Microsoft Edge browser starts offering extensions on Android before Chrome

In context: Add-ons and extensions provide a wide range of customization options for web browsers. While extensions have long been an integral part of the web experience on PCs, they are now gaining popularity in mobile ecosystems as well.

Despite being built on the same layout engine derived from the Chromium project, Edge is making a determined effort to differentiate itself from Chrome. Microsoft’s browser is now bringing support for extensions on Android – something even Google, despite owning the mobile platform and many of its most popular apps, has curiously neglected to implement.

Extension support is now available in the latest stable version of Edge for Android (134.0.3124.57), which Microsoft has rebranded as the “AI browser” – because, apparently, nothing matters anymore unless AI is part of the mix. The extension store is also accessible via the web, though users must browse the page from a mobile device to get the full experience.

Currently, Edge for Android still labels the extension page as a “beta” feature, indicating that further refinements are needed before it can be deemed fully stable. Microsoft has opted for a curated selection of extensions, offering 22 add-ons that enhance security, enable VPN functionality, block YouTube ads, facilitate video downloads, switch user agents, manage cookies, and more.

As reported by Windows Latest, installing and managing extensions on Edge is straightforward enough, even in its beta phase. The web version of the store lists the available extensions but does not yet support installation or synchronization with Edge for Android. For now, the “Get” button remains grayed out.

Although modern browser extensions are more limited than older technologies like Mozilla’s XUL, they still significantly influence how users interact with web content and services. Some mobile browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, already support extensions, while Google Chrome – despite being a default Android app – has yet to offer the feature.

Microsoft began testing extension support on Android a year ago, initially enabling the feature in Edge’s Canary (nightly) channel in January 2024. Now that extensions are available in the stable release, extension enthusiasts are likely eagerly awaiting the inclusion of their preferred add-ons in Microsoft’s officially supported list.

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