How to Use Workspaces in Microsoft Edge for Collaborative Browsing

The Chaos of Multi-Tab Research and Team Coordination

Modern online research and project planning are notoriously messy. When planning a corporate product launch, conducting academic literature reviews, or booking group travel, users quickly accumulate dozens of open browser tabs across multiple windows. Coordinating these links with colleagues or friends usually involves copying and pasting strings into chat apps, emailing document lists, or sharing screens during video conferences.

This traditional method is static and inefficient: if a team member finds a vital new spreadsheet or updates a design mockup, everyone else must manually click the link to see it. Microsoft solved this friction by building Edge Workspaces directly into the Microsoft Edge browser. Workspaces allow you to create distinct, colour-coded project environments where a set of browser tabs can be shared with collaborators and updated dynamically in real time.

What Are Edge Workspaces and How Do They Function?

An Edge Workspace is a persistent browser window associated with a unique project name and colour scheme. Crucially, a Workspace can be shared with other users via an invite link:

• Real-Time Tab Synchronisation: When you open, close, or navigate to a new webpage inside a shared Workspace, that exact tab state syncs immediately across every collaborator’s browser window.
• Collaborator Presence Indicators: You can see profile avatars hovering above the specific tab each collaborator is currently reading.
• Credential Isolation: While the tab URLs and navigation states are shared, your personal login credentials, cookies, and passwords are never shared. If you open a Google Doc or SharePoint site within a shared Workspace, collaborators must authenticate using their own respective accounts.

Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating and Configuring a Workspace

Edge Workspaces is available in desktop versions of Microsoft Edge on Windows and macOS.

1. Launch Microsoft Edge.
2. Look at the top-left corner of the browser window, directly above the address bar. Locate the Workspaces icon (it looks like a small folder with a tab).
3. Click the Workspaces icon, then click Create new Workspace.
4. Enter a descriptive name for your project (for example, “Q4 Marketing Strategy” or “House Move Checklist”).
5. Select a distinct colour theme from the palette. This colour will outline the top window frame, making it easy to distinguish between different project workspaces at a glance.
6. Click Done. Edge will launch a dedicated browser window framed in your selected colour.
7. Open all the initial websites, project dashboards, intranet pages, and documents required for the project.

How to Invite Collaborators to a Workspace

To share your project environment with team members or friends:

1. In the top-left corner of your Workspace window, click the Invite button (located beside the workspace title).
2. Click Copy link to generate a unique sharing link.
3. Send this link to your collaborators via Microsoft Teams, Slack, email, or messaging apps.
4. When your recipient clicks the link, Microsoft Edge will prompt them to join the Workspace. Once they accept, the identical set of tabs will open on their computer instantly.

Managing Workspace Tabs and Best Practices

• Closing tabs responsibly: Remember that in a shared Workspace, closing a tab closes it for everyone in real time. If a tab is no longer needed, verify with your team before closing it, or bookmark the link first.
• Vertical tabs for large projects: If your workspace contains 15 or more tabs, click the Turn on vertical tabs icon in the top-left corner. This arranges your tabs into a neat, collapsible vertical list down the left side of the window, improving readability.
• Leaving or deleting a workspace: To leave a workspace created by someone else, open the Workspaces menu, click the three horizontal dots next to the workspace name, and select Leave Workspace. If you are the owner, selecting Delete Workspace removes it for all members.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can collaborators see what I am typing or view my browsing history?

No. Collaborators can only see the URL of the tab currently loaded in the workspace and which tab you are viewing. They cannot view your keystrokes, personal bookmarks, browsing history outside the workspace, or private account sessions.

Do Edge Workspaces require a paid Microsoft 365 subscription?

No. Edge Workspaces is available to anyone with a personal Microsoft Account, as well as enterprise users with Microsoft 365 commercial licenses.