By Usman Khurshid|Last Updated: December 16, 2023
With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft has released a new default browser called Microsoft Edge. In the previous Operating Systems, Internet Explorer was the Internet browser from Microsoft. Internet Explorer has been replaced with Edge.The new Edge is more secure and faster than Internet Explorer.
Update: Microsoft has released a Chromium version of Microsoft Edge and the Legacy Edge has been discontinued. You can now download and install Microsoft Edge on Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 directly.
This leads us to an irony that Internet Explorer is still available for Windows 10 while Edge is not available for older Operating Systems like Windows8/8.1 or Windows 7. It is specific to Windows 10. This situation is really frustrating, especially for the developers.
But there is a way to overcome this situation and install Edge browser on Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 without upgrading to Windows 10. Microsoft has released Virtual Machine images for Hyper-V, VMWare, and Virtualbox which come with pre-installed Windows 10.
You can run virtual machine image for free which Windows 10 will come pre-configured for you. The VM has a Windows 10 Enterprise edition with 90 days trial period. The period can be extended to 180 days which is about 6 months.
Please note that if you have data saved in the virtual machine, you will lose data after Windows expires. You should always keep your data backed up from the Virtual Machine. You can keep an extra copy of the Virtual Machine image and run it when one trial has expired. This will give you another 90 days of free usage of Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge browser.
According to Microsoft, the company is focusing on Edge for Windows 10 and will only release a standalone version of the browser if everything goes smoothly. But this can be a long while or never. But interested users can always try and test Microsoft Edge without compromising on Windows upgrades.
- Go to the Microsoft Virtual Machines download link
- Select MSEdge on Win10 (x64) Stable 1809 under Virtual Machine drop-down
- Select the virtualization platform from the platform drop-down. You can select from Virtualbox, Vagrant, VMWare, or Parallels for Mac.
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Usman Khurshid
Usman Khurshid is a seasoned IT Pro with over 15 years of experience in the IT industry. He has experience in everything from IT support, helpdesk, sysadmin, network admin, and cloud computing. He is also certified in Microsoft Technologies (MCTS and MCSA) and also Cisco Certified Professional in Routing and Switching.
24 comments
Korbin
4 years agoReply
Kurt
5 years agoReply
Please update the original article, the link does not work anymore.
Functioning link to VM’s, as of 4/16/2019:
https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/A
Usman Khurshid
5 years agoReply
Thanks a lot Kurt, I have updated the link.
iswanto seo
5 years agoReply
thanks for your share, and Microsoft edge treat their loyal customers like cattle
I’m switching to chromeLeland
6 years agoReply
This is a money making scheme to get people to buy Windows 10. I have had occasion where Edge would not allow me to copy information into my home work for school. To be able to copy my work i had to reinstall the Explorer to do so.
Mar
6 years agoReply
So ….My laptop come with windows 8 build in …that’s ok tried to change the browser nothing work fine like IE ,so all that mess for what? have to buy another laptop ,? have to pay for something wont work nice ? That’s a real b……it
The best windows was XP and IE they should leave how is ,there are many peoples who just sit and don’t try to do the best things for US JUST FOR THEM
I am not an expert on that but really …. :(David
6 years agoReply
10 is not so great,Ive used it its best for Microsoft because I can run a new install of 7 any time and not lose anything,Theres less that users can do with 10 because Microsoft put their settings in that I can change on 7,if 10 is so great why is 7ult. still around 300 bucks.Greedy Microsoft is why.Go Apple with no problems.PC notebook starting 500 to ?? Like its 1995 again.
Alexis Gonzalez
7 years agoReply
Is this another way to force Windows users to Upgrade to Windows 10?
I guess I will not be using Edge on my home computer and so will many other users.A
Usman Khurshid
7 years agoReply
The only thing that I can think of when using Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 instead of upgrading to Windows 10 is the hardware limitation. Otherwise, it should almost always be clear that people should be using the latest version of Windows 10.
A
Usman Khurshid
7 years agoReply
Yes definitely Microsoft is pushing users to upgrade to Windows 10 latest version. The latest version is more secure and efficient in terms of usability.
Frosty
7 years agoReply
Microsoft edge treat their loyal customers like cattle
I’m switching to chrome
been using IE since windows 95
but now there stopping flash from playing in older forums
to force you to buy win 10 and edgeA
Usman Khurshid
7 years agoReply
Windows 10 is definitely a better technology than its predecessors including Windows 7. Microsoft also offered free upgrade to Windows 10 if you were using Windows 7 or Windows 8. I think one should move on to the latest technologies instead of sticking to the one you’re used to.
User
6 years agoReply
Windows 8.1 is better, definitely. My Windows 10, 10 feet from the modem at high speed tech, takes about 20 minutes to load one page on (*TAKE NOTE*) MICROSOFT EDGE(at 100kbp speeds). My Win 8.1, 1 mile from the modem, will connect faster than my win 10(at 80kbp internet)
NOYFB
6 years agoReply
This is the most un-thought-out response that is asinine to state.
Win 10 is NOT a “better technology” by any means. It’s not less secure and 10 is meant to generate constant revenue only and give complete authoritative control to MS so don’t spew nonsense. 10 is the worst OS made ever, even worse than Vista. Has no business in corporate environment. I’m a network architect surrounded by this……..When I speak, you should listen!
jon
7 years agoReply
How can you run a real life browser in a virtual machine ? The speed is not the same ! A Firefox or Chrome on the real system will be faster than a virtual machine with Edge ! The solution is not an option. Also, Windows XP can run a virtual Windows 10 machine, sow we can use Edge on Windows XP ! Dissapointed ! Microsoft OS is a big failure !
PS. Read this citation from a website (not my work):
“If bill gates wouldn’t have locked the market down by burying the best ever designed operating system under tremendous amounts of copyrights and such then our systems would have been much safer and much faster and more stable then anyone could imagine. I’m talking about the one and only true OS that is capable of handling any kind of hardware. They never should have let microsoft be in charge of any OS since their one and only purpose is to exploit the world as their personal money machine.
I’m talking about the good old Disk Operating System (DOS). Don’t forget that Bill gates stole it at the time when the real developers were still working on it although Bill Gates never admitted it. The only proof we got is that even Microsoft was unable to upgrade DOS simply because they hadnt had the slightest idea on how to do that. All later versions of DOS were made by smart young students who, ofcourse, had to give their knowledge to microsoft or face the consequences (lawsuits)
I myself see Bill Gates as a kind of digital Adolf Hitler because he drains the economy worldwide undoubtingly causing real deaths due to the nature of power in this era.
It was said that Unix (the base for all linux/SCO-Xenix) was far better then DOS, but every system analyst who ever worked with them both (like me) will say with 100% certainty : UNIX has limitations which DOS never had and the other way around. The only reason why UNIX was preferrable was because DOS had the nasty RAM limitation
Unix had it’s own problems as well and it took many years to make it possible for the average programmer to use UNIX in a functional matter. (unix was mostly used by big companies with their huge mainframe computersystems)
DOS eventually became the standard for years and microsoft did their best to decode the original DOS created by students (who never worked for MS !)
They succeeded to get rid of the RAM limitation (although not by changing the source but by adding own assembly language) but the orignal DOS was never decoded up to today. (remember that in those days it was common to make an executable (non-decoable) after te programmer finished his work in order to protect his own labour.
The extension used at that time was .COM (which is still being used by windows.
There was a reason for this, namely : when you start up your computer the BIOS will execute a series of tests before handing over control to an operating system. After the test are completed then the BIOS would look for some files to be executed. (actually only 1 file but that’s a very technical story)
The first file the BIOS looked for was COMMAND.COM (which is in essence the heart of DOS) if the BIOS could not find the file it would return an ERROR stating “Disk Operating System not found (DOS !) and you couldn’t use your system untill you inserted a disk with a COMMAND.COM file.
The strangest part of the COMMAND.COM (which never has been decoded !) was that it would do exactly the same as the built-in BIOS and then would look for some files (autoexec.bat, config.sys and some others i cant recall) to execute in a shell environment (the source of the RAM limitation problem!)
Instead of re-programming the COMMAND.COM in order to make any system bootable, microsoft focussed on adding more and more extensions instead of getting rid of limitations of extensions. (extensions could only be 3 characters and no more)
Thus resulting in an OS that was build like a russian doll. (shell around a shell and embedded in a shell) which caused the infamous screens-of-death and still does !
I’m still convinced that if they would put their efforts in developing a brand new DOS orientated OS we could make a giant leap into the future.
Don’t get me wrong, UNIX isn’t better or worse. They both are truly outdated and if nothing changes then we will be stuck with a product which has flaws that can never be corrected directly but only with some twisted workaround. (like the first windows version was nothing more then an attempt to make DOS accesible for the public)Up until this day our systems haven’t changed at it’s source. For example: the BIOS is still working exactly the same as when the first PC saw the light. It’s still working sequentially which means that it looks for an instruction at the first line (zero) and if the instruction is succesfull then it will go to the next, BUT the BIOS is unable to go backwards, it can only count upwards. When it reaches the last instruction it will release control to the OS (command.com) while resetting itself and waiting at the first instruction. (this is where the source of all SoD’s came from)
In short : our hardware is still running on ancient technology in it’s core and loads of shells are used to prevent our systems to crash due to a reset of the BIOS instruction counter.
Science should be ashamed that after 30 years they still can’t figure out how to create a functional BIOS and OS.Todays Linux variants proofs that our system’s performance can be enhanced a lot but still the beating heart is out-of-date….
I’m sorry that i didn’t took the time to explain the real technical properties of both BIOS and OS but it would simply be too much and probably too difficult for most people.
It suffices to say that if any programmer who would want to change the BIOS and.or OS he has to use old school assembly language or even binary code ! (zeros and ones)So students if you want to be famous just create new smart BIOS or even find a way to get rid of the BIOS since it’s the real bottleneck in every computer system.
e.i. : The main task of the BIOS is to check if all hardware works correctly by checking RAM, Keyboard, Display, Disks etc.
Yet due to it’s ancient nature no BIOS is capable of detecting any mouse or USB connected device, which proofs that it’s really ancient and not just a made up story.Pff im done now, dunno why i actually wrote this since nobody will probable understand or even read it.
Have a nice day !
Arie Klep”A
Usman Khurshid
7 years agoReply
Very interesting read. Thanks for sharing. DOS was certainly a great Operating System which paved the way for modern OS but technology always moves forward and if we site at one place thinking of the limitations of the technology we’re using then we’ll never be able to achieve the next step in technology. DOS paved the way for Windows, BIOS paved the way for UEFI etc. I hope you understand this..
Doug
7 years agoReply
Sounds like Firefox or Chrome are the way to go with Windows 7, screw Edge
Abdulee Sultan
7 years agoReply
Hmmm i tried the method before wasnt helpfull at all and i think if u figure a way contact me at xda devloper.com site am Abdulee there
Hill Billy
8 years agoReply
“You can run the virtual machine image for free which Windows 10 will come pre-configured for you.”
Can you write in English?
satan
8 years agoReply
How do you run a chicken on an egg? Easy, put the chicken back inside the egg and then eat the egg. You’d be a chicken not to swallow the egg. In this case the chicken preceded the egg.
Mr Parker
8 years agoReply
Why can’t Windows 10 have IE and MS Edge
Rosco
8 years agoReply
It does, click run, type iexplore and it will come up.
sml156
8 years agoReply
Why so many letters “ie” works just fine
A
Usman Khurshid
8 years agoReply
ie isn’t the standard shortcut. iexplore works on all Windows OS.