Should you sign in to your browser of choice or use it without linked account? Signing in offers some advantages, notable the syncing of some data, such as passwords or the browsing history, between devices.
However, depending on the browser that you use, it may also provide the company in charge of it with additional information.
Many browsers limits the feature to the account of the organization that produces it. If you use Google Chrome, you can only sign in with a Google account. Firefox users may sign in with a Mozilla account, and Microsoft Edge users, at least until very recently, needed a Microsoft account.
This is changing with the release of Microsoft Edge 150. Microsoft notes the following in the release notes:
Sign in to Edge with a Google account. Users can now sign in to Microsoft Edge using a Google account in addition to a Microsoft account from the profile menu and Edge sign-in screen. Available for Windows and macOS devices. Admins can control availability of this feature using the NonMicrosoftAccountSignInEnabled policy. Note: This is a controlled feature rollout. If you don’t see this feature, check back as we continue our rollout.
So, instead of signing in with a Microsoft account, you can now sign in with a Google account. This comes with advantages, such as access to Google-stored passwords and such.
Whether that move will convince more users to give Edge a try on Windows or Mac remains to be seen. I have my doubts, but it does give Edge users more options when it comes to the company that they trust their data with.
Edge 150 is also the last version to support macOS 12, according to the release notes. Starting with Edge 151, macOS 13 is the minimum required version.