How To Get Microsoft Edge on Linux Without a Virtual Machine

As of now, Microsoft has not released an official version of Microsoft Edge for Linux. However, if you’re a Linux user and want to test or use Microsoft Edge without setting up a virtual machine or dual booting with Windows, there are several alternatives you can consider. This article will provide detailed instructions on how to use Microsoft Edge on Linux.

Using Microsoft Edge on BrowserStack

BrowserStack is a cloud-based testing platform that allows you to test websites on various browsers, including Microsoft Edge. It provides a virtual environment where you can interact with Microsoft Edge directly from your Linux machine.

How to Use BrowserStack

1. Visit the BrowserStack website.
2. Sign up for an account or log in if you already have one.
3. Once you’re logged in, select ‘Live’ from the dashboard.
4. Choose ‘Edge’ from the list of browsers.
5. Enter the URL of the website you want to test in the address bar.

This method is straightforward and doesn’t require any installation. However, it’s important to note that BrowserStack is a paid service, although it does offer a limited free trial.

Installing Microsoft Edge on Wine

Wine is a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications on Linux. It translates Windows API calls into POSIX calls on-the-fly, eliminating the performance and memory penalties of other methods.

How to Install Wine

Before installing Microsoft Edge, you need to install Wine. Open a terminal and enter the following commands:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386 
wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key
sudo apt-key add winehq.key
sudo apt-add-repository 'deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ focal main' 
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable

These commands add the Wine repository to your system, update your package list, and install the stable version of Wine.

How to Install Microsoft Edge on Wine

After installing Wine, you can try to install Microsoft Edge. However, please note that this method may not work reliably and may have limitations.

1. Download the Microsoft Edge installer from the official website.
2. Open a terminal and navigate to the directory where you downloaded the installer.
3. Run the installer using Wine with the following command:

wine msiexec /i MicrosoftEdgeSetup.msi

This command tells Wine to run the Microsoft Edge installer. The ‘/i’ switch instructs msiexec (the Windows program that handles .msi files) to install the specified program.

Future Developments

Microsoft has not officially announced plans to release Microsoft Edge for Linux. However, there have been discussions and rumors about the possibility of a Linux version in the future. Keep an eye on official announcements and news from Microsoft to stay updated on any developments regarding Microsoft Edge for Linux.

Conclusion

While there is no direct and official way to install Microsoft Edge on Linux without using a virtual machine, you can consider using alternative solutions like BrowserStack or Wine. Alternatively, you can wait for potential future releases or announcements from Microsoft regarding Microsoft Edge for Linux. Always remember to verify the compatibility and security of any third-party tools before using them.