Microsoft Edge browser, which initially launched way back in 2015 with Windows 10 has undergone a lot of changes since its inception. Microsoft has been constantly adding more features to the browser to help it compete with older browsers like Chrome and Safari.

One extremely useful feature is Drop, which allows you to easily transfer files, photos, and other content across different devices. What makes this feature exceptionally handy is that it works across different platforms, including PCs, iPads, iPhones, Android devices, etc. Thus, unlike most other alternatives available, it is platform-independent, and here is how you can use it.

Enable the Edge Sidebar

The Drop feature is present in the sidebar of the Edge browser, so you first need to enable the sidebar to access it.

  1. Open the Edge browser and click on the three horizontal dots in the top right to access the drop-down menu.
  1. In the menu that drops down, click on the 'Settings' option.
  1. On the Settings page, click on the 'Sidebar' option on the left.
  1. Click on the option 'Always Show Sidebar' to enable it if it is turned off.
  1. Now you can access all the sidebar features of the browser, including Drop, which appears as a paper-plane icon.

Sign in to Your Microsoft Account

Before you can use the Drop feature to transfer files using Microsoft Edge, you will need to sign in to your Microsoft account.

  1. To log in to your Microsoft account, click on the Drop icon on the sidebar.
  1. You will see a welcome message and a 'Sign In' button. Click on the button to log in to your Microsoft account.
  1. This will bring up a pop-up where you can choose to sign in with an existing Microsoft account or add a new one. Click on whichever option suits you best.
  1. Once you've selected your account, Edge will sync your data and will show you a 'Start' button you can use to start sending files to your other device.

Transfer Files Using Microsoft Edge Drop

Now you're ready to start transferring files using the Drop feature in Microsoft Edge. Once you send the files from one device, you will be able to access them using Edge on your other device.

Note: Whatever files you transfer will be uploaded by Edge to OneDrive. This means they will count towards your OneDrive storage. So, make sure you have enough free space in OneDrive to avoid problems when transferring files.

Sending Files to Your Other Device

  1. Click on the 'Start' button in Edge to begin sending files.
  1. Edge will now show you how you can start sending files to another device. Click on the '+' icon at the bottom to attach your files.
  1. Clicking on the '+' icon will open up a window where you can navigate to where your files to be attached are located. Click on the files you want to send to select them before clicking on the 'Open' button.
  1. Once you've selected the files, Edge will upload them so they can be transferred easily. If you want, you can also share links or add a message to yourself when sending the files by typing in the text box at the bottom.
  1. Click on the arrow button to the right of the message box to send the files.

Accessing Your Files On Your Other Device

To access the files on your other device, you will need to log in to the same Microsoft account using the Edge browser.

  1. Open the Edge browser on your other device, such as an Android phone, and tap on the hamburger menu at the bottom, which appears as three horizontal lines one on top of another.
  2. Next, tap on the 'Settings' gear-shaped icon to access your account settings.
  1. If you have not signed into Edge, you can do so now. Make sure to log in to the same Microsoft account you used for sending the files.
  2. After signing in, go back to the main page by tapping the back arrow on the top.
  1. Now, open the hamburger menu again and tap on the 'Drop' icon.
  2. You will now be able to see the files and the message you sent and can download the files on this device.

That's it! You have successfully transferred your files from one device to another using the Drop feature in Microsoft Edge.

With Edge's Drop feature, transferring files between different devices and platforms has become incredibly easy. You can send all types of files using this feature, including documents, audio and video files, images, and more. What's more, the files will also be available in your OneDrive once they have been uploaded.

The only thing to remember is that the number of files you can transfer depends on your OneDrive storage space. However, you can always opt for a paid plan to increase the amount of space you have available and continue transferring files with ease or delete older files to make more space.