Microsoft wants to add Native Caret browsing and High contrast mode to Chromium-based Edge browser

Recently we reported that Microsoft is working on bringing over threaded scrolling from Edge to its new Chromium-based Edge browser. It looks like that’s not the only thing Microsoft wants to salvage from Edge. The company has published another proposal to add Caret browsing and High Contrast mode to Chromium.

For those who don’t know, Caret navigation basically means using a text cursor to move around a page. With Caret browsing, users will be able to add a cursor to any webpage and use keyboard shortcuts like Shift+Arrow Keys to select text without using the mouse. The feature is already available in Edge and can be activated using F7 key on the keyboard.

Caret browsing enables users to navigate web content using the keyboard keys and common shortcuts for character, word and line level navigation. Caret browsing enables full range of text navigation and selection functionality within web content without additional pointing devices like mice, trackpads and touchpads.

– Microsoft

Another feature that Microsoft plans to bring is native support for High Contrast mode. Currently, Google Chrome supports High Contrast using an extension but as pointed out by an old bug filed back in 2016, enterprise users can’t install extensions. Microsoft has published another commit on GitHub explaining the advantages of native High Contrast mode.

The advantage of enabling high contrast in the core platform, in comparison to the extension based approach, is that it provides a more seamless experience for users with the rest of Windows OS. This includes not just the browser-context, but also other Chromium powered applications.

– Microsoft

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Microsoft is contributing actively to Chromium as the company plans to use it to design their own browser. However, the final decision still lies with Google as they can accept or reject proposals from companies.

Via: Techdows