What are Set Aside Tabs and how do I work with them in Microsoft Edge?
There’s likely no individual program on your computer that is used more often than your Web browser, whether you’re on a Mac, Windows computer or even a Linux system or Android phone. As the Web has exploded in diversity it’s become extraordinarily valuable and important to people. So Web browsers are front and center. Microsoft‘s solution? Dump Internet Explorer and start again with the slick, fast, powerful Microsoft Edge.
Problem is, most people don’t explore their tools, so while Microsoft Edge is now included as the default Web browser in all Windows 10 systems, I bet few people know what it can do. One of the more interesting ideas in Edge is what you’re asking about: Set Aside Tabs.
Let’s have a look. To start, here’s a typical view in Edge. Notice I have two tabs open, one to MSN.com and the other to my GoFatherhood site:
The very top left two buttons are the Set Aside Tabs area, the leftmost one bringing up the window, and the right button (greyed out in the above screenshot) how you save your current set of tabs into the S.A.T. area. A click on the two overlapping images button (leftmost) and the Set Aside Tabs window appears:
You can see that seven minutes prior I saved three tabs, to Fandango, Hollywood Reporter and Fox Sports, and that nine minutes ago I saved the single tab for Linux.org.
What’s really cool about this is that they’re saved as thumbnails so it’s easy to skim through and find what you want, particularly if you visit sites with lots of big graphics.
There are, however, also some inexplicable bugs in the Set Aside Tabs implementation. One you’ve already seen: sometimes the “set these tabs aside” button is greyed out and inoperable for no obvious reason. The other is shown with the Fox Sports thumbnail above, where it’s just greyed out regions, not a proper thumbnail at all. One hopes that in a dot-release or patch from Microsoft both of these bugs will be quietly squashed!
Notice there are “Restore tabs” and a delete option (the “X”) but there’s also an ellipses. Click on it and you’ll see two additional options:
Very helpful once you get the hang of working with these Set Aside Tabs, because you can open up a set of Web pages related to a specific topic, sweep them into the Set Aside area, then share them with friends or colleagues, add them to your favorites with a single click or restore them all – even days later!
That’s important to know, actually. Set Aside Tabs are sticky, so if you quit MS Edge, if you reboot, if you go on vacation for a week, when you go back into that area of the browser, they’ll all still be sitting, ready to use. Handy, really.
What’s most important to realize is that this sweeps all your current tabs into the Set Aside area, not just the current page that you’re viewing. For example, note below that I have three tabs open and that I’m viewing the MSN home page:
A click on the “set aside these tabs” button (top left) and I’ll be looking at a blank page:
Where’d they go? All three are now neatly organized in the Set Aside area:
That’s it. It’s a nice way to be able to hide everything, focus on a single page for a while, then restore all of your tabs, perhaps differentiating classes, or work versus play.
What’s in store for Set Aside Tabs in Microsoft Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge? I don’t know, but I would like to see them keep developing this concept because it’s way more fun and useful than those dull text-only pop-up menus of bookmarks!
A moment ago there were four comments here, three critical of Edge. I added another criticism, and now there are only two showing. Are you censoring the comments?
I think you’re just having some curious experiences with your own browser, Lyle. I only censor abusive comments and couldn’t care less if you love Microsoft or think they’re the worst thing to hit computing since the 6502 chip. 🙂
Your experience points out that this cake is half-baked. There is no excuse for MS trying to push this crap down our throats.
Microsoft edge is all you say it is. But you neglected to mention that Norton antivirus does not support Microsoft edge.
I like Windows 10 and have been using it since the beginning. When it comes to Edge I will not use it until they fix the boycotting if you will, on third party apps. I have Dashlane and cannot use on Edge because Microsoft does not have a extension for it. IE does but not Edge. There are other issues that also bother me about Edge.
I tried to use Edge, but I like for my browser to keep track of my passwords and user ids. I told Edge to do it, but it failed to ask me if I wanted that information saved on three consecutive uses so I went back to Chrome.
Do not use Edge, will not not use Edge unless they allow 3rd party interaction!
Mozilla & Firefox easier without so many restrictions.
Window 10 reminds me of AOL.
I appreciate that info. But I just don’t want to use Edge. How do I turn it off or delete it. I prefer to use I.E. I’m used to that
Thanks
Nice to know what Edge can do sort of, however don’t use Edge. Why? Because it doesn’t’ support/work with Norton Identity Safe. Until it does or there is a simple work around I won’t use it. Do you have a work around or simple way to get Norton Identify Safe or alternative to work with Edge?
If so publish that article.
Cordially,
JW
Question; I am running Windows 7… How can I remove that disaster “internet explorer” and pick up “edge” in its place?.