Microsoft Edge takes on Chrome and Safari with official release for Apple M1 Macs

The browser finally runs natively on Apple Silicon devices

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Microsofthas released a new version of its Edge browser that finally adds supportsAppleSilicon-powered MacBook devices.

The companyfirst started testing the M1-optimized browser back in December, just days after recompiling its Office 365 suite to run natively on Apple’s new devices.

The updated browser is available to download now fromMicrosoft’s website, with MacBook users now given the option to Edge for “Mac with Apple Chip.” That means Edge runs natively on Apple Silicon and doesn’t have to be translated through Rosetta 2 on M1 Macs, such as the latestMacBook ProandMacBook Air,

This will be welcome news for M1 Mac owners keen to switch to Microsoft’s browser. While Rosetta enabled Edge to run, emulation almost always results in a drop-off in performance due to the fact that computing resources must be set aside for translation.

9to5Macreports that the M1-optimized Microsoft Edge browser feels “just as fast as Chrome.” Given the performance drain thatGoogle’s browser tends to have on some MacBook devices, the release could see some users switch to Microsoft’s Chromium-based browser instead.

As well as being built with the M1 chip’sARMarchitecture in mind, Microsoft says that the new Edge browser is “tailored for macOS”, allowing users to “browse seamlessly with experiences exclusive to Mac, like easy access to tabs, video controls and more, all within your Touch Bar.”

Microsoft is one of the last browser makers to recompile its software for M1 Macs, with rival browsersGoogle ChromeandFirefoxalready recompiled to run on Arm-based M1 chips.

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The arrival of Edge on M1 Macs comes amid reports that the legacy version of theMicrosoft Edgeweb browser will be removed fromWindows 10when it is updated later this year.

Carly Page is a Freelance journalist, copywriter and editor specialising in Consumer/B2B technology. She has written for a range of titles including Computer Shopper, Expert Reviews, IT Pro, the Metro, PC Pro, TechRadar and Tes.

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