New Edge PDF features in development

Microsoft is developing new features for its PDF reader in the Edge browser, which will allow users to extract, delete, rotate, reorder, and merge pages directly on their devices. These features are expected to be available in January 2027.

Current Edge PDF capabilities

The PDF reader already available in Edge allows users to annotate, translate, read aloud, or send documents to Copilot. However, reordering or merging pages currently requires using external tools.

Local processing of PDFs

Microsoft emphasizes that these new tools will process files locally on the device, without sending them to the cloud. This means users can modify PDFs while keeping the original file intact, and the changes will be saved as a new document.

Business management options

For businesses, administrators can manage this feature through the PdfOrganizeAndMergeEnabled setting, which can be deployed across all devices via the IT department. This allows control over feature availability in corporate environments.

Potential impact on third-party tools

Some browser extensions that currently handle PDF reordering and merging may become less necessary, as these functions will be integrated directly into Edge. However, Microsoft has not specified when these features will be publicly available beyond January 2027.

Background updates and future concerns

Microsoft recently introduced a prototype that allows updates to be applied in the background without restarting the browser or losing open tabs. However, it remains unclear if the new PDF tools will add too many options to the browser’s toolbar, potentially complicating the user interface.