Surface Pro X Microsoft Edge Tips: Essential Guide

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Surface Pro X Microsoft Edge Tips: Your Essential Guide

Unlock the full potential of your Surface Pro X with these essential Microsoft Edge tips. This guide offers simple, actionable advice to enhance your browsing experience, boost productivity, and make navigating the web on your powerful 2-in-1 device effortless.

Welcome to Tabletzoo! If you’ve recently gotten your hands on a Microsoft Surface Pro X, you’re likely excited about its sleek design and impressive portability. But to truly make the most of this fantastic device, you need to know how to navigate its features efficiently. For many, the web browser is our daily digital window, and the default, Microsoft Edge, is a powerful tool waiting to be explored. You might feel a little lost in all its options, but don’t worry! We’re here to guide you through it. We’ll share some genius tips and tricks for Microsoft Edge, specifically tailored for your Surface Pro X, that will make your online life smoother and more productive. Ready to become an Edge pro? Let’s dive in!

Why Microsoft Edge on Surface Pro X is a Winning Combination

Your Surface Pro X is a marvel of modern technology, designed for both work and play. Its ARM processor offers excellent battery life and can handle demanding tasks, making it a fantastic companion for productivity on the go. Microsoft Edge, built to be fast, secure, and battery-efficient, is the perfect partner for this hardware. It leverages the strengths of the Surface Pro X, delivering a seamless browsing experience that’s optimized for touch and pen input, as well as traditional mouse and keyboard use. Think of it as a finely tuned instrument where the hardware and software work in perfect harmony to make your digital life easier. We’ll show you how to get the most out of this partnership with simple, effective tips.

Getting Started: The Basics of Microsoft Edge on Your Surface Pro X

Before we jump into the advanced stuff, let’s ensure you’ve got the fundamentals down. Microsoft Edge is built on a Chromium base, meaning it’s incredibly capable and familiar to many users. It’s designed to be intuitive, but a few key features can significantly improve your daily use.

Your First Steps in Edge

When you first open Microsoft Edge on your Surface Pro X, you’ll notice a clean and modern interface. Here’s what you should know to get comfortable:

The Address Bar (Omnibox): This is where you type website addresses or search queries. Edge combines both functions, so just type what you’re looking for, and Edge will either take you to the site or perform a search using your default search engine (usually Bing).
 Tabs: Each website you visit opens in a new tab. You can easily switch between tabs by clicking on them at the top of the browser window. Need to open a new one? Click the `+` icon next to your last tab.
Navigation Buttons: The familiar left and right arrows at the top-left of the window are your “back” and “forward” buttons, letting you move through your browsing history. The house icon usually takes you to your homepage.
 Profiles: Edge lets you create different profiles. This is super handy if you want to keep work and personal browsing separate, or if multiple people use the same Surface Pro X. You can set up different bookmarks, history, and settings for each profile. To access this, click on your profile icon in the top-right corner.

Customizing Your Start Page

The New Tab page in Edge can be more than just a blank slate. It can be a productivity hub!

Layout: Click the gear icon on the New Tab page to choose your layout. ‘Focused’ gives you a clean look with just a search bar. ‘Inspirational’ offers a beautiful image and quick links. ‘Informational’ provides news and updates tailored to your interests.
 Quick Links: These are shortcuts to your favorite websites, appearing below the search bar. You can add, remove, and rearrange them to your liking. Right-click on a link to manage it.

Essential Surface Pro X Microsoft Edge Tips for Productivity

Now that you’re comfortable with the basics, let’s explore some tips that will make your Surface Pro X truly shine with Microsoft Edge.

1. Mastering Tabs for Efficient Multitasking

Tabs are your best friend when multitasking, but they can quickly get out of hand. Edge offers some great ways to manage them.

Tab Grouping: Is your tab bar a jumbled mess? Right-click on a tab and select ‘Add tab to new group’. You can then name and color-code your groups (e.g., “Work Projects,” “Research,” “Shopping”). This tidies up your tab bar significantly and lets you collapse entire groups when you’re done with them.
 Vertical Tabs: This is a game-changer, especially on a tablet screen. Click the vertical tabs icon (it looks like two stacked squares) in the top-left corner of the browser window, just above the back arrow. Your tabs will now appear as a list on the left side, making them easier to read and manage, especially when you have many open. This is perfect for the Surface Pro X’s form factor.
Collections: This is a powerful tool for saving and organizing web content beyond just bookmarks. To use Collections, click the icon in the top-right corner (it looks like a canvas with a plus sign). You can add web pages, images, and text snippets to a collection. It’s fantastic for research projects, planning trips, or anything where you need to gather information from various sources. You can even export your collections to Word or Excel.

2. Leveraging Collections for Research and Planning

Collections deserve a special mention because they are incredibly useful for Surface Pro X users who often multitask and research.

How to Create a Collection:
1. Open Edge and click the Collections icon (top right).
2. Click “Start new collection.”
3. Give your collection a name (e.g., “Summer Vacation Ideas” or “Project X Research”).
4. As you browse, click “Add current page” in the Collections pane to add the page to your selected collection. You can also right-click on images or links and choose “Add image to Collections” or “Add link to Collections.”
5. You can add notes to any item within a collection.
Organizing Your Thoughts: Within a collection, you can rearrange items, add dividers, and even make comparisons. For instance, if you’re comparing products, you can put them side-by-side in a collection.
 Exporting: Once your collection is complete, click the three dots within the collection pane and select “Send to Word” or “Send to Excel.” This is incredibly useful for students and professionals needing to compile research quickly.

3. Enhancing Your Reading Experience

Reading articles and long-form content is a breeze with Edge’s built-in tools.

Immersive Reader: This feature strips away clutter (ads, banners, sidebars) and presents articles in a clean, distraction-free format. To activate it, look for the book icon in the address bar when you’re on an article page. If you don’t see it, it might not be supported for that specific page.
 Read Aloud: Can’t be bothered to read? Edge can read the page aloud to you! With an article open (ideally in reader mode), right-click anywhere on the page and select “Read aloud” or click the corresponding icon in the Immersive Reader tools.
Text Preferences: Within Immersive Reader, you can adjust text size, spacing, line focus (to help track lines of text), and even change the page theme (including a dark mode) and narrator voice. This is a godsend for accessibility and comfort.

To learn more about accessibility features in Microsoft products, visit the Microsoft Accessibility website.

4. Smart Copy and Paste

When copying text from websites, especially those with complex formatting, you often get unwanted styles. Edge has a smarter way to paste.

When you press `Ctrl + V` (or tap and hold to paste on touch), Edge often pastes with the website’s original formatting.
Try pressing `Ctrl + Shift + V` (or look for a “Paste as plain text” option in the right-click menu). This will paste only the text, without any formatting, giving you a clean slate to apply your own styles or integrate it into your document seamlessly. This is a small but mighty time-saver!

5. Efficient Downloading and File Management

Your Surface Pro X might serve as your primary device, so managing downloads is important.

Download Location: Edge allows you to choose where your downloads are saved and whether you want to be prompted each time. Go to Settings (three dots) > Downloads. Here you can toggle “Ask me what to do with each download” and change the default download folder.
Download Manager: Access your downloads by pressing `Ctrl + J` or clicking the download arrow icon (usually in the top-right, near your profile icon). This shows a list of your recent downloads, allows you to open files, see their location, or pause/cancel ongoing downloads.

6. Enhanced Privacy and Security Features

Keeping your data safe online is crucial. Microsoft Edge has several built-in features to help you.

Tracking Prevention: Edge blocks trackers by default, helping to protect your privacy. You can choose between ‘Basic’, ‘Balanced’, and ‘Strict’ levels in Settings > Privacy, search, and services. ‘Balanced’ is the default and offers a good mix of protection without breaking most websites. You can also manage exceptions for specific sites.
Password Monitor: Edge can alert you if your saved passwords have appeared in known data breaches. Ensure this is enabled in Settings > Profiles > Passwords.
 Secure Network (Microsoft Defender SmartScreen): This feature helps protect you from phishing and malware sites. It’s generally enabled by default, but it’s worth checking in Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Security. A reputable cybersecurity resource like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also offers great advice on identifying online threats.

7. Using Edge Extensions for Personalization

Just like Chrome, Edge supports extensions that add functionality.

How to Install Extensions: Go to Settings (three dots) > Extensions. You can browse the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store directly from here. If you’re coming from Chrome, you can also enable installing extensions from other stores, though it’s always recommended to stick to the official Edge store for maximum security.
 Popular Extensions: Consider extensions like a password manager (e.g., Bitwarden), an ad blocker (e.g., uBlock Origin), or a note-taking tool. Choose extensions wisely, as they can impact performance and privacy.

Surface Pro X Specific Edge Optimizations

Your Surface Pro X is a touch-first device, and Edge is designed to work beautifully with it.

Touch and Pen Integration

Flick Gestures: If you have a touchscreen keyboard, Edge responds to flick gestures for scrolling, which feels natural.
 Inking on Web Pages: Edge allows you to draw directly on web pages using your Surface Pen. When you have a web page open, look for the “Draw on this page” option (often found in the `+` menu or by right-clicking). You can then use your pen to write notes, highlight text, or sketch ideas directly onto the webpage. This is an amazing feature for students and professionals alike. The resulting annotated page can be saved as an image or PDF.
Tablet Mode: While Windows 11 has refined its tablet experience, Edge adapts well. Its buttons and interface elements are generally large enough to be easily tapped with a finger.

Performance and Battery Life

Efficiency Mode: Edge has an “Efficiency mode” that can help extend battery life by reducing CPU usage when your device is plugged in or when the battery is low. You can typically find this in Settings > System and performance.
Sleeping Tabs: To save resources, Edge can put inactive tabs to “sleep,” freeing up memory and CPU usage. This is usually on by default. You can adjust the inactivity period in Settings > System and performance > Optimize performance.

Edge Settings You Should Know

Dive a bit deeper into Edge’s settings to customize your experience further.

Key Settings to Explore

Appearance: Customize themes, set your preferred browser colors, and decide whether to show or hide certain buttons.
Privacy, search, and services: This is where you’ll find Tracking Prevention, Password Monitor, and options for clearing browsing data.
 Cookies and site permissions: Manage what websites can do, like access your location, camera, or microphone.
Languages: Set your preferred languages for browsing and automatically translate pages.
 Downloads: As mentioned, control where files are saved.

Clearing Browsing Data

It’s good practice to periodically clear your browsing data. You can do this by going to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Choose what to clear. You can select specific time ranges and choose to clear browsing history, cookies, cached images and files, and more.

Comparing Edge to Other Browsers on Surface Pro X

Your Surface Pro X, being an ARM-based device, has specific considerations when it comes to browser performance and compatibility. Microsoft Edge is specifically optimized for Windows on ARM, meaning it’s generally the most performant and battery-efficient option.

Google Chrome: Chrome is a popular alternative, but historically, its performance and battery consumption on ARM devices have been less optimized than Edge. While Google has made improvements, Edge often has the edge (pun intended!) for longevity and snappiness on the Surface Pro X.
 Mozilla Firefox: Firefox is another solid browser, but similar to Chrome, its ARM optimization might not be as refined as Edge’s native integration.

For the best balance of speed, features, and battery life on your Surface Pro X, Microsoft Edge is typically the recommended choice.

Table: Browser Performance Comparison (Surface Pro X – General Observations)

| Feature | Microsoft Edge | Google Chrome (ARM Version) | Mozilla Firefox (ARM Version) |
| :—————- | :————————————————– | :——————————————————– | :——————————————————— |
| Performance | Excellent; highly optimized for Windows on ARM. | Good; improving, but can sometimes be slightly slower. | Good; generally performs well. |
| Battery Life | Excellent; often the most battery-efficient. | Good; can consume more power than Edge. | Good; comparable to Chrome. |
| Compatibility | Excellent; designed for Windows ecosystem. | Excellent; vast extension support. | Excellent; good extension support. |
| Features | Robust, with Collections, Immersive Reader, etc. | Extensive customization, large extension library. | Strong privacy focus, good customization. |
| Touch/Pen | Excellent integration. | Good, reliant on Windows touch layer. | Good, reliant on Windows touch layer. |

Tips for Specific Use Cases

Let’s look at how these tips apply to common scenarios for Surface Pro X users.

For Students

Collections: Perfect for gathering research for essays or projects.
 Immersive Reader & Read Aloud: Great for studying articles and making notes.
Vertical Tabs: Keep all your research tabs organized without a cluttered screen.
 Inking: Mark up PDFs or webpages directly for easier note-taking.

For Professionals

Collections: Organize project information, competitor research, or travel plans.
 Profiles: Keep work and personal browsing separate and secure.
Smart Copy/Paste: Quickly transfer information into documents without formatting issues.
 PDF Annotations: Mark up documents shared via web links.

For Creatives

Collections: Save inspiration images, color palettes, and design references.
 Inking: Sketch ideas or annotate designs found online.
Dark Mode: Reduce eye strain during late-night creative sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Microsoft Edge really good on the Surface Pro X?

Yes, absolutely! Microsoft Edge is specifically optimized for Windows on ARM devices like the Surface Pro X. It’s designed for speed, efficiency, and excellent battery life, making it arguably the best browser for your device.

How do I make Microsoft Edge faster on my Surface Pro X?

To speed up Edge, keep it updated, manage your extensions (disable unnecessary ones), clear your cache and cookies periodically, and ensure Windows is also up-to-date. Utilize features like Sleeping Tabs and Efficiency Mode in Edge’s settings.

Can I use Chrome extensions in Microsoft Edge?

Yes, you can! Go to Edge Settings > Extensions and toggle on “Allow extensions from other stores.” While convenient, always be cautious as the official Microsoft Edge Add-ons store is generally considered safer.

How do I enable dark mode in Microsoft Edge?

Go to Edge Settings (three dots) > Appearance. Under “Overall appearance,” you can choose “Dark” or set it to “System default” to match your Windows theme.

What are Collections in Microsoft Edge?

Collections is a powerful feature in Edge that allows you to save, organize, and collaborate on web content like pages, images, and text. It’s like a digital scrapbook for your research, projects, or inspiration.

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My Surface Pro X gets warm when browsing. What can I do?

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