Microsoft is now offering real, spendable rewards for referring friends to use its Edge browser on mobile devices. A new referral program built into the Edge mobile app gives users Microsoft Rewards points when someone they invite installs and actively uses Edge. The promotion is an escalation of Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to attract more browser users, and it could be a straightforward way to earn small, usable rewards simply by recommending a browser you already like.
If you already use Edge on your phone, this referral feature is worth checking out. The process is simple: share a referral link with friends who are not already using Edge on mobile, and if they follow the link, sign in, and complete a few basic actions, both of you earn Microsoft Rewards points. For many people the friends you would send the link to are the same people you were already planning to recommend an app or a useful browser to, so this turns a small favor into a tangible reward.
How the New Referral Program Works
Edge on Android and iOS is rolling out a referral offer that grants 500 Microsoft Rewards points for each friend you successfully bring onto Edge on mobile. There is a monthly cap on earnings from this program: you can earn up to 7,500 points per month through referrals. If the program remains available for a full year, that monthly cap translates to a possibility of earning tens of thousands of points annually.
To qualify, the friend you invite must be new to Edge on mobile. After joining via your referral link, the new user has to sign in to Edge and perform searches for at least two days within their first two weeks of using the browser. When those steps are completed, both you and your friend receive credit in the form of Microsoft Rewards points. The program appears to be rolling out gradually through in-app notifications, so the offer might not show up for every user immediately.
So what can you do with these points? Microsoft’s rewards catalog shows that points can be redeemed for Microsoft gift cards, Xbox credit, and a variety of other digital rewards. As a concrete example, a typical redemption rate in Microsoft Rewards is roughly 5,000 points for a $5 gift card, while larger denominations require a much higher point total. That makes each 500-point referral a modest but meaningful contribution toward small digital purchases or gift cards you might actually use.
This Fits a Larger Pattern
Microsoft’s referral offer is not an isolated tactic. Over the past year, the company has experimented with multiple incentive programs intended to shift user behavior toward Edge. Previously, Microsoft has offered points for trying Edge after searching for competing browsers, and it has even run prize-based promotions to encourage users to set Edge as their default browser. Those campaigns illustrate a pattern: Microsoft is willing to invest in attention and adoption by offering tangible rewards rather than relying solely on traditional marketing.
The company’s approach also has historical precedent. Even when Windows Phone was an active platform, Microsoft invested in incentives to draw developers and users. Translating those incentives into the context of browser competition is a natural extension of the same playbook. By giving users a clear, immediate benefit to try or recommend Edge, Microsoft lowers the barrier for people who might otherwise stick with an established browser out of habit.
If you’re curious about participating, open Edge on your phone and look for referral or rewards prompts in the app menus or notifications. Since the rollout is gradual, not everyone will see the option at the same time, but it should appear for eligible users as Microsoft expands the program. For people who already use Edge regularly, the referral program offers a simple, low-effort way to accumulate rewards by recommending a browser you already trust to friends and family.