Microsoft moves forward with Edge Workspaces browser-based collaboration feature

Microsoft is continuing to add collaboration features not just to Teams, but also its Outlook mail and Edge browser products. At its Ignite 2022 conference kick-off on October 12, officials talked about a new collaboration feature, known as Edge Workspaces, coming to some future version of browser.

Edge Workspaces — basically, Microsoft’s take on Google’s Chrome Tab Groups — is a shared set of browser tabs that allow groups of people to view the same set of websites and files in the same place. The links and files in a Workspace will open as browser tabs, which are updated in real time. 

The pitch: Instead of having to email colleagues links or send them to them in chats, users can simply share an Edge Workspace that’s already populated and ready to use.

As of today, Edge Workspaces is in public preview for enterprise customers (not consumers). Even though the current preview is for businesses, Microsoft is committing to make it available to consumers, as well, allowing people to plan trips, organize activities and more. Microsoft officials said in 2023 (no further timing provided), Edge Workspaces will be available to everyone.

Today is not the first time that testers have seen Edge Workspaces. In 2021, some testers running Canary Builds of Edge, saw this feature debut. Microsoft removed the feature from Edge last year, but in March 2022, a mention of Workspaces showed up again in another Canary build.

Microsoft is continuing to add collaboration features not just to Teams, but also its Outlook mail and Edge browser products. At its Ignite 2022 conference kick-off on October 12, officials talked about a new collaboration feature, known as Edge Workspaces, coming to some future version of browser.

Edge Workspaces — basically, Microsoft’s take on Google’s Chrome Tab Groups — is a shared set of browser tabs that allow groups of people to view the same set of websites and files in the same place. The links and files in a Workspace will open as browser tabs, which are updated in real time. 

The pitch: Instead of having to email colleagues links or send them to them in chats, users can simply share an Edge Workspace that’s already populated and ready to use.

As of today, Edge Workspaces is in public preview for enterprise customers (not consumers). Even though the current preview is for businesses, Microsoft is committing to make it available to consumers, as well, allowing people to plan trips, organize activities and more. Microsoft officials said in 2023 (no further timing provided), Edge Workspaces will be available to everyone.

Today is not the first time that testers have seen Edge Workspaces. In 2021, some testers running Canary Builds of Edge, saw this feature debut. Microsoft removed the feature from Edge last year, but in March 2022, a mention of Workspaces showed up again in another Canary build.