a future Edge update.
The AI theme generation feature is kind of neat, I suppose, but itâs not totally necessary and I donât know how much itâll meaningfully improve the core Edge user experience. Still, it might be fun to try, and a way of adding more visual customization to your software. On the other hand, there are people out there who will likely feel itâs about capitalizing on AI hype by sticking this functionality in everywhere possible, whether thereâs a substantial benefit or not.
[HEADING=2]YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKEâŚ[/HEADING]
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[li]Microsoft could turbocharge Edge browserâs autofill game by using AI to help fill out more complex forms[/li][li]Havenât activated Windows 11? Then you might find yourself locked out of some Microsoft Edge browser settings[/li][li]Microsoft quietly improves Edge browser with a new internet tester and fixes[/li][/ul]
Continue readingâŚ