Microsoft Edge's settings menu has grown to such an extent that it no longer fits on a single screen display
Microsoft's popular web browser, Edge, has made significant strides in recent times, with the addition of features like the tab group shortcut pushing it past a notable milestone. However, when it comes to customizing context menus for optimal screen real estate on smaller devices, the browser falls short.
As of the latest information available up to late July 2025, Microsoft Edge does not provide a built-in, user-facing option to customize its context menus. While the WebView2 API (ICoreWebView2ContextMenuRequestedEventArgs) allows app developers to intercept context menu requests and customize menus by adding or removing items, this is not a user customization feature within Edge itself.
The latest policy documentation and browser policies from Microsoft focus on aspects like startup pages, home page configurations, new tab settings, and some UI elements like hiding company logos or app launchers. However, they do not mention control over context menus or their layout for small screen real estate improvements.
Inconsistencies in context menus have been a persistent issue in Windows, a problem highlighted by my colleague Zac Bowden as early as 2015. The vast number of programs and apps supported by Windows can lead to inconsistency unless a company undertakes a visual overhaul of the operating system. Windows, with its elements dating back decades, is a massive system, making real-world changes more challenging than creating a static image.
The need for scrolling within the "Settings and more" menu in Microsoft Edge has been a point of contention for some users. On smaller screens, users often need to scroll within this menu to select options like "Settings" or "Help and Feedback". This issue was highlighted on Reddit by user "JiroBibi".
Several suggestions have been made to improve the user experience. These include trimming down the number of items appearing in context menus, moving the "more tools" section further up to address the issue of scrolling on smaller screens, and allowing users to remove items from the menu.
Despite these suggestions, there are no official public plans or announcements detailing the enabling of end-users to customize Edge's context menus specifically for better screen space usage on smaller devices. The rounder menus, seen in some Windows elements, do not seem destined to ship, with Click To Do not featuring this design.
In modern design, consistency is key, and Microsoft does a good job of keeping its various apps and services in line with each other visually. However, when it comes to addressing inconsistency and improving the user experience on smaller screens, there is still room for improvement in Microsoft Edge.
- The latest version of Microsoft Edge does not offer a user-customizable option for context menus, despite requests for such a feature.
- As of now, Microsoft's policy documentation concentrates on aspects like startup pages, home page configurations, and UI elements, but there's no mention of context menu customization.
- InEdging smaller screens, users often need to scroll within the "Settings and more" menu to access options like "Settings" or "Help and Feedback," a point of contention for some users.
- Suggestions have been made to improve the user experience, such as trimming down context menu items, moving the "more tools" section to a more accessible location, and allowing users to remove items from the menu.
- Microsoft Edge, while visually consistent with other Microsoft apps, still needs to address inconsistencies on smaller screens and improve the user experience.
