Microsoft testing built-in VPN for Edge Canary
Microsoft Edge’s new VPN will protect your privacy, but it isn’t for viewing streaming content from other regions.
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What you need to know
Microsoft Edge Canary has a new feature in testing that allows people to securely connect to public Wi-Fi networks. Microsoft Edge Secure network is now available for select users of Edge Canary. It protects people’s data by masking a device’s IP address, encrypting user data, and routing web connections through a secured network.
Microsoft Edge Secure Network wasalready available for some Edge Canary usersbefore this week, butMicrosoft officially announced the featureon May 12, 2022. A blog post by the company explains how Secure Network works.
The tool, which is powered by Cloudflare, makes it more difficult for internet service providers (ISPs) to collect browsing data. It also prevents advertisers from using your information to show targeted ads.
Microsoft will give users 1 GB of free data each month, at least while the feature is in preview. It’s unclear if Microsoft will remove this free allotment in the future. Streaming video will use up data more quickly than generally browsing the web, so it would be wise to use Secure Network’s controls to customize when you enable the tool.
Just like thebest VPNs, Microsoft Edge Secure Network protects privacy by encrypting data and routing connections through a server. The feature, however, won’t replace other VPNs for some people.
While VPNs are often used to protect privacy and data, they are also popular for their ability to bypass region restrictions for streaming content. This use case doesn’t appear to be an option for Microsoft Edge Secure Network.
In areas where VPNs are allowed, Secure Network will connect devices to a “local data center and the IP address your browsing data flows through will be geographically similar to your actual region,” according to Microsoft. This will protect privacy because it won’t share your IP address, but it will not allow you to pretend to be in another region.
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Microsoft has several versions of its Edge browser for testing new and experimental features. You can now test out a built-in VPN in Edge Canary.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
