Microsoft has decided to retire the Web Select feature in its Edge browser, which allowed users to capture and copy web content while maintaining its format and functionality. This feature was popular among users for its ability to interact with copied text and extract specific elements from web pages, such as tables. However, Microsoft has cited the intention to enhance the overall user experience for retiring Web Select.
To improve end user experience, this feature is being deprecated and will no longer be an option under Web Capture or via keyboard shortcut.
On June 15, they announced
Web Select is now a part of Web Capture. Users can access Web Select through Web Capture feature or press Ctrl + Shift + X shortcut directly for quick access.
The Reddit discussion discussing this topic reflects the sentiments of Edge browser users disappointed with the decision to retire the Web Select feature. Many users found it a valuable and unique feature, especially for tasks like copying tabular data to Excel or selecting text from websites that had text selection disabled.
Some users also expressed confusion about the distinction between Web Capture and Web Select, indicating that merging these features might have caused some uncertainty among users.
Users are hoping that Microsoft may reconsider or introduce alternative solutions to address the needs of those who rely on Web Select for their daily tasks. Meanwhile, users who need to capture and copy web content while maintaining its format and functionality may need to rely on third-party extensions or tools. Several options are available, but it is important to choose a reliable and secure solution.
(updated:) It is still possible, however, to enable Web Select with an Edge flag, as noted by Leopeva64:
I have no idea, maybe that feature will also be "deprecated" 😁😁, anyway, there is a command line flag to enable it and it still works:
–enable-features=msEdgeAreaSelect
.
— Leopeva64 (@Leopeva64) September 1, 2023
Whether Microsoft will introduce alternative features or solutions to fill the gap left by Web Select and address the concerns of users who rely on this functionality remains to be seen. Users may need to adapt to new methods of copying and interacting with web content in the browser.
via BleepingComputer
