Tip: Enable Windows 11 Visual Effects in Microsoft Edge

With the release this past week of Microsoft Edge 102, you can now configure the browser to use Windows 11 visual effects like the Mica material in the title bar and toolbar backgrounds.

Thanks to Neowin for tipping me off that this feature is now available in Edge 102, a release that supposedly shipped with no major new functional changes. Granted, this change is a hidden feature for now that requires you to set a flag. Microsoft says it is still working on it, and that enabling this feature could result in “some performance issues.” But it’s certainly worth checking out.

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Here’s how to enable these effects.

First, open a new Edge tab and navigate to edge://flags/#edge-visual-rejuv-show-settings. Enable that option (“Show experimental appearance settings”) and restart Edge as prompted.

Next, open Edge settings and navigate to Appearance. There, you will find a new option, “Show Windows 11 visual effects in the title bar and toolbar (Preview).” Enable that option and restart the browser as prompted.

Optionally, you can also enable the option “Use rounded corners for browser tabs (Preview).” I know some people won’t like that effect, but to my eyes, it fills out the Windows 11 look and feel nicely, and it gives Edge a nice visual differentiator when compared to Chrome.

Enjoy.

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Conversation 11 comments

  • ggolcher

    Premium Member
    03 June, 2022 - 9:26 am

    <p>To complement this: this tip works on the macOS version, but only the <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“Use rounded corners for browser tabs (Preview).” option is available.</span></p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      03 June, 2022 - 11:06 am

      <p>Yeah, the language seems to indicate that *something* will happen on Mac or Linux. I couldn’t test that.</p>

  • dallasnorth40

    Premium Member
    03 June, 2022 - 9:27 am

    <p>Thanks, Paul. This is a nice look!</p>

  • SherlockHolmes

    Premium Member
    03 June, 2022 - 9:36 am

    <p>I bet Mary Jo wouldnt notice it at all …..</p>

  • kherm

    Premium Member
    03 June, 2022 - 10:42 am

    <p>Very nice, much nicer then before when the Mica material was only available in the Title Bar. </p>

  • cwfinn

    Premium Member
    03 June, 2022 - 4:39 pm

    <p>I’m old, so maybe it’s a Boomer thing but I can’t tell the difference! :-)</p>

  • sadsteve

    03 June, 2022 - 5:20 pm

    <p>Not that I use 11 yet, but these are the kinds of things I disable when I do a fresh install of Windows. No transparency, blur effects, snapping, animations, etc. </p>

  • bgoodbody

    Premium Member
    03 June, 2022 - 5:50 pm

    <p style="color: rgb(166, 166, 166) !important;">The instructions don’t work.</p>

  • cjmarotta

    Premium Member
    03 June, 2022 - 8:44 pm

    <p>Unfortunately, it’s only available when using a default theme…</p>

  • benhaube

    04 June, 2022 - 1:16 pm

    <p>Thanks for letting us know. Previously, I was using the Mica portion of it by doing the flag, but with this update, they have made it so you can have rounded tabs too. I like the look. I will have to check how it looks with rounded tabs on my Linux install. </p>

  • ray2048

    08 June, 2022 - 6:16 pm

    <p>Thanks Paul</p>

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