Microsoft Edge is a Chromium-based web browser developed by Microsoft, combining modern web standards support with AI-powered productivity features including a built-in Copilot assistant. Released in 2020 as a complete reimagining of the original Edge, it offers cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) while integrating deeply with the Microsoft ecosystem through passkeys, Workspaces, and Game Assist. Edge is built to balance speed and efficiency with privacy controls — its tracking prevention, sleeping tabs, and efficiency mode actively manage system resources to extend battery life and reduce memory footprint. One critical distinction from Chrome: as of 2026, Edge ships unique AI-powered features like Organize Tabs, Copilot Rewrite, and Game Assist that have no direct Chrome equivalent — making the browser increasingly valuable for both productivity and gaming workloads.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This topic spans 15 focused tables and 145 indexed concepts. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.
Table 1: Navigation and Tab Management
| Shortcut | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
Ctrl + T | Opens a new tab immediately | |
Ctrl + W | Closes the current tab | |
Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopens the last closed tab with full session state | |
Ctrl + Tab | Switches to the next tab in sequence | |
Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Switches to the previous tab | |
Ctrl + 3 | Jumps directly to tab number 3 (or specified number) | |
Ctrl + 9 | Jumps to the last tab regardless of total count | |
Ctrl + Shift + K | Duplicates the current tab including its full navigation history | |
Ctrl + M | Mutes or unmutes audio on the current tab (toggle) |