Microsoft Edge 138 Update: The Return of Mica Material
Recently, Microsoft launched the Edge 138 update for the Stable Channel, leaving many Windows 11 users surprised by the unexpected removal of the widely appreciated Mica material. Although users discovered a makeshift workaround for reintroducing Mica, the solution proved to be unconventional and fell short of restoring the experience familiar to many. In a decisive shift, Microsoft has opted to reintroduce Mica.
Mica Material Reinstated in Edge Canary
As reported by a diligent user on Reddit, the latest updates to Edge Canary now allow users to enable Mica material once more. While this feature still necessitates activating a flag, it now functions effectively, contrasting with the Stable release where enabling the material had no effect. Once activated, users will enjoy a translucent tab strip and context menus that design beautifully align with the aesthetics of Windows 11.
Activating Mica in Edge Canary: A Step-by-Step Guide
Currently, Mica is exclusive to the Edge Canary channel, as the Dev, Beta, and Stable versions do not yet support this enhancement, even with the flag enabled. If you’re among the users with Edge Canary installed and want to restore Mica, follow these straightforward steps:
- Update Microsoft Edge to the latest version by navigating to
edge://settings/help. - Access
edge://flagsand locate the “Show Windows 11 visual effects in browser“flag. - Switch the flag to “Enabled“.
- Restart your browser to apply the changes.
Enhanced Mica Experience
After enabling Mica, the browser will automatically apply this effect to various surfaces. Moreover, users can also manually toggle Mica on or off through the updated settings interface, which now utilizes WebUI 2.0, promising significantly quicker performance. To access this feature, go to Settings > Appearance > “Show Windows 11 visual effects in browser.” Be aware that altering this setting requires a restart of the browser.
Current Status and Future Prospects
At present, Microsoft has not communicated any official statements regarding this change, leaving the future availability of Mica in more stable channels uncertain. For now, users can relish the benefits of this material in the Canary Channel, but they should also note that this version is the least stable and may be subject to various bugs and inconsistencies.
Leave a Reply