To test old versions of Microsoft Edge, you’ll generally need to leverage virtual machines, specialized browser testing platforms, or in some cases, the built-in developer tools that allow for emulation.

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The most straightforward approach involves using official Microsoft resources for creating isolated testing environments. Here are the detailed steps:

Utilize Microsoft Edge Developer Tools:
- Open your current version of Edge.
- Press F12 to open Developer Tools.
- Navigate to the Emulation or Device Emulation tab it might be under “More tools” or the three-dot menu in newer versions.
- While this doesn’t offer true older Edge engines, you can often change the user agent string and screen resolution to simulate certain old browser behaviors or responsiveness. This is more for layout and basic rendering, not full engine compatibility.
Download Microsoft Edge Legacy VMs:
- Visit the official Microsoft Edge Developer page: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/
- Select your desired virtualization platform e.g., VirtualBox, VMWare, Hyper-V, Parallels.
- Download the pre-built virtual machine image that includes an older version of Windows and a specific Edge Legacy build often labeled “MSEdge” followed by a version number.
- Import this VM into your chosen virtualization software.
- Launch the VM to access the old Edge browser in a native environment.
Cloud-Based Browser Testing Services:
- Sign up for a service like BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, or LambdaTest.
- These platforms provide access to a wide array of real browsers and operating systems, including many older versions of Edge, often running on actual machines or highly accurate emulators.
- You can run manual tests or automate your test suites across these environments. This is particularly useful for comprehensive cross-browser compatibility testing without managing multiple VMs locally.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Landscape: Why Old Edge Matters or Doesn’t

Testing against old versions of any browser, including Microsoft Edge Legacy, might seem like a relic of the past, especially with the rapid pace of modern browser updates.

However, for web developers, enterprise applications, or those maintaining older systems, understanding its quirks can be crucial.

The “old” Edge pre-Chromium behaved very differently from its current Chromium-based iteration.

It was built on Microsoft’s EdgeHTML rendering engine and Chakra JavaScript engine, which had their own unique interpretations of web standards and proprietary features.

Knowing these differences can save you hours of debugging. Change time zone on iphone

The Great Migration: Edge Legacy vs. Chromium Edge

Microsoft’s decision to rebuild Edge on the Chromium engine, the same foundation as Google Chrome, marked a monumental shift.

The original EdgeHTML-based browser, often referred to as Edge Legacy, was launched with Windows 10 in 2015. It was designed to be a modern, standards-compliant successor to Internet Explorer but struggled to gain significant market share against Chrome and Firefox.

Its rendering engine had its own set of bugs and inconsistent behaviors that developers often had to work around.

The new Chromium-based Edge, released in early 2020, aimed to provide better web compatibility, performance, and a more consistent developer experience.

Edge Legacy EdgeHTML/Chakra: Automated test tools comparison
- Market Share: Peaked around 4-5% globally before its decline. As of late 2020, its usage had dropped significantly, typically below 1%.
- Rendering Engine: EdgeHTML proprietary.
- JavaScript Engine: Chakra proprietary.
- Features: Integrated Cortana, Web Notes, Reading View, but often lagged in adopting new web standards compared to competitors.
- Support: Microsoft officially ended support for Edge Legacy on March 9, 2021, meaning no more security updates or non-security bug fixes.
- Common Issues: Flexbox bugs, CSS Grid inconsistencies, ES6 feature gaps, poor performance on complex animations.
Chromium Edge Blink/V8:
- Market Share: Rapidly grew post-launch, often surpassing Firefox and now holds a significant portion of the desktop browser market, typically in the 5-10% range, sometimes higher depending on the reporting source.
- Rendering Engine: Blink open-source, developed by Google for Chromium.
- JavaScript Engine: V8 open-source, developed by Google for Chromium.
- Features: Cross-platform support Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome Web Store extension compatibility, Collections, Vertical Tabs, enhanced privacy controls.
- Support: Actively developed and supported by Microsoft, receiving frequent updates.
- Benefits for Devs: Predictable rendering, excellent web standards support, access to the full Chromium DevTools suite.

Why Test Old Edge? The Niche Cases

While general web development should focus on modern browsers, there are specific scenarios where testing old Edge Edge Legacy is still a valid concern.

Neglecting these can lead to broken experiences for a small but potentially critical user base.

Enterprise Applications:
- Many large organizations, especially those with rigid IT policies or slow upgrade cycles, might still have devices running older Windows 10 builds where Edge Legacy is the default or only browser used for internal applications. A report from StatCounter in late 2020 showed that while global Edge Legacy use was low, some enterprise environments still reported higher numbers due to managed deployments.
- Intranets and Legacy Portals: If your company’s internal tools were developed years ago and specifically optimized for Edge Legacy or even Internet Explorer, ensuring continued functionality might require maintaining compatibility. This often involves specific polyfills or feature detection.
Government and Educational Institutions: Code review tools
- Similar to enterprises, these sectors often have long procurement cycles and slower adoption rates for new software. Websites and applications designed for these audiences might need to account for users on older systems. Data from various web analytics platforms consistently showed a small but persistent user base for Edge Legacy in specific geographic or institutional contexts even after its official end-of-life.
Unsupported Operating Systems Indirectly:
- While Edge Legacy is tied to Windows 10, some users on very old, unsupported Windows 10 versions might not have received the automatic upgrade to Chromium Edge. For web services targeting a broad public, this small fragment might still be present.
Historical Debugging and Archival:
- For preserving the functionality of historical web pages or understanding how certain technologies rendered in the past, an old Edge environment can be invaluable for researchers or digital archivists.

Setting Up Your Testing Environment: The Virtual Machine Approach

The most reliable way to test old versions of Edge is by running them in a dedicated virtual machine VM. This isolates the old browser from your main system, preventing conflicts and allowing you to revert to a clean state easily.

Microsoft provides pre-built VM images specifically for this purpose, making the setup process relatively painless.

Choosing Your Virtualization Software

Before you download a VM image, you need a virtualization platform installed on your host machine. Test case templates

Each has its pros and cons, but they all achieve the same goal: running another operating system within your current one.

VirtualBox Oracle VM VirtualBox:
- Pros: Free, open-source, available on Windows, macOS, Linux. Easy to use for beginners.
- Cons: Can sometimes be less performant than commercial solutions, especially on high-demand scenarios.
- Typical Use Case: Excellent for individual developers and small teams needing quick, isolated testing environments.
VMware Workstation Player/Pro Windows/Linux or Fusion macOS:
- Pros: Generally higher performance, better integration with host OS, more advanced features e.g., snapshots, cloning, network configurations.
- Cons: Commercial software Player has a free non-commercial version but Pro is paid.
- Typical Use Case: Professional development environments, larger teams, power users who need robust VM management.
Hyper-V Windows Pro/Enterprise/Education:
- Pros: Built-in to Windows, no additional software required, good performance.
- Cons: Only available on specific Windows editions, can sometimes conflict with other virtualization software.
- Typical Use Case: Windows users who want a native, integrated virtualization solution without third-party installs.
Parallels Desktop macOS: Whats new in wcag 2 2
- Pros: Excellent performance on macOS, seamless integration with macOS environment, user-friendly.
- Cons: Paid software, macOS only.
- Typical Use Case: macOS users needing to run Windows VMs for testing or specific software.

Step-by-Step: Downloading and Importing a Microsoft Edge Legacy VM

Microsoft generously provides free virtual machine images for various browser testing scenarios, including Edge Legacy.

These images come pre-installed with specific Windows versions and an older Edge build.

Navigate to the Official Source: Go to https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/. This is the most reliable and secure source for these images.
Choose Your Desired VM: On the page, you’ll see a selection of “Virtual machines for testing Microsoft Edge.” Look for images labeled “MSEdge” followed by a version number. For example, “MSEdge on Win10 x64 Stable” would be for the current Chromium Edge, but older ones like “MSEdge EdgeHTML on Win10 x64 1809” would be for Edge Legacy. Select the specific Edge Legacy version you need to test against. Note: As of my last update, Microsoft sometimes cycles these images, so exact version availability may vary.
Select Your Platform: Choose your virtualization platform from the dropdown menu VirtualBox, VMWare, Hyper-V, Parallels. Browserstack named to forbes 2024 cloud 100
Download the VM: Click the “Download .zip” button. Be aware that these files are large, typically 5-10 GB, so a stable internet connection is recommended. The download might take some time.
Extract the VM Archive: Once downloaded, locate the .zip file and extract its contents. You’ll typically find a file with an extension relevant to your virtualization software e.g., .ova for VirtualBox, .vmx for VMWare, .vhd for Hyper-V, .pvm for Parallels.
Import the VM into Your Virtualization Software:
- VirtualBox: Open VirtualBox. Go to File > Import Appliance.... Select the .ova file you extracted. Review the settings CPU, RAM, etc. and click Import.
- VMware Workstation/Player/Fusion: Open VMware. Go to File > Open.... Navigate to the extracted folder and select the .vmx file.
- Hyper-V: Open Hyper-V Manager. Go to Action > Import Virtual Machine.... Browse to the extracted folder containing the VM, select it, and follow the wizard.
- Parallels Desktop: Open Parallels. Go to File > Open.... Select the .pvm file.
Launch the VM: Once imported, select the VM from your virtualization software’s list and click Start or Power on. The VM will boot up, presenting you with a Windows desktop where the old Edge browser is pre-installed.

Optimizing VM Performance for Testing

Running a VM can be resource-intensive. Browserstack launches iphone 15 on day 0 behind the scenes

To ensure a smooth testing experience, consider these optimizations:

Allocate Sufficient RAM and CPU: In your virtualization software’s settings for the VM, allocate at least 2GB of RAM 4GB is better for Windows 10 and 2 CPU cores if your host machine has them. Too little RAM will make the VM sluggish.
Install Guest Additions/Tools:
- VirtualBox: After the VM boots, go to Devices > Insert Guest Additions CD Image... from the VirtualBox menu. Then, inside the VM, run the installer from the virtual CD drive. This improves display resolution, mouse integration, and shared folders.
- VMware: VM > Install VMware Tools... from the VMware menu.
- Parallels: Parallels Tools are usually prompted on first boot.
- Hyper-V: Integration Services are often enabled by default or can be installed via Hyper-V Manager settings.
Use Snapshots: Before making any major changes or running tests, take a snapshot of the VM e.g., “Clean Edge Legacy Install”. If the VM gets messed up, you can revert to this snapshot in seconds, saving you from re-importing the whole image.
Disable Unnecessary Services within the VM: For a testing VM, you likely don’t need background updates, Windows Defender scans, or other services eating up resources. You can disable these via Task Manager or Services though be cautious not to disable critical OS components.
Shared Clipboard/Folders: Configure shared clipboard and shared folders in your VM settings to easily copy text or files between your host and the VM.

Cloud-Based Browser Testing Services: The Scalable Option

For larger teams, continuous integration, or when you need to test against a vast array of browser/OS combinations without managing local VMs, cloud-based browser testing services are a powerful alternative.

They provide on-demand access to real browsers running on various operating systems.

Top Cloud Testing Platforms

These services have substantial infrastructure allowing them to spin up virtual or even physical machines with specific browser versions on demand.

BrowserStack: Xss testing
- Overview: One of the market leaders. Offers live interactive testing on thousands of real browsers and devices, automated testing Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, visual testing, and native app testing.
- Edge Support: Extensive support for various Windows versions with different Edge Legacy builds e.g., Edge 18, Edge 17 and of course, all Chromium Edge versions.
- Pros: Real devices, comprehensive platform coverage, robust automation features, excellent reporting.
- Cons: Can be expensive for large teams or extensive usage.
- Typical Use Case: Enterprise-level cross-browser compatibility, ensuring responsive design across real devices, CI/CD integration.
Sauce Labs:
- Overview: Similar to BrowserStack, focusing heavily on automated testing with a wide range of browser and OS combinations, real devices, and detailed analytics.
- Edge Support: Good coverage for Edge Legacy and Chromium Edge, often including specific Windows builds.
- Pros: Strong automation capabilities, integration with popular testing frameworks, performance testing features.
- Cons: Can have a steeper learning curve for new users compared to more manual-focused platforms.
- Typical Use Case: Automated regression testing, performance monitoring, continuous testing in agile environments.
LambdaTest:
- Overview: A competitive option offering live interactive testing, automated testing, responsive design testing, and screenshot testing across numerous browsers and operating systems.
- Edge Support: Provides access to various versions of Edge Legacy and Chromium Edge on different Windows operating systems.
- Pros: Often more cost-effective than BrowserStack/Sauce Labs, good user interface, comprehensive feature set.
- Cons: May have slightly fewer real devices compared to top-tier competitors, but still very comprehensive.
- Typical Use Case: SMBs, individual developers, and teams looking for a balanced solution with good features at a competitive price.

How Cloud Services Work for Edge Legacy Testing

Sign Up and Select Environment: After signing up for a service, you’ll typically navigate to a “Live Testing” or “Manual Testing” dashboard.
Choose Your Configuration: Select “Windows” as the operating system, then choose a specific Windows version e.g., “Windows 10” and then the “Edge” browser. Within Edge, you’ll see various build numbers for both Edge Legacy e.g., “Edge 18,” “Edge 17” and Chromium Edge.
Launch Session: The service will spin up a remote desktop session or a virtual machine in the cloud with your chosen configuration.
Interactive Testing: You’ll be presented with a live view of that remote desktop. You can interact with the browser as if it were running locally, type URLs, click elements, and inspect your website.
Debugging Tools: Many services integrate developer tools directly into their live sessions, allowing you to open Edge’s F12 tools on the remote machine for debugging CSS, JavaScript, and network issues.
Automated Testing Advanced: For automated testing, you’d integrate the service’s SDK or API with your existing test framework e.g., Selenium, Cypress, Playwright. Your tests would then execute on these remote browsers, and the service would report results, screenshots, and video recordings.

Pros and Cons of Cloud Testing

Pros:
- No Local Setup: No need to manage VMs, operating system licenses, or browser installations.
- Wide Coverage: Access to hundreds or thousands of browser/OS/device combinations instantly.
- Scalability: Run parallel tests across multiple environments simultaneously, significantly speeding up testing.
- Real Devices often: Some services offer testing on actual physical devices, providing the most accurate results for mobile and tablet views.
- Collaboration: Easy sharing of test sessions, screenshots, and bug reports with team members.
Cons:
- Cost: Subscription fees can be significant, especially for large teams or extensive usage.
- Internet Dependency: Requires a stable and fast internet connection for live interactive sessions and uploading test data.
- Latency: There can be a slight delay in interaction due to the remote nature of the session.
- Security Concerns: While reputable, you are running your tests and potentially sensitive web applications on a third-party service. Ensure you understand their security policies.

Developer Tools and Emulation: Quick Checks, Limited Fidelity

While not a true replacement for running old Edge natively or in a VM, modern browser developer tools offer some degree of emulation that can be useful for quick checks, especially for responsive design or basic layout issues. It’s crucial to understand their limitations. Cypress cucumber preprocessor

User Agent String and Device Emulation

Modern Chromium-based browsers including the current Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Brave come with powerful developer tools accessed via F12 or right-click -> Inspect. Within these tools, you can often find options for emulation.

Open Developer Tools: Press F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I Windows/Linux / Cmd+Option+I macOS in Microsoft Edge.
Toggle Device Emulation: Look for the device icon often resembling a mobile phone and tablet in the toolbar of the Developer Tools. Clicking this will toggle the Device Emulation mode.
Adjust Viewport and User Agent:
- Responsive Viewport: You can change the screen resolution and orientation to simulate different device sizes. This is excellent for testing responsive CSS.
- User Agent String: Within the device emulation settings, or sometimes under a “Network conditions” or “More tools” menu accessible via the three-dot menu in DevTools, you can find an option to “User agent.” You can select a predefined user agent e.g., “Microsoft Edge Legacy” or even input a custom one.

Limitations of Emulation

It’s vital to recognize that merely changing the user agent string or screen resolution is not the same as running the old EdgeHTML rendering engine.

No Engine Change: The browser is still using the current Chromium Blink rendering engine and V8 JavaScript engine. It’s just telling the website that it’s a different browser, which might trigger specific CSS or JS logic based on user agent sniffing, but it won’t expose actual rendering bugs unique to EdgeHTML.
JavaScript Engine Differences: Edge Legacy’s Chakra JavaScript engine had different performance characteristics and often lacked support for newer ECMAScript features that are standard in modern browsers. Emulation won’t reveal these JavaScript-specific issues.
CSS and HTML Rendering Differences: This is the biggest gap. EdgeHTML had its own set of bugs and quirks for CSS properties e.g., Flexbox, CSS Grid, floats and HTML element rendering that simply won’t be replicated by a Chromium engine.
Proprietary Features: If your legacy application relied on any EdgeHTML-specific APIs or features which were rare, but existed, emulation won’t account for them.

When to Use Emulation:

Responsive Design Checks: Quickly see how your layout adapts to different screen sizes.
User Agent-Based Logic: If your site has simple logic that serves different content based on the user agent string, you can test that specific logic.
Quick Sanity Checks: For very minor issues or when you need a rough idea without spinning up a VM.

When NOT to Use Emulation:

Critical Bug Reproduction: If you’re trying to debug a reported issue specific to Edge Legacy.
Feature Compatibility Testing: For ensuring JavaScript features, CSS properties, or HTML elements render correctly.
Performance Testing: EdgeHTML and Chakra had different performance profiles.

Debugging and Troubleshooting Old Edge Issues

Once you’re in an old Edge environment preferably a VM or cloud session, the debugging process is similar to modern browsers, but with some notable differences due to the older developer tools. Browserstack newsletter april 2024

Edge Legacy Developer Tools F12

Microsoft Edge Legacy had its own set of Developer Tools, often accessed by pressing F12. These tools were a significant improvement over Internet Explorer’s tools but lacked the maturity and feature richness of modern Chromium DevTools.

Elements Tab: Inspect HTML structure and live-edit CSS properties. This was generally functional but sometimes buggy, especially with complex layouts.
Console Tab: For viewing JavaScript errors, console.log messages, and running snippets of JavaScript. The JavaScript engine Chakra would report errors specific to its implementation.
Debugger Tab: For setting breakpoints in JavaScript code, stepping through execution, and inspecting variables. This was less intuitive than modern debuggers.
Network Tab: For monitoring HTTP requests, responses, and performance.
Performance Tab: For profiling JavaScript and rendering performance.

Common Debugging Scenarios and Tips:

CSS Layout Issues Flexbox/Grid:
- Problem: Edge Legacy had known bugs with Flexbox and CSS Grid, particularly with gap properties, align-self, justify-content with wrapping, and nesting.
- Debugging: Use the Elements tab to inspect the computed styles. Look for unexpected whitespace, overlapping elements, or incorrect alignment.
- Solution: Use feature queries @supports display: grid to provide fallbacks for older browsers, or rely on more traditional layout methods floats, display: inline-block for critical components if Edge Legacy support is mandatory. Polyfills like flexibility or css-grid-polyfill might offer some relief but can add overhead.
JavaScript Errors:
- Problem: Edge Legacy’s Chakra engine often lacked support for newer ECMAScript ES6+ features like Arrow Functions =>, let/const, Template Literals `, async/await, Promise, or array methods like Array.prototype.includes without polyfills.
- Debugging: Check the Console tab for SyntaxError or ReferenceError messages. These often point to unsupported JavaScript syntax or missing global objects.
- Solution: Use a transpiler like Babel to convert your modern JavaScript code into an older ECMAScript version e.g., ES5 that Edge Legacy understands. Configure your build process to target IE 11 or Edge 17 for maximum compatibility. Include polyfills for specific missing features e.g., core-js.
Performance Problems: Browserstack newsletter december 2023
- Problem: Older browsers generally have slower JavaScript engines and rendering pipelines. Complex animations, large DOM structures, or unoptimized JavaScript can grind Edge Legacy to a halt.
- Debugging: Use the Performance tab to identify long-running JavaScript tasks or layout thrashing. The Network tab can reveal slow loading resources.
- Solution: Optimize images, minify CSS/JS, lazy load content, use CSS transforms for animations if supported, and avoid heavy JavaScript on initial page load. Consider simplifying the experience for old Edge users.
Network Issues:
- Problem: Older TLS/SSL handshake issues, strict Content Security Policies CSP not fully understood by older engines, or caching problems.
- Debugging: Use the Network tab to check HTTP status codes, response headers, and timings. Look for blocked requests or 403 / 500 errors.
- Solution: Ensure your server supports TLS 1.2 or higher. Review CSP rules to ensure they don’t inadvertently block resources for older browsers. Clear browser cache within the VM.

Third-Party Tools for Debugging

BrowserSync: A popular development server that can inject changes into multiple browsers including VMs simultaneously, allowing you to see updates live without manual refreshing. It also offers synchronized scrolling and clicks across browsers.
ngrok/localtunnel: If your development server is running locally, these tools create a secure tunnel to expose it to the internet, allowing your VM or cloud browser to access your local development environment. This is invaluable for testing work in progress.

Deprecation and the Future: Moving On from Edge Legacy

Microsoft’s deprecation of Edge Legacy was a strategic move aimed at streamlining web development and providing a more consistent browsing experience for users.

As a developer, this means your focus should overwhelmingly be on modern Chromium-based browsers Edge, Chrome, Brave, Opera and Firefox, along with Safari for macOS/iOS.

End of Support for Edge Legacy

March 9, 2021: Microsoft officially ended support for the Microsoft Edge Legacy desktop application. This means:
- No more security updates.
- No more non-security bug fixes.
- No more free assisted support options.
- Subsequent Windows 10 feature updates e.g., version 21H1 and later removed Edge Legacy and replaced it with Chromium Edge.

Implications for Developers

Reduced Test Burden: For most public-facing websites, you can safely drop dedicated support for Edge Legacy. The remaining user base is extremely small often less than 0.5% globally. Testing effort should shift to other browsers.
Modern Web Standards: You can increasingly leverage modern JavaScript features ES6+, advanced CSS CSS Grid, Flexbox gap, logical properties, and newer HTML5 APIs without requiring extensive polyfills or complex fallbacks. This leads to cleaner, more efficient code.
Focus on Progressive Enhancement: Rather than trying to make every feature work identically across every browser, consider a progressive enhancement strategy. Build your core experience for all users and then add richer, more interactive features that only modern browsers will support. This ensures a baseline experience for all while providing the best for most.
Security Risks: For any users still on Edge Legacy, they are exposed to unpatched security vulnerabilities. This is a strong reason to encourage users to upgrade to a supported browser.

Alternatives and Future-Proofing Your Web Projects

Instead of dwelling on old browsers, focus on building resilient web applications that adapt to future changes and support a wide range of modern devices.

Modern Browser First: Develop primarily for the latest versions of Chromium Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. These browsers generally adhere to web standards well.

Feature Detection @supports and JavaScript: Instead of browser sniffing checking user agents, use feature detection.

CSS: Use @supports rules to apply styles only if a browser supports a specific CSS property.

.container {
 display: flex. /* Fallback for older browsers */
}
@supports display: grid {
  .container {
    display: grid.
    grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr.
    gap: 20px.
  }

JavaScript: Check for the existence of APIs or properties before using them.



if window.CSS && CSS.supports'display', 'grid' {
  // Use CSS Grid-specific JS logic
} else {
  // Provide a fallback

Transpilation and Polyfills Judiciously: Use tools like Babel to transpile modern JavaScript to ES5 for wider browser support, but configure it to only transpile what’s necessary based on your target browser list e.g., browserslist configuration. Only include polyfills for features where a true fallback is impossible and absolutely critical for a small, declining user base.
Automated Testing: Invest in automated testing frameworks Selenium, Cypress, Playwright and integrate them with cloud testing services. This allows you to quickly verify compatibility across a broad spectrum of modern browsers without manual effort.
Analytics: Regularly check your website’s analytics e.g., Google Analytics, Matomo to monitor browser usage. This data will tell you if you truly have a significant number of users on unsupported or old browsers that warrant special attention. Chances are, for Edge Legacy, those numbers are negligible.

Conclusion: A Focused Approach to Browser Testing

While the task of “testing old versions of Edge” might surface, the practical reality for most developers is that Edge Legacy is effectively defunct. React app testing with jest

Its support ended, its market share is miniscule, and maintaining compatibility often involves significant effort for minimal return.

However, for those specific enterprise or legacy application scenarios where old Edge still exists, the methods outlined—primarily through Microsoft’s official virtual machine images or cloud-based testing services like BrowserStack—remain the most effective and reliable ways to ensure functionality.

Emulation in modern developer tools offers only superficial checks.

As a guiding principle, web development should embrace modern standards and capabilities.

Focus on building performant, accessible, and secure experiences that leverage the full power of contemporary browsers. Azure cicd pipeline

Reserve the resource-intensive task of testing against truly deprecated browsers only for compelling business requirements, understanding that such compatibility comes at a cost of development efficiency and technical debt.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is “old version of Edge”?

The “old version of Edge” primarily refers to Microsoft Edge Legacy, which was the original browser launched with Windows 10 in 2015. It was built on Microsoft’s proprietary EdgeHTML rendering engine and Chakra JavaScript engine, distinct from the current Chromium-based Microsoft Edge.

Why would I need to test old versions of Edge?

You would need to test old versions of Edge primarily for maintaining compatibility with legacy enterprise applications, internal intranets, or specific government/educational platforms where users might still be on older Windows 10 builds that retain Edge Legacy.

For general public websites, it’s rarely necessary due to its minimal market share and end-of-life status.

Can I run old Edge directly on my current Windows 10/11 machine?

No, the Microsoft Edge Legacy desktop application was removed and replaced by the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge with Windows 10 feature updates version 21H1 and later. You cannot run it natively alongside the new Edge without specialized methods. Best language for web development

What’s the best way to test old Edge?

The most reliable way to test old Edge is by using official Microsoft-provided virtual machine VM images, which come with an older Windows 10 build and Edge Legacy pre-installed.

Cloud-based browser testing services like BrowserStack or LambdaTest also provide access to these environments.

Where can I download official Edge Legacy VMs?

You can download official virtual machine images for testing various versions of Edge including Edge Legacy from the Microsoft Edge Developer website: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/.

What virtualization software do I need for Edge Legacy VMs?

You’ll need virtualization software like VirtualBox, VMware Workstation Player/Pro, Hyper-V for Windows Pro/Enterprise, or Parallels Desktop for macOS to run the downloaded VM images.

Are cloud-based testing services reliable for old Edge?

Yes, cloud-based testing services like BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, and LambdaTest are highly reliable. Low code development

They provide access to real browsers and operating systems often real machines or highly accurate virtual environments in the cloud, allowing for accurate testing of old Edge without local VM setup.

Can I use my current Edge’s developer tools to emulate old Edge?

While you can change the user agent string and screen resolution in modern Edge’s developer tools F12, this is not true emulation of the EdgeHTML rendering engine.

It only changes how your browser identifies itself to websites, not how it actually renders content or executes JavaScript. It’s insufficient for real compatibility testing.

What are the common issues faced when testing old Edge?

Common issues include CSS layout bugs especially with Flexbox and CSS Grid, lack of support for newer JavaScript ES6+ features without polyfills/transpilation, and generally slower performance compared to modern browsers.

Did Microsoft officially end support for Edge Legacy?

Yes, Microsoft officially ended support for the Microsoft Edge Legacy desktop application on March 9, 2021. This means no more security updates or bug fixes, making it a security risk to use.

What are the security implications of using old Edge for testing?

Running or using Edge Legacy for testing purposes exposes you to potential security vulnerabilities as it no longer receives security updates.

It’s crucial to use these VMs in isolated environments and only for necessary testing.

Should I still develop my website to support Edge Legacy?

For most public-facing websites, no.

The user base is negligible, and supporting a deprecated browser that no longer receives security updates is generally not a worthwhile investment.

Focus on modern browsers and progressive enhancement.

What’s the difference between Edge Legacy and the current Microsoft Edge?

Edge Legacy used Microsoft’s proprietary EdgeHTML rendering engine, while the current Microsoft Edge is built on Google’s open-source Chromium engine the same as Chrome. This shift dramatically improved web compatibility and performance.

How do I debug JavaScript issues in old Edge?

You would use the built-in F12 Developer Tools in Edge Legacy.

Look at the Console tab for errors and the Debugger tab for setting breakpoints and stepping through code.

You’ll likely encounter errors related to unsupported ES6+ features.

Are there any polyfills that can help with Edge Legacy compatibility?

Yes, polyfills for missing JavaScript features e.g., from core-js for Promise, fetch, Array.prototype.includes and CSS polyfills for some Flexbox/Grid features though less reliable can help.

However, relying heavily on them can increase page load size and complexity.

Can I automate testing old Edge versions?

Yes, cloud-based testing services like BrowserStack and Sauce Labs integrate with automation frameworks Selenium, Playwright, Cypress to allow you to run automated tests against various old Edge versions.

What is a “user agent string” in the context of old Edge testing?

A user agent string is a text string sent by a browser to a website, identifying the browser type, version, operating system, and sometimes rendering engine.

Websites might use this string to serve different content or styles, but it doesn’t change the browser’s underlying rendering behavior.

Why is it better to use a VM than browser emulation for old Edge?

Using a VM is better because it runs the actual EdgeHTML rendering engine and Chakra JavaScript engine, replicating the browser’s true behavior and bugs.

Browser emulation changing user agent in modern browsers only simulates how the browser identifies itself, not how it renders or processes code.

If I’m forced to support old Edge, what’s a good strategy?

If forced, prioritize progressive enhancement: ensure a basic, functional experience works in Edge Legacy using widely supported features e.g., ES5 JavaScript, simpler CSS layouts. Then, layer on modern features for contemporary browsers.

Use transpilation and minimal polyfills if absolutely necessary, and consider displaying a banner encouraging users to upgrade.

Are there any free alternatives to cloud testing services for old Edge?

The main free alternative is using Microsoft’s free virtual machine images with free virtualization software like VirtualBox.

While this requires local setup and management, it provides an authentic testing environment without recurring costs.

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