Tips for Using Microsoft Edge

Adding a Favorite

When visiting websites, you can create favorites (bookmarks) for pages you want to visit frequently so they are easy to locate. When on a page you want to bookmark:

1. press CTRL+D to open the Create Favorites dialog box.

Tip: If you are on a page that has already been added to your favorites, this command also lets you edit the existing favorite.

2. You’ll be placed in the name edit field where you can type a name for the favorite. By default, the page title is chosen as the name.
3. Press TAB to move to the Folder combo box where you can choose where the favorite is saved. By default, favorites are stored in the Favorites bar.
4. Choose the More button if you want to view or change the URL of the web page or create a new folder for saving the favorite.
5. Once you've made any changes, choose Done to finish creating the favorite. If you used the More button to make additional changes, choose Save instead.

Managing Your Favorites

1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+O to open the favorites modal dialog.
2. Focus is placed in a tree view containing all of your favorites. Before continuing, consider pressing INSERT+Z to turn off the Virtual Cursor as this improves navigation.
3. Use the ARROW keys to select the favorite you want and press ENTER to open the associated web page.
4. Press the APPLICATIONS key on the currently selected favorite in the list to open a context menu where you can perform tasks such as editing, renaming, deleting, copying the link, or opening the favorit in a new window or tab.
5. Above the tree view is a toolbar containing the following buttons. Use LEFT or RIGHT ARROW to select a button and SPACEBAR or ENTER to activate it.
   
   • Ad this page to Favorites: Creates a Favorite for the currently open web page.
   • Add folder: Allows you to create a new folder for storing favorites.
   • Search favorites: Opens an edit field where you can search for specific favorites. The list is automatically updated as you type.
   • More options: opens a menu containing a number of options including the ability to add all open pages as favorites, import favorites from other browsers on your system, export favorites, or remove duplicate favorites.
   • Pin favorites: Displays the Favorites bar on the right side of the browser window so it is always visible.
6. When you are finished, press ESC to close the Favorites dialog and return to the currently open web page.

Deleting a Favorite

1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+O to open the favorites modal dialog.

2. Focus is placed in a tree view containing all of your favorites. Before continuing, consider pressing INSERT+Z to turn off the Virtual Cursor as this improves navigation.
3. Use the ARROW keys to locate the favorite you want to delete.
4. Press the APPLICATIONS key to open the context menu for the selected favorite and choose Delete. The selected favorite is automatically removed and focus is placed on the next favorite in the list.
5. When you are finished, press ESC to close the Favorites dialog and return to the currently open web page.

Similar to other web browsers, Edge maintains a history of recently visited web pages so you can quickly go back to a page you need to refer to again.

1. Press CTRL+H to open the History modal dialog.
2. Focus is placed in a tree view containing all of the pages in your history starting with the most recently visited page. Before continuing, consider pressing INSERT+Z to turn off the Virtual Cursor as this improves navigation.
3. Use the ARROW keys to select the page you want and press ENTER to open it.
4. Press the APPLICATIONS key on the currently selected page in the list to open a context menu where you can perform tasks such as deleting the page from your history, copying the link, or opening the page in a new window or tab.
5. Above the tree view is a group of tabs where you can choose to view all pages in your history, only recently closed items, or tabs from other devices if you are logged into the same Edge profile on multiple devices. Use LEFT or RIGHT ARROW to select a tab and the tree view automatically updates accordingly.
6. Above the group of tabs is a toolbar containing the following buttons. Use LEFT or RIGHT ARROW to select a button and SPACEBAR or ENTER to activate it.
   
   • Search history: Opens an edit field where you can search for specific items in your history. The list is automatically updated as you type.
   • More options: opens a menu containing some additional items including an option to clear all browsing data, which displays options for deleting the entire history as well as other types of browsing data.
   • Pin history: Displays the history in a side bar on the right side of the window so it is always visible.
7. When you are finished, press ESC to close the History dialog and return to the currently open web page.

When you press ENTER on a link that downloads a file, by default, Edge asks if you want to open or save the file. Press CTRL+J to open the Downloads modal dialog, and then press TAB to move to Open or Save as and press ENTER.

Downloads Manager

Use the Download Manager in Edge to manage files and apps you download. To open it:

1. Press CTRL+J to open the Downloads modal dialog.
2. Focus is placed in a tree view listing all previously downloaded files. Before continuing, consider pressing INSERT+Z to turn off the Virtual Cursor as this improves navigation.
3. Use the ARROW keys to select a file and press ENTER to open it.
4. Press the APPLICATIONS key on the currently selected file in the list to open a context menu offering different options depending on the status of the current file. For completed files, some options include opening the file, opening the folder where the file is saved, or deleting the file from your computer. If the file download was canceled before it could finish, you will have an option to retry the download. For all files regardless of their status, you have the option to copy the download link, report the current file as unsafe, or remove it from the Edge download list. Note that when a file is removed from the downloads list, it is not removed from your computer.
5. Above the tree view is a toolbar containing the following buttons. Use LEFT or RIGHT ARROW to select a button and SPACEBAR or ENTER to activate it.
   
   • Open downloads folder: Opens the folder in File Explorer where downloaded files are saved. By default, Edge saves files in your user Downloads folder.
   • Search downloads: Opens an edit field where you can search for specific items in your recent downloads. The list is automatically updated as you type.
   • More options: opens a menu containing some additional items including an option to clear the download history as well as open download settings. The download settings are especially useful as here you can change the default folder where downloaded files are saved and choose whether or not Edge asks you what to do with each download.
   • Pin downloads: Displays recent downloads in a side bar on the right side of the window so it is always visible.
6. When you are finished, press ESC to close the Downloads dialog and return to the currently open web page.

To customize settings for Edge, press ALT+E or ALT+F to open the Settings and More menu and press S. The Settings page opens in a new tab which you can navigate just like any web page.

When Settings first opens, you are placed into a Search edit box. If there is a particular setting you want to change, type all or part of the name and the matching settings are displayed below under a level 2 heading.

Pressing SHIFT+TAB from the Search edit box places focus on a Settings menu toggle button. Pressing ENTER on this button opens a tree view where you can select a settings category. Use UP or DOWN ARROW to select the category you want and press ENTER. You can then use H or two on the number row to move to the level 2 heading which is the start of the settings for that category.

Once you are finished, press CTRL+F4 to close the settings page without completely closing Edge, or press ALT+F4 to close Edge. Any settings changes you made are saved automatically.

Profiles enable you to customize your browsing experience. Save information such as bookmarked websites (called Favorites in Edge), browsing history, and settings for each profile.

Local profiles do not require you to sign in. All information you save in this type of profile will only be available on the computer or device where it was created.

You can also add a profile that requires you to sign in using a Microsoft account. Create one for free at Microsoft.com, or use your existing Office 365 credentials. This type of profile enables you to sync all your settings and information across all devices where you log in using this account.

You can create multiple profiles to keep information separate. For example, you might want one for work, one for school, and one for personal settings and Favorites. If more than one person in your household uses the same computer, creating profiles enables each user to keep information separate.

Add a Profile

To add a profile:

1. Open Edge.
2. Press ALT+E to access the Settings and More menu, then S to open Settings.
3. Press H to navigate to the heading titled “Your Profile.”
4. Press DOWN ARROW or the letter B to locate the Add Profile button.
5. Press the SPACEBAR to activate this button. Focus will be placed in a dialog that summarizes the purpose of profiles.
6. Press the SPACEBAR on the Add button.
7. Choose whether you want to sign in using a Microsoft account or to continue without signing in. If you choose to sign in, you will be prompted for the email address and password associated with your Microsoft account. If not, a local profile will be created and will be automatically named “Profile” followed by a number. For example, Profile2.
8. Once you either sign in or choose to continue without signing in, Settings will close and you will be switched to the new profile.

Rename or Delete a Profile

To rename or delete a profile:

1. From within Edge, press ALT+E, then S to open settings.
2. Navigate to the heading titled “Your Profile”, then press DOWN ARROW to read the name of the active profile. If you do not want to edit or delete this profile, navigate to the heading called “More Profiles.”
3. This is where you will find a list of all your other profiles. Locate the profile you want to edit or delete, then press the SPACEBAR on the switch button. Each profile will include a Switch button. Activating this button switches to the respective profile.
4. Navigate back up to the heading title “Your Profile,” and press DOWN ARROW or the letter B to locate the More Options menu button.
5. Press the SPACEBAR on the More options Menu button to access a context menu.
6. This context menu contains two choices, Edit and Remove. Choose Edit to rename the profile or make other changes to it, or choose Remove to delete the profile.

Switch Profiles from the Edge Toolbar

To switch profiles from the Edge toolbar:

1. Press ALT to navigate to the toolbar.
2. Navigate this toolbar using your LEFT and RIGHT ARROW keys.
3. Press LEFT ARROW to locate the profile currently in use.
4. Press ENTER to access a menu, which contains options to add a profile, manage profile settings, browse as a guest, and browse in Kids Mode. All your profiles that are not in use will also be listed. Press ENTER on one to switch to it.

If you choose to browse as a guest, any changes you make in Edge during a browsing session will not be saved upon exiting the application.

When logging in to a website, you will be asked whether you want to save your password.

1. Press F6 to navigate to the Save Password dialog.
2. You will have two options, Save and Never. Navigate through these options using your UP and DOWN ARROW keys.
3. If you choose Save, the password will be added to the passwords list. If you choose Never, Edge will not save the password, and you won’t be prompted to save when logging into that website again.

1. Press ALT+E, then S to open Settings.
2. Locate the Passwords button and press the SPACEBAR.
3. This page contains options such as search for passwords, reveal or hide passwords, and show alerts when passwords are found in an online leak. Press H to navigate to the Saved Passwords heading. This is where you will find your saved passwords. After each is a More Options button. Press the SPACEBAR on this button to activate a context menu.
4. This menu contains two options, edit and remove. Choose Edit to edit a password, or Remove to delete it.
5. Press H to navigate to the Never Saved heading. If you have selected to never save passwords for certain sites, you will find them listed under this heading.
6. If you decide you do want to save passwords for any of those sites, locate the More Options Menu button for each site and choose to remove it. The next time you log into a website removed from this list, you will be prompted to save the password.

You can use Edge to read PDF files opened from web pages or your local computer. By default, when you select a link on a web page that goes to a PDF file, it will be opened in the Edge PDF viewer. If Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, Edge is also the default viewer for PDF files opened through File Explorer.

When a PDF is opened in Edge, the JAWS Virtual Cursor is active so you can use the ARROW keys to navigate the document just like with any web page. Starting at the top there is a menu with several items including the number of pages in the document, controls for adjusting the zoom level, rotating the view, printing or downloading the document, and a More actions button where you can access document properties and change other viewing options. Below the menu are tab controls for displaying a thumbnail view of each page or a document outline view.

Once you use the DOWN ARROW to move past these controls, you will find the document text. If the PDF is properly tagged with headings and other elements, you can use Navigation Quick Keys to move to specific sections. For instance, once the PDF has finished loading, you can try pressing H to move to the first heading in the document.

Note: You can move to a specific page in the document by typing its number in the edit field near the top of the page. While this works visually, the JAWS Virtual PC Cursor focus does not appear to change. However, you can use the Find command (CTRL+F) to search for specific text in the document.

Manage PDFs

You can choose whether you want Edge to open PDFs or download them to your computer instead. To do this:

1. From within Edge, press ALT+E then S to access Settings.
2. In the Search field, type PDF.
3. Use the JAWS Find command (CTRL+F) or the letter B to locate the PDF Documents button and press the SPACEBAR to activate it.
4. Locate the Always Download PDF Files check box. If this box is checked, pressing ENTER on a link to a PDF from a web page results in the file downloading to your computer. If it is not checked, the file will open in Edge.
5. Press the SPACEBAR to check or uncheck this box. Your settings are automatically saved.

Remember, any changes you make are specific to your active profile. This setting may be different for other profiles you have added in Edge.

Immersive Reader is an Edge feature that simplifies the layout of text and reduces clutter. Use it on pages where it is available to read continuously, bypassing ads and other page content. This can include pages containing content such as articles, blog posts, and recipes.

JAWS provides notification when Immersive Reader is available when loading the page. To enable Immersive Reader:

1. Press F9 to activate Immersive Reader. JAWS indicates it is active.
2. Read the article or blog using standard reading and navigation keys.
3. Press CTRL+HOME to navigate to the top of the page, then press DOWN ARROW to review the Immersive Reader buttons. These include:
   • Read Aloud
   • Text Preferences
   • Grammar Tools
   • Reading Preferences
   • Unpin Toolbar (if the tool bar isn’t pinned, you will have the option to pin it instead.)
4. Press F9 to turn off Immersive Reader.

Collections help you organize information like web pages, text, and images all in one place. For example, this feature is very useful when writing research papers, researching work projects, and collecting travel information for an upcoming trip.

Create a New Collection

1. In Edge, press CTRL+SHIFT+Y to open the Collections Side Pane. Focus is placed in this pane. Press F6 to navigate back to the open website.
2. Press B to navigate to the Start New Collection button and press ENTER to activate it.
3. Type a name for your collection such as Freedom Scientific training.
4. Press ENTER to create the collection.

Access a Collection

1. From the Collections Pane, press T to navigate to the tables containing the collections.
2. Press DOWN ARROW to navigate through the collections. JAWS will read the collection name.
3. When on the collection name, press DOWN ARROW to read the number of items in that collection.
4. Press ENTER on a collection name to open the collection.
5. When in a collection, press T to navigate to the table containing the links and other information associated with that collection. This includes text or images you have selected, and the link to the web page where that information can be found. You can just choose to add web pages without selecting text.
6. Press ENTER on the link to navigate to the page.

You can choose to add a note to your collection to further personalize the information.

1. Press B to navigate to the Add Note button. Press the SPACEBAR to activate this button.
2. Type a note.
3. Press TAB to navigate to the Save button, or press NUM PAD PLUS to activate the Virtual PC cursort and press B until you locate Save.
4. Press ENTER to activate it. Your note will be saved.

If you add a note before adding a web page, that note will be located above the information in your collection. If you add it after adding a web page, it will be displayed at the end.

Adding to a Collection

1. From the Collections Pane, press F6 to go back to your current web page.
2. Navigate to a page you want to add.
3. If you don’t want to select text to include in your collection, when on the web page, press SHIFT+F10 to open the context menu, then press DOWN ARROW to locate Add Page to Collections.
4. If you want to include text, locate and select that text on the page before pressing SHIFT+F10.
5. Once in the Add Page to Collections submenu, press DOWN ARROW until you locate the desired collection. You can start a new collection from this menu as well.
6. Once you locate the right collection, press ENTER to add the page to it. Any text you select will be included.
7. Press F6 to navigate back to the Collections Pane.

Tip: If you are already on a website you want to add when opening the Collections Pane and you do not wish to include text, from within the collection, press B to navigate to the Add Current Page button and press ENTER.

Delete a Collection

1. From the Collections list, navigate to the collection you want to delete. Place focus on the title, but do not press ENTER to open the collection.
2. Press SHIFT+F10 to open the context menu, then press D to delete the collection. JAWS will notify you it has been deleted.

When in a collection, press B to navigate to the Back button, then press ENTER to navigate back to the Collections list. Press CTRL+SHIFT+Y to close the Collections Pane.

Extensions improve the browsing experience by adding or modifying features and functionality to Edge. Examples include ad blockers, password managers, and extensions for popular applications. You can install, manage, and delete them in Edge using the keyboard. To do this:

1. Press ALT+F to open the Settings and More menu.
2. Press DOWN ARROW to locate Extensions and press ENTER.
3. A modal dialog opens, displaying options for managing Extensions. These include:
   • Open Microsoft Edge Add-Ons Website
   • Manage Extensions
   • Extensions page
   • More Options
4. Press ENTER or SPACEBAR on these options to activate them.
5. Use the Microsoft Edge Add-Ons website to search for and install extensions and add-ons.
6. Use Manage Extensions and the Extensions button to search for and browse installed extensions.
7. Use the More Options menu to open a context menu that gives you the option of showing the Extensions button in the Edge Toolbar.
8. Press ESC to close the Extensions window and return to the current web page, or press ALT+F4 to close the Edge window.

Following are some commonly used shortcut keystrokes for Edge. For a complete list, refer to the Edge Keyboard Shortcuts page on the Microsoft website.