Microsoft is in the process of retiring one of the most genuinely useful tools inside its Edge browser, and many users are only just finding out. The feature, known as Collections, helped people organize the web in a way that felt natural instead of cluttered. If you relied on it for research, planning, or saving things for later, this change is going to sting.
Collections allowed Edge users to save webpages, images, and notes into neatly grouped panels that stayed synced across devices. It was not flashy, but it worked. And for a lot of people, it quietly became one of the reasons to stick with Edge instead of switching back to Chrome or Safari.
Microsoft has now started displaying alerts inside Edge warning users that Collections will be removed in a future update. When a browser starts telling you to export your data, that usually means the decision has already been made.
What made Collections so useful
Introduced alongside Chromium-based Edge back in 2020, Collections was designed to be more than just bookmarks. Instead of dumping links into folders you forget about, it let you visually group content in a way that felt closer to how people actually browse the web.
You could use it for school projects, work research, shopping comparisons, trip planning, or even just saving articles you wanted to read later. Each collection could include links, images, and your own notes, all arranged into cards that were easy to revisit.
That flexibility is exactly why many users grew attached to it. Digital Trends previously explored how tools like Collections made browsers feel smarter and more personal, especially compared to traditional bookmark systems that have barely evolved in years.
If you want a deeper look at how Edge positioned itself as a serious alternative to other browsers, this breakdown of why Microsoft Edge improved so much explains why features like Collections mattered in the first place.
The warning signs are already here
According to reports spotted in Edge’s Dev channel by Windows Latest, Microsoft has begun rolling out warnings telling users to move or export their Collections data. While there is no official removal date yet, the messaging strongly suggests the feature will disappear in a future update.
Once that happens, users will be given two main options.
The first option is moving Collections into Favorites. This creates a new folder called “CollectionsExport,” which keeps your saved links but strips away images and notes. It works, but it feels like a downgrade.
The second option is exporting everything as a CSV file saved locally to your Documents folder. This preserves more data but is not particularly helpful for everyday browsing. CSV files are fine for backups, not for replacing a built-in organizing tool.
Screenshots shared by Digital Trends show exactly how limited these options are compared to what Collections offered when it was fully functional.
Mobile users are still in the dark
One big unanswered question is what happens on mobile. Microsoft has not clearly said whether Collections will also be removed from Edge on Android and iOS. For users who rely on cross-device syncing, that uncertainty makes planning even harder.
At the moment, there is no built-in replacement waiting in the wings. Once Collections is gone, Edge will not offer anything comparable that combines visual grouping, notes, and synced content in one place.
That absence is what makes this change feel more frustrating than necessary.
This fits a familiar Microsoft pattern
Microsoft has not explained why it is shutting down Collections, but the move fits a pattern that has become increasingly familiar. Over the past year, the company has been quietly sunsetting products that did not generate enough attention, even if they had dedicated users.
On mobile, Microsoft recently announced the end of Microsoft Lens, a scanning app many people barely realized was still being updated. The company is also ending support for Windows 11 SE, a lightweight education-focused version of its operating system.
At the same time, Microsoft continues to ship smaller quality-of-life updates elsewhere. Word, for example, recently received improvements that made hyperlinking faster and less annoying for everyday use. These changes are welcome, but they do not replace the loss of a tool people actively relied on.
What you should do before it disappears
If you currently use Collections, now is the time to act. Open Edge, check for the warning banner, and export your data while you still can. Even if the export options are not ideal, they are better than losing everything when the feature is finally removed.
For users who want a basic understanding of Edge’s core features before deciding what to do next, this guide on what Microsoft Edge is and how to use it offers a useful overview.
There are third-party tools and extensions that attempt to replicate what Collections did, but none of them integrate as cleanly into the browser itself. That seamless integration was the real value.
For many Edge users, Collections made the browser feel like more than just a way to load webpages. It helped turn browsing into something organized, intentional, and easier to manage day to day. Once it is gone, that gap will be hard to ignore.
