Built-in ad blocking not coming to Microsoft Edge, company says

Microsoft denied that it plans to add the feature to its Edge browser, after a picture from the Build conference suggested it was coming with the next version

Attendees at the opening event of Microsoft's Build 2016 conference (BECK DIEFENBACH/Reuters)

Microsoft has denied that it plans to build ad blocking features into its Edge internet browser.

The story was initially reported by ZDNet, which claimed to have obtained a picture from the Build conference apparently showing a presentation slide mentioning the new feature.

The slide showed a list of planned tweaks and add-ons for Edge, which is a replacement for Internet Explorer, including a promise to "build ad blocking features into the browser."

This feature was ranked in fourth place on the list, and was apparently set to be released with the next version of the browser.

It would mean internet users could block adverts from appearing on websites without installing a third-party add-on, like the popular AdBlock Plus.

However, in a statement to ZDNet, Microsoft has denied that any built-in ad blockers are coming to Edge.

They said: "Microsoft is not building a native ad blocker with Microsoft Edge. What you saw is a reference to the work we're already doing in bringing extensions to Microsoft Edge, as mentioned in the latest blog as 3rd party ad blocker support."

It appears as though the entries in the list were verbatim feature requests from Edge users, not actual definitions of forthcoming additions. All Microsoft is doing is adding support for third-party ad blockers, leaving it up to the users to decide whether they want them or not.

Even if the company was building an ad blocker into their browser, they wouldn't be the first to do so. At the beginning of March, it was announced the Opera web browser would get a built-in ad blocker which would apparently perform 45 per cent faster than rival software.

If bigger browsers adopted ad blocking in a similar way, it could spell trouble for free websites which rely on advertising to make money.

The Independent has contacted Microsoft for more information.