Microsoft Edge to get ClearType Text rendering and Tab Actions Menu

Microsoft continues to improve the Edge Chromium browser. A recent change in Canray reveals Microsoft is working to add ClearType Text rendering to Edge on Windows 10 for text on web pages to look clear, smoother, and better to read but not blurry.  And, the Vertical Tabs button on the toolbar is getting the “Tab actions menu”.

ClearType Text rendering

Internet Explorer and Legacy Edge are better at font rendering on Windows than Chromium browsers such new Edge and Google Chrome.

Sometime back, Edge users reported to Microsoft about blurry fonts on some Webpages. It’s on the Redmond Software giant radar to address it.

Seems Edge is about to respect Windows Cleartype Settings even more.

As we said above, Microsoft is testing the “Enhance text contrast” flag.

The experimental feature when enabled,

“Renders text using same contrast and gamma settings that are used elsewhere in Windows. Run the ClearType Text Tuner to adjust the contrast and gamma settings of your monitor”.
Edge Enhance text contrast flag

We noticed no changes in text rendering in New Edge after enabling the flag.

As of today in 91.0.863.0, the flag no longer exists, expect Microsoft to add it back to Edge with future Canary updates.

Here is how you can run the ClearType Text Tuner wizard on Windows 10

  1. Open Run dialog
  2. Type cttune.exe and press Enter.
    ClearType Text Tuner wizard
  3. Tell the windows which text sample looks best on your screen to read

Font Smoothing in Edge browser

Visit edge://histograms/Microsoft.Fonts.FontSmoothingMethod page in Edge address bar and check the datapoint shown by Histogram to find Font smoothing used by Edge browser.

Here 0= means, No smoothing

1=Grayscale

and 2=Cleartype.
See font smoothing method used in Microsoft Edge

Vertical Tabs button getting Tab Actions Menu

Microsoft Edge’s best feature could be vertical tabs. The software giant is adding the tab actions menu to the Vertical Tabs button on the toolbar.

Till now, the button is used as a switcher between horizontal and vertical tabs. Now, it is gaining the following options.

  • Turn on Vertical tabs
  • Recently closed
  • Add all tabs to a new collection

Tab Actions Menu for Vertical Tabs button

So this adds an extra step to turn off/on vertical tabs.
What’s your take on these changes? Let us know in the comments below

More on Microsoft Edge:

Enable or Disable Performance Mode in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge Canary for Android available on Play Store for download

Microsoft Edge gets Assistance Menu and a unified Startup & New Tab Settings Page

Edge Web Widget gains floating button and Search-only layout

Venkat Eswarlu

Venkat is an independent technology journalist and the founder of Techdows. He has been covering web browsers, Windows, and software news since 2009. His exclusive scoops on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge features have been cited by Forbes, TechCrunch, Wired, CNET, and other major publications.

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