Microsoft is Deprecating Kids Mode, Citations, and Other Edge Features

In an effort to streamline its Edge browser, Microsoft is preparing to deprecate some of its features. In the release notes for the latest Beta channel update for Microsoft Edge, the company announced that Math Solver, Picture Dictionary, Citations, Grammar Tools, and Kids Mode are being deprecated.

I can’t say that I’m really familiar with all of these features, but Kids mode looked like a useful addition when it launched in April 2021. This feature creates a sandbox-like experience that makes Edge safer to use for kids.

Edge’s Citations feature, which is an extension of the browser’s Collections feature, is designed to help students manage and generate citations from academic online sources in the correct format. Just like Math Solver, this is a pretty niche feature that probably didn’t get a lot of usage.

Microsoft says that deprecating these features will help to “improve end user experience and simplify the More tools menu.” However, if you never used these features before, you’ll probably not notice any changes when they disappear on the Stable channel.

Since its public launch back in 2020, the new Chromium-based Edge went from a faster and more power-efficient version of Google Chrome to what many users would probably describe as a bloated, Microsoft-centric version of Chrome. The web browser now has a deep integration with the new Bing Chatbot, which is accessible from the big Bing button at the right side of the Edge toolbar.

Microsoft Edge still lets you customize the UI and hide most features you don’t need, so it’s not all bad. And if you live in the Microsoft ecosystem, the new Edge for Business experience with its automatic profile-switching feature is really handy.

Are you going to miss any of the features that will soon be deprecated in Microsoft Edge? Sound off in the comments below.