The latest version of Microsoft’s web browser includes the Collections function, a sort of binder for saving web pages and adding notes. Here is how to use it.
Microsoft has just updated its Edge web browser to version 81. Among the main new features unveiled in this update, the Redmond firm has just formalized one, Collections, which is largely inspired by Pinterest.
This new feature allows you to save the links of the web pages you consult thematically, with the possibility for each collection created to add notes.
Each collection created in Edge can then be shared in a Word or Excel document on the online version of the office, or directly opened in the browser. Here’s everything you need to know to get started with Collections in Microsoft Edge.
1. Update Microsoft Edge
If you haven’t already, install the latest version of Microsoft Edge first. If the browser is already installed, you can force the update by clicking on the main menu represented by three small dots, then hovering over the Help and comments menu, clicking on About Microsoft Edge.
This page can also be accessed by entering edge: // settings / help directly in the address bar. The browser should check for available updates and install them automatically.
If you do not yet have Microsoft Edge Chromium version on your machine, you will need to download the file to install it and take advantage of the Collections.
- Download Microsoft Edge for Windows 10 (Free)
- Download Microsoft Edge for Windows 7/8 (Free)
- Download Microsoft Edge for macOS (Free)
2. Create a collection
To create a collection, click the + button displayed to the left of your Edge user profile avatar. The section devoted to collections should then open. Then click on Start a new collection, then give it a title.
3. Add a page to a collection
Then go to the web pages you want to keep track of. Click Add an active page in the right pane, to add the page loaded in the active tab to your collection. Repeat as many times as necessary with all the pages you want to include in your collection.
For each collection, it is possible to add one or more notes. To do this, click on the button appearing a note at the top right of the Collections pane. The note will be added to your collection.
It is also possible to change the order of the saved pages and notes. To do this, you have to keep the click on one of the elements and drag it before or after the other elements. The pages saved in a collection can all be opened at the same time in the browser, but also in a new window, or in a private browsing window.
In addition to the possibility of adding complete pages to your collections, it is also possible to integrate, on the fly, individual elements (text, image, etc.).
Directly select the content of a page then, using a right click, add it to your collection from the contextual menu where there should be an Add to collection menu. You can also do this by dragging and dropping.
In addition, by entering a collection, it will be possible to export it to the online versions of Word and Excel. In the case of Excel, you will get a pre-filled spreadsheet showing the titles and URLs of the saved pages as well as the type of content. This will prove particularly useful in the case of collections grouping together, for example, objects sold on the web.
As for sending to Word, it will generate a document containing the name of your collection, your annotations as well as the titles of the pages and their hypertext links.