MacBooks with M1 get browser upgrade — forget Safari and Chrome

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Now tailor-made for macOS

Microsoft Edge
(Image credit: Future)

Microsoft Edge has always been available for Apple's shiny M1 Mac, but the latest update from the web browser optimizes it for Macs with Apple M1 chips.

Users will now have the option to pick which Edge browser to download on their Mac; there is one version for Intel chips and the other for Macs with Apple chips on the most recent M1 Mac models.

The beta, released a few weeks ago, showed how the Edge browser would be made for M1's ARM architecture, and now Microsoft boasts that Edge has been "tailored for macOS." Although the Rosetta 2 translation software is made to run many x86 programs, like Edge, native apps almost always perform better than those being emulated. 

How to download Microsoft Edge for M1 Macs

Microsoft Edge

(Image credit: Screenshot)

Installing Edge is a simple job, but it may mean reinstalling Microsoft Edge for your Mac. Head over to the Microsoft website to download the client for macOS.

You'll be asked which version is best for your Mac. Have an M1 Apple chip? That's the option to click. Follow the rest of the setup instructions and you'll be good to go with an optimized Microsoft Edge browser. It's super easy.

Edge is a Chromium-based browser, which means those who are used to using Chrome won't need to make major adjustments if you're switching from Google to Microsoft. The next question, of course, is should you? Find out which is best: Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge in our detailed face-off.

Darragh Murphy
Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.