Microsoft Edge has been relaunched at the beginning of 2020 after being reconstructed on Google’s open-source software project, Chromium. This has accelerated the browser’s efficiency and utility as well as created a newfound image of Edge in the world of web browsers.

What is more interesting with this recent development is that Edge is offering some really unique and nifty features into its interface. One of the newest is the ‘Smart Copy’ feature that allows you to easily copy contents of a web page by simply dragging the cursor over the content area and then (if need be) adjust the selection with handlebars for the selected area. The copied content also maintains the formatting of the source, making it easier to use/paste anywhere else.

The Smart Copy feature is currently being tested in the Canary build of Microsoft Edge and will hopefully release in the stable channel as well with Edge version 88.

To use Smart Copy on Edge, simply launch the browser and direct yourself to the webpage you wish to copy contents from. Then, right-click anywhere on the webpage and select ‘Smart copy’ from the context menu.

You could also use the Ctrl+Shift+X keyboard shortcut to activate ‘Smart copy’ in the Edge.

Once Smart copy is activated, your mouse cursor will turn into a plus (+) sign. You can then click and select the desired section of the webpage you wish to copy. A dotted square box will define the selection area. You can even adjust the selected area using the handles on all four corners and both sides.

After selecting the area, click the ‘Copy’ button on the bottom-right corner of the selection area.

A check box with ‘Copied’ text will be shown to confirm that the selected area has been copied. And the whole selection box will fade away.

Now all you need to do is go to the place where you want to paste the webpage content in its original format and press Ctrl+V to paste it.

Use ‘Smart Copy’ when selecting contents of a web page isn’t easier with the usual highlighting tool, and when you don’t want to lose the formatting of the content while copying anything from the web.