Solved MS Edge: Settings Menu Variations

Although I've mentioned this before, I would like to get to the bottom of this issue so have posted a dedicated thread for it. There are 4 PCs in my household - 3 desktops and 1 Dell laptop. All are on the same level of Windows 11 - Release Preview version 26100.4202. And all have exactly the same level of MS Edge browser - 137.0.3296.52. Note the larger number of options on the left-hand tab, plus navigation for some options is different.

Yet 2 of the PCs have this version of the settings menu (and they both constantly show checking for updates) -



And the other two look like this. Any idea why the differences?

TBH I really do not know. All my systems are Windows Pro, use a MS account, and look like screenshot #2. Just curious if you might use a local account on the computers as looks like screenshot #1 OR if those computers might be Home and the other 2 PRO.. If that's not it, you might see if this setting is different on the systems.

If all PC’s are running the same, why does one have the insider panel and the other doesn't I wonder?

• Are all accounts admin accounts?
  • If so are there any restrictions on any of the admin accounts?
• I am also curious as is @glasskuter if all are the same type of accounts? Or Microsoft vs Local?
• Are any of the PC’s joined to a domain or managed by an organization.
• Do you have any group policies set on one but not the other?

• That incomplete update check could be an issue?
  • Try clearing the update cache for the Edge that is still trying to check for updates

• Alternatively, you could try and manually check for updates.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\MicrosoftEdgeUpdate.exe" /ua /installsource interactive

Thank you both for your time to reply. It has led me to a solution though not what I expected!

All 4 systems are Windows 11 compliant (3 desktops with 8th/10th gen Intel, 1 laptop 13th gen), all are on Windows 11 Home 24H2 Insider (Release Preview) 26100.4202 and all have the same version of Edge - official build, not insider.

The laptop is a fairly new Dell Insprion 15, and I clean-installed it a few months ago. I let MS do it their way, so it was set up with an MS account, all standard settings etc. Once satisfied with that, I then created a local account for day-to-day use. This account has the "short" settings menu, but when I logon with the MS account it has the "long" menu. So that would eliminate any issues with different versions. Two of the desktops get the "long" menu with both accounts, and one (my main PC) gets the "short" menu with the local account.

There's a directory called "Edge" in user///appdata/microsoft which appears to have the customization. So I renamed it on my laptop for the user accoount and started Edge. It welcomed me as a new user and set up the account. It had the "long" menu, so I assumed all was well. But when I exited Edge and restarted later, it reverted to the "short" menu. So it would seem it's something in the user profile that is triggering this.

I've now deleted and re-created the local account from scratch, and Edge now retains the "long" menu settings. There must be something in the user account that is triggering this, but I don't know what that is.

Well that was short-lived. Deleted and recreated the user account on the laptop, and it adopted the "long" menu and has stayed that way. Now spent an hour or more doing the same for my local account on the main PC. To start with, the new "long" menu prevailed. But now it's gone back to the "short" version again for reasons unknown. So now I once again have different menus on different machines.

Sounds like I'll need to raise a case with MS.....

I've raised a case with MS here so let's see what the response is.

Well I logged on this morning and found my Edge settings menu had reverted to the "long" version. Thought at first that MS had somehow fixed it, as the "checking for updates" was no longer spinning. Signed out to check the other account on the PC and that was still on the long setting. But when I signed back into mine it was back to short again. Signed in and out a few times and sometimes I got the long and sometimes short.

However it would seem that MS is making changes to the settings menu, and the short version is going to become the new norm. Found this video on Youtube which demonstrates that Edge is moving to the WebUI 2 interface (whatever that is) and the video has the short menu settings. Seems that's where it's going but it would be nice to know.

I have never seen short menu and I use Beta version. But MS wants us to use AI, I have disabled everything in Appearance and flags:

I have the short menu here, Edge Beta and Windows .4202
Also on Stable

BrianInEngland said:

I have the short menu here, Edge Beta and Windows .4202
Also on Stable

Click to expand...

And are they both spinning on "checking for updates"? Mine is doing this on the short menu one, plus I tried beta on one of our other PCs that's always had the long version. It gets the short version on beta plus the spinning problem too.

RFS said:

And are they both spinning on "checking for updates"? Mine is doing this on the short menu one, plus I tried beta on one of our other PCs that's always had the long version. It gets the short version on beta plus the spinning problem too.

Click to expand...

Yes both have the spinning circle but Edge does update

I have this issue since beginning of June, and it also happens on W10 (some machines with new menu and some with the old, can be w10 or w11)
and the new menu is also stuck on update screen (in w10 and w11)
I don't use insider builds, and can happen on both Home and Pro

I did raise an issue with the Microsoft Community (see post #6) but have been getting nowhere. For example. I got this reply from "Bench" described as a Microsoft Moderator.

"Can you try to check in profiles if the email account is signed in? Because it might be signed in with an email account and the other one are one.

Let me know how it goes,"

Needless to say I don't understand the question! So I repled back with this -

"I'm sorry but I don't understand your question. I only have one email account and I can't see why being signed into email affects how Edge displays the settings. Why are there TWO different settings menus in Edge for the same version on one PC? Perhaps you could pose this question to the Edge team?"

The latest reply left me even more baffled!

"It seems that the 1st picture that you send on the question is where the account is signed in and sync hence the Microsoft edge insider prompt in about edge shows up because it will ask you if you want to join the Microsoft edge insider.

The 2nd picture does not show the Microsoft edge insider prompt its because it was not a signed in profile.

So the they are the same Microsoft Edge and there will be no changes on the edge unless if you join to Microsoft Edge insider which is a version where you can test the new and up coming updates of Edge and you can report it if there will be issues that you noticed when you use it but I suggest sticking to the Edge version that you currently have."

Will try one more time to get an answer ...

Since the latest change to the stable version, all of my PCs have the short settings menu for all accounts. Looks like it's been made universal!

MS has tested these settings changes in its A/B releases, for some time, more than a few months, gauging usage and user reaction to the changes. Testing has been across all channels, including stable releases. I first saw the new settings in a Canary version months ago, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. So no surprise, that after enough time and testing, what we are all starting to see is the final rollout.