Microsoft’s decision to rebuild its Edge browser on the Chromium platform has paid off, moving the product to the third‑largest share of worldwide browsers, trailing only Safari and Chrome, according to StatCounter data for February 2023. The shift carries implications for the browser market, developers, and everyday users. Edge’s rise to an 11 % share of PC browsers by 2022 did not occur by chance.
After discarding its proprietary engine, Microsoft adopted Chromium—the open‑source codebase that also powers Google Chrome. This transition enabled Edge to run across a broad spectrum of devices: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and Xbox.
The first mobile builds appeared in 2017, while the rebuilt desktop version launched in January 2020. Support for Linux and Xbox followed in 2021, and users of Windows 7 and 8 could continue using Edge until early 2023. For Google, the development presents a direct challenge. Chrome remains the dominant browser, but Edge now offers a genuine alternative built on the same underlying technology.
Should Edge’s user base keep expanding, Google may feel pressure on its core search‑advertising business, as every Edge user who defaults to Microsoft Bing instead of Google Search represents potential revenue loss. Apple’s situation differs.
Safari holds the second‑largest share, and Apple’s iOS policies require all browsers on iPhone and iPad to use the WebKit engine—the same engine Safari employs. This restriction limits Edge’s ability to differentiate on Apple’s mobile platforms. Nevertheless, Edge’s cross‑device sync—covering bookmarks, passwords and open tabs—functions on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, providing a seamless experience that draws users deeper into Microsoft’s ecosystem.
The 2021 introduction of a Chromium‑based Edge for Linux marked a quiet yet notable move. Linux has long been a stronghold for developers, and the new Edge version offers full Microsoft integration, giving the company a foothold among programmers who might otherwise avoid Microsoft products.
A similar logic applies to macOS, where Edge looks and behaves like Chrome but integrates with Microsoft 365, OneDrive and corporate policy controls. Enterprises constitute the primary audience for Microsoft’s strategy. Edge ships pre‑installed on Windows, and IT departments can manage it through group policies and Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
This default status makes Edge the natural choice for many organizations, and employees who adopt the browser at work often install it on personal devices—a pattern that helped Internet Explorer dominate two decades ago. Microsoft appears to be banking on a repeat of that cycle.
Edge’s growth also reshapes the Chromium project itself. Microsoft now contributes code to the open‑source engine, granting the company a voice in the evolution of web standards. While Google still leads the project, Microsoft’s participation introduces a counterbalance, potentially tempering features that primarily serve Google’s interests.
The significance of Edge’s third‑place ranking goes beyond raw numbers. It demonstrates that the browser landscape is not static.
Chrome’s lead, though sizable, is not invulnerable; Safari benefits from being the default on Apple hardware, while Edge gains from its default position on Windows. Because most users stick with their default browsers, Microsoft’s strategy of rebuilding Edge on Chromium, bundling it with Windows and promoting it through corporate channels has proven effective. Looking ahead, the question is whether Edge can maintain its third‑place standing or climb higher.
Chrome’s dominance is rooted in habit rather than technology, and Edge now matches it in speed and compatibility while offering stronger privacy controls and deeper integration with Microsoft services. The next few years will reveal whether the 11 % share of PC users expands or plateaus.
