How to Install Microsoft Edge on Debian

Microsoft Edge provides Debian users with a Chromium-based browser that syncs bookmarks, passwords, and tabs across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices. If you work across multiple operating systems, need seamless Microsoft 365 integration, or want Chrome extension compatibility with lower memory usage, Edge addresses these requirements through Microsoft’s official APT repository.

This guide covers two installation methods: using Debian’s extrepo tool (the simpler approach) and manually configuring the Microsoft repository using modern DEB822 format. You can install any Edge channel (stable, beta, or dev), and by the end you will have Edge integrated into your Debian package management workflow with automatic security updates through APT.

Update Debian Before Installing Microsoft Edge

Before adding a new third-party repository, update your existing Debian packages so the base system is current. This reduces the chance of dependency conflicts when APT pulls in Microsoft Edge and its required libraries. Run the following command to refresh the package index and apply any available upgrades:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This runs interactively so you can review and confirm the package changes. Add -y if you want to accept upgrades non-interactively (for example, sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y).

Choose Your Microsoft Edge Installation Method

Debian supports two approaches for installing Microsoft Edge from the official repository. The following table compares both methods to help you choose:

Method	Ease of Setup	Best For
extrepo (Recommended)	Simple (2 commands)	Most users; handles GPG key and repo automatically
Manual Repository	More steps (GPG key + sources file)	Users wanting full control over repository configuration

Recommendation: Use extrepo unless you need to customize the repository configuration or prefer managing GPG keys yourself. The extrepo method uses the same official Microsoft repository but handles the technical details automatically.

Option 1: Install Microsoft Edge Using extrepo (Recommended)

Debian’s extrepo tool manages external repositories curated by the Debian community, including Microsoft Edge. This approach automatically handles GPG key installation and repository configuration with a single command. For more details about available repositories, see the extrepo data repository.

Install extrepo

First, install the extrepo package if it is not already present on your system:

sudo apt install extrepo

Enable the Non-Free Policy for extrepo

Microsoft Edge is proprietary software, so extrepo requires the non-free policy to be enabled before it will activate the Edge repository. Edit the extrepo configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/extrepo/config.yaml

Find the enabled_policies section and uncomment non-free so it looks like this:

enabled_policies:
- main
- non-free

Save the file and exit the editor. This change only affects which external repositories extrepo can enable; it does not modify your main Debian sources.

Enable the Microsoft Edge Repository

With the non-free policy enabled, activate the Microsoft Edge repository:

sudo extrepo enable edge

This command downloads Microsoft’s GPG signing key to /var/lib/extrepo/keys/edge.asc and creates a repository file at /etc/apt/sources.list.d/extrepo_edge.sources. You should see output confirming the repository was enabled successfully.

Refresh the Package Cache and Verify

After enabling the repository, update APT so it can see the Microsoft Edge packages:

sudo apt update

Verify the Edge packages are available:

apt-cache policy microsoft-edge-stable

microsoft-edge-stable:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 143.0.x
  Version table:
     143.0.x 500
        500 https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge stable/main amd64 Packages

The output confirms APT can see the Microsoft Edge repository and shows the latest available version. Proceed to the “Install Microsoft Edge on Debian” section below to complete the installation.

Option 2: Install Microsoft Edge Manually (Alternative)

If you prefer full control over repository configuration or cannot use extrepo, you can manually import Microsoft’s GPG key and create the repository file. This approach uses the same official Microsoft repository as extrepo but requires additional commands.

Install Required Packages

Make sure Debian has the helper tools needed to download and validate Microsoft’s repository key. Most desktops already include these utilities, but it is safe to install or refresh them with a single command. This includes curl for downloading files and gnupg for GPG key verification:

sudo apt install curl gnupg ca-certificates -y

Import the Microsoft GPG Key

APT uses GPG keys to verify that packages really come from the repository they claim to originate from. Import the Microsoft signing key and store it in a dedicated keyring under /usr/share/keyrings:

curl -fsSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-edge.gpg

This command downloads Microsoft’s ASCII-armored public key, converts it to binary format with gpg --dearmor, and stores it in the system keyring directory. Storing the key under /usr/share/keyrings and referencing it with Signed-By is the modern practice; avoid using the deprecated apt-key workflow.

Verify the Microsoft GPG Key Fingerprint

Before trusting the key, verify its fingerprint against Microsoft’s published value to ensure authenticity. After saving the keyring locally, display the fingerprint:

gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-edge.gpg --with-fingerprint --list-keys

/usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-edge.gpg
--------------------------------------
pub   rsa2048 2015-10-28 [SC]
      BC52 8686 B50D 79E3 39D3  721C EB3E 94AD BE12 29CF
uid           [ unknown] Microsoft (Release signing) <gpgsecurity@microsoft.com>

The fingerprint must match BC52 8686 B50D 79E3 39D3 721C EB3E 94AD BE12 29CF as documented on Microsoft’s Linux packages page. If the fingerprints do not match, do not add the repository and investigate further.

Before adding any third-party repository, confirm the vendor explicitly supports your Debian release. Check Microsoft’s official repository documentation to verify which suites and architectures are published for Edge. Following the vendor’s published instructions reduces the chance of unexpected package or compatibility issues.

Create a Microsoft Edge Repository File

Microsoft Edge for Linux is only published for amd64 (x86_64) architectures. It does not work on ARM, ARM64, or other architectures. To check your system architecture, run dpkg --print-architecture. If it does not return amd64, the repository will not provide Edge packages and installation will fail.

Use the modern DEB822 .sources format to define the Microsoft Edge repository. This format works on all supported Debian releases:

sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge.sources > /dev/null << 'EOF'
Types: deb
URIs: https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge
Suites: stable
Components: main
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-edge.gpg
Architectures: amd64
EOF

Refresh the APT Cache and Verify

After adding the repository definition, refresh your APT package list so Debian can see the new Microsoft Edge packages:

sudo apt update

Verify the Microsoft Edge packages are visible to APT with apt-cache policy:

apt-cache policy microsoft-edge-stable

microsoft-edge-stable:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 143.0.x
  Version table:
     143.0.x 500
        500 https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge stable/main amd64 Packages

The output confirms APT can see the Microsoft Edge repository. The Installed: (none) line indicates the package is not yet installed on your system.

Install Microsoft Edge on Debian

With the repository configured and the package index updated, you can install the Microsoft Edge browser. The stable build is the recommended option for daily use on most Debian desktops and laptops.

Install the Microsoft Edge Stable Build

Install the stable Microsoft Edge package with the following command:

sudo apt install microsoft-edge-stable

Optional: Install Microsoft Edge Beta or Dev Builds

If you want to preview upcoming features or test changes before they reach the stable channel, you can install the beta or dev builds. These packages install alongside the stable version, so you can keep your main browser unchanged while testing new features in a separate profile. Microsoft updates the stable channel every 6 weeks, the beta channel receives features approximately 6 weeks ahead of stable, and the dev channel updates weekly with the latest experimental changes.

To install the beta build of Microsoft Edge, run:

sudo apt install microsoft-edge-beta

To install the dev (nightly-style) build, use:

sudo apt install microsoft-edge-dev

The beta and dev channels are not recommended for production systems or critical workstations because features can change quickly and stability decreases as you move toward earlier development stages. Use stable for daily work, beta for previewing upcoming features with reasonable stability, and dev only when you specifically need to test cutting-edge browser behavior or validate web applications against future Edge releases before they reach wider audiences.

Verify Microsoft Edge Installation

After installation completes, confirm Edge is installed and working by checking the installed version:

microsoft-edge --version

Microsoft Edge 143.0.x

The version number confirms APT successfully installed Edge from the Microsoft repository. If you installed beta or dev builds, use microsoft-edge-beta --version or microsoft-edge-dev --version respectively.

Launch Microsoft Edge on Debian

Start Microsoft Edge from the Terminal

You can start Edge directly from a terminal session. This is useful when you want to see log messages in real time or launch a specific channel with flags. Use the command that matches the build you installed:

microsoft-edge

microsoft-edge-beta

microsoft-edge-dev

Launch Microsoft Edge from the Desktop Environment

For everyday use, you will typically start Microsoft Edge from your graphical desktop environment. On GNOME-based desktops, follow these steps:

1. Click Activities in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Select Show Applications (the grid of dots icon, usually at the bottom-left of the screen).
3. Scroll through the application list or use the search box to look for Microsoft Edge, then click the icon to launch the browser.

To set Microsoft Edge as your default browser from the command line, use one of these commands depending on your desktop environment. On systems that support xdg-utils:

# Set Edge as default for the current user
xdg-settings set default-web-browser microsoft-edge.desktop

# Alternatively, use update-alternatives (system-wide selection, may require a .desktop name)
sudo update-alternatives --config x-www-browser

Manage Microsoft Edge Updates and Removal on Debian

Update Microsoft Edge Packages

Microsoft Edge receives security fixes and feature updates through the same APT mechanism as other packages on your system. Therefore, you can manage Edge updates using familiar Debian package management commands. To check for updates across all configured repositories, including Microsoft’s, run:

sudo apt update

To upgrade Microsoft Edge along with other available package updates, use:

sudo apt upgrade

If you want to prevent a package from being upgraded (for example, to keep a stable channel pinned while you test beta/dev), you can hold it with apt-mark:

# prevent upgrades to the stable package
sudo apt-mark hold microsoft-edge-stable

# later, to allow upgrades again:
sudo apt-mark unhold microsoft-edge-stable

For more control you can use APT pinning via /etc/apt/preferences.d/. Pinning allows finely grained control over which versions or origins are preferred. See your distribution documentation for details.

If you prefer to upgrade only Edge without touching the rest of the system, target the specific package for the channel you installed, for example:

sudo apt install --only-upgrade microsoft-edge-stable

Remove Microsoft Edge from Debian

Remove the Microsoft Edge Package

If you no longer need Microsoft Edge, you can remove the package for the channel you installed. Use one of the following commands, depending on which build is present on your system:

sudo apt remove microsoft-edge-stable

sudo apt remove microsoft-edge-beta

sudo apt remove microsoft-edge-dev

To also remove configuration files stored under /etc, you can use purge instead of remove:

sudo apt purge microsoft-edge-stable

After removing Edge, run an additional cleanup to remove orphaned dependencies that are no longer needed:

sudo apt autoremove

Remove the Microsoft Edge Repository (extrepo Method)

If you installed Microsoft Edge using extrepo and want to remove the repository, disable it with:

sudo extrepo disable edge

This command adds Enabled: no to the repository configuration file, effectively disabling it without deleting the file. The GPG key remains in /var/lib/extrepo/keys/edge.asc. To completely remove the repository file, run sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/extrepo_edge.sources after disabling.

Remove the Microsoft Edge Repository (Manual Method)

If you configured the repository manually and have fully removed Microsoft Edge, clean up the repository definition:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge.sources

After removing the repository file, refresh the package list so APT no longer queries the Microsoft Edge repository:

sudo apt update

Remove the Microsoft Edge GPG Key (Manual Method Only)

If you used the manual method and have removed both the Edge packages and repository, you can delete the now-unused GPG keyring file from /usr/share/keyrings:

sudo rm /usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-edge.gpg

Verify Repository Removal

Confirm the Microsoft Edge repository and packages are no longer visible to APT:

apt-cache policy microsoft-edge-stable

(no output)

If removal was successful, this command produces no output. Any output showing version candidates indicates the repository file or stale cache data still exists. Make sure you ran sudo apt update after removing the repository file.

Optional: Remove Microsoft Edge User Data

Removing the package does not automatically delete your browser profile data, which includes history, extensions, and cached files. If you want to fully wipe Microsoft Edge data for your current user, first identify what will be removed:

ls -la ~/.config/microsoft-edge* ~/.cache/microsoft-edge* 2>/dev/null

Warning: The following commands permanently delete all Microsoft Edge profile data for your account, including saved passwords, bookmarks, browsing history, extensions, and cached files. This cannot be undone. If you want to preserve any data, back up the directories first with cp -r ~/.config/microsoft-edge* ~/edge-backup.

Close the browser, then remove the configuration and cache directories:

rm -rf ~/.config/microsoft-edge*
rm -rf ~/.cache/microsoft-edge*

Run the removal as the user who owns the profile (do not prefix with sudo unless you intentionally need to remove another user’s data).

Troubleshoot Microsoft Edge Issues on Debian

Resolve Repository Conflicts

If you install multiple Edge channels over time, the packages may create separate repository files such as microsoft-edge.list, microsoft-edge-beta.list, and microsoft-edge-dev.list under /etc/apt/sources.list.d/. When these entries overlap with a consolidated .sources file, APT warns that the repository is configured multiple times:

W: Target Packages (main/binary-amd64/Packages) is configured multiple times in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge.sources and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge.list

First, check which repository files exist:

ls -la /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge*

To clean up redundant Edge repository files while preserving your canonical .sources file, remove only the legacy .list entries:

# Remove legacy .list files (suppress errors if none exist)
sudo rm -fv /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge-beta.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge-dev.list 2>/dev/null

This targets specific .list filenames rather than using wildcards, which prevents accidentally deleting your .sources configuration. After cleanup, run sudo apt update to verify no duplicate warnings appear.

Fix GPG Errors (NO_PUBKEY or Invalid Signature)

If APT reports a NO_PUBKEY or an invalid signature, confirm the keyring exists and the Signed-By path in your .sources or .list file is correct. Re-import the key if needed:

# Re-download and install the key
curl -fsSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/microsoft-edge.gpg
sudo apt update

Fix 404 or Suite Not Found Errors

If apt update reports a 404 for the repository suite, confirm the Suites: value matches what Microsoft publishes. Inspect the repo index to see available suites:

# List available suites on the vendor server
curl -fsSL https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge/dists/

Fix Architecture Mismatch

If packages are unavailable for your architecture, confirm the system architecture and the repo’s published architectures:

dpkg --print-architecture
# If the repo lacks your arch, you will see no candidate packages for Edge
apt policy microsoft-edge-stable

Fix Hardware Acceleration Problems

If Edge feels sluggish or videos stutter, hardware acceleration may be disabled or incompatible with your GPU drivers. Common symptoms include high CPU usage during video playback and tearing or dropped frames on high-resolution displays.

Check the current GPU status by navigating to edge://gpu in the address bar. Look for entries showing “Software only” or “Unavailable” which indicate hardware acceleration is not active:

Graphics Feature Status
Canvas: Software only, hardware acceleration unavailable
Compositing: Software only, hardware acceleration unavailable
Video Decode: Unavailable

To enable hardware acceleration, open Settings, navigate to System and performance, and toggle “Use hardware acceleration when available” to on. Restart Edge for the change to take effect. If problems persist with proprietary NVIDIA drivers, launch Edge with additional flags:

microsoft-edge --disable-gpu-driver-bug-workarounds --enable-gpu-rasterization

After restarting, return to edge://gpu and verify the status shows “Hardware accelerated” for the relevant features.

Fix Wayland Display Server Compatibility

On Debian systems running Wayland instead of X11, Edge may default to XWayland compatibility mode. Check your current session type:

echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE

wayland

If you see “wayland” but Edge windows appear blurry on HiDPI displays or touchscreen gestures do not work, Edge is running through XWayland. Launch Edge natively on Wayland with:

microsoft-edge --enable-features=UseOzonePlatform --ozone-platform=wayland

To make this permanent, create a custom launcher script or edit /usr/share/applications/microsoft-edge.desktop to add the flags to the Exec line. Verify native Wayland mode by checking edge://gpu where the “GL_RENDERER” should show your GPU instead of “llvmpipe” or similar software renderers.

Fix Video Codec and DRM Playback Issues

Streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and others require Widevine DRM support. If you see error messages like “This content requires Widevine” or playback fails with “M7111-1331-2206” error codes on Netflix, the DRM module may need updating.

Navigate to edge://components and locate “Widevine Content Decryption Module”. Click “Check for update” to ensure you have the latest version:

Widevine Content Decryption Module - Version: 4.10.x
Status: Component updated

For codec issues with VP9 or H.264 video causing “Video playback error” messages, install additional codec libraries. If you have enabled contrib and non-free repositories on Debian, install the extra codecs:

sudo apt install libavcodec-extra

Restart Edge and retry playback. Verify codecs loaded correctly at edge://media-internals.

Fix Microsoft Account Sync Failures

If Edge displays “Sync is paused” or “Can’t connect to sync” errors, authentication issues are usually the cause. Common error messages include “Sync has been turned off by your administrator” even on personal accounts, or the sync icon showing a persistent warning triangle.

First verify your Debian system clock is accurate, as sync services reject authentication tokens when system time drifts more than a few minutes:

timedatectl status | grep -E 'Local time|synchronized'

               Local time: Tue 2025-12-18 10:30:00 EST
System clock synchronized: yes

If the clock is not synchronized, enable NTP sync:

sudo timedatectl set-ntp true

Additionally, check that ca-certificates is installed and current so Edge can validate SSL certificates during the OAuth login flow:

sudo apt install --reinstall ca-certificates

If sync continues failing, sign out from Settings, clear browsing data including cookies and site data, restart Edge, then sign in again with a fresh authentication session.

Conclusion

You now have Microsoft Edge installed on Debian through the official APT repository, with automatic updates handled alongside your system packages. Whether you used extrepo for a quick setup or configured the repository manually for full control, Edge integrates into your Debian package management workflow using modern DEB822 format and proper GPG key handling. For alternative browsers on Debian, see Chromium on Debian, Firefox on Debian, Google Chrome on Debian, or Opera on Debian. If Edge requires additional codecs for video streaming, the contrib and non-free repository guide explains how to enable those sources for the libavcodec-extra package.