Deploy Microsoft Edge Cloud Browser [Oct'26]
Microsoft Edge in the cloud, from any device. Private, always-on browser.
Just deployed
/config
Deploy and Host Microsoft Edge in the Cloud on Railway
Run a full desktop Microsoft Edge browser on a server and use it from any device. This template packages the LinuxServer.io Edge image (200,000+ Docker pulls) and streams it to your browser over WebSockets, with your profile, extensions and logins kept on a volume. A Windows 365 Cloud PC starts at $36 per user per month — run a private cloud browser on Railway for ~$8–20/month and keep sessions open 24/7.
What This Template Deploys
| Service | Purpose |
|---|---|
| edge | Microsoft Edge 155 desktop browser streamed with the Selkies web interface (linuxserver/msedge, port 3000, public HTTPS domain, password login, /healthcheck). Built from the template's GitHub source. |
| Persistent Volume | Mounted at /config — browser profile, bookmarks, extensions, cookies, sessions and downloads survive redeploys. |
A single service with no database. The display is capped at 4K so the virtual desktop fits in modest memory, and an unauthenticated /healthcheck lets Railway confirm the service is up while everything else stays behind the login.
About Hosting a Cloud Browser
Running a browser on a server normally means a virtual display, a streaming stack, WebSocket-friendly proxying, a login in front of it, and shared-memory tweaks so Chromium-based browsers don't crash in containers. Doing that by hand is fiddly, and a mistake leaves an open browser on the internet.
On Railway, the service gets an HTTPS domain, a generated PASSWORD, --disable-dev-shm-usage already set in EDGE_CLI for container stability, and a /config volume for everything worth keeping. Open the URL, log in, and Edge is running.
The password is the whole security model. An exposed cloud browser can be used as a proxy by anyone who gets in, so keep PASSWORD strong and private. Rendering is CPU-only (no GPU), so it's fine for browsing and light video but not for WebGL-heavy work, and traffic comes from Railway's datacenter IPs, which some streaming sites block. This is an unofficial packaging; it isn't made or endorsed by Microsoft.
Typical cost: ~$8–20/month on Railway depending on how many tabs you keep open. Windows 365 Business starts at $36 per user per month, and Browserling's testing plans start at $12/month.
Deploy Microsoft Edge in Under 5 Minutes
- Click Deploy on Railway — the image builds and the volume mounts (~3–5 minutes).
- In the edge service's Variables tab, reveal
PASSWORD. - Open the public URL and log in with
CUSTOM_USER(admin) and that password. - Sign in to sites, add extensions and bookmarks — they persist on the volume.
- Optional: add a URL to the end of
EDGE_CLIto open it every time Edge starts.
No VNC client to install. No VM to manage. No browser left running on your own laptop.
Common Use Cases
- Self-hosted cloud browser — "browser in the cloud" you reach from any device, with no per-user fee
- Isolated browsing — open untrusted links away from your own machine and network
- Always-on sessions — keep logins, long downloads and web dashboards running 24/7
- Browser on locked-down devices — use full Edge from a Chromebook, tablet or work laptop
- Test sites from a server location — check region-dependent pages from a datacenter vantage point
- Shared team browser — one URL and login for a common dashboard or admin session
Configuration
| Variable | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
PASSWORD | 🔐 Auto-generated | Login password for the browser session. Keep it strong and private. |
CUSTOM_USER | Optional | Login username, admin by default. |
EDGE_CLI | Optional | Extra Edge flags. Keep --disable-dev-shm-usage; append a URL to open it on start. |
TZ | Optional | Time zone inside the browser, UTC by default. |
PORT | Auto-set | 3000, used for Railway's health check. Don't change it. |
Keep --disable-dev-shm-usage in EDGE_CLI. Railway containers have a small /dev/shm, and without the flag Edge tabs crash or show blank pages.
Microsoft Edge on Railway vs. Alternatives
| Edge on Railway | Windows 365 Business | Browserling | Kasm Workspaces (Community) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | ~$8–20 total usage | From $36 per user | From $12 (Starter) | Free, you host it |
| Self-hosted | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Full Edge with your profile and extensions | ✅ Yes | ✅ Full Windows PC | ⚠️ Testing sessions | ✅ Yes |
| Persistent 24/7 sessions | ✅ /config volume | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Use from any browser | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Per-user pricing | ✅ None | ❌ Per user | ❌ Per user on teams | ⚠️ Paid tiers per user |
| Commercial use | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ Non-commercial only, 5 sessions |
Dependencies for Microsoft Edge Hosting
- Railway account — give the service about 1–2 GB of RAM; more if you keep many tabs open.
- Nothing else: no database, no API keys.
Deployment Dependencies
- LinuxServer.io Microsoft Edge image — the container this template builds on
- Selkies — browser streaming stack
- Microsoft Edge — the browser itself
- Railway Volumes Documentation — persistence
Implementation Details
The template builds linuxserver/msedge:155.0.4283.45-1-ls207, pinned so updates are deliberate. It caps the virtual display at 3840×2160 (MAX_RES) instead of the upstream default, which would reserve hundreds of megabytes for the framebuffer alone, and adds a small custom init script for the unauthenticated /healthcheck path. Everything else is the stock image.
The browser profile lives under /config, so redeploys and image upgrades keep bookmarks, extensions and logins. Keep --disable-dev-shm-usage in EDGE_CLI and size memory to your tab habits — Edge is memory-hungry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a cloud browser and why self-host one? It's a real browser running on a server that you control through a web page. Self-hosting gives you an isolated, always-on browser with your own profile, without paying per user or installing anything locally.
How much does it cost compared to Windows 365 or Browserling? About $8–20/month in Railway usage, depending on memory use. Windows 365 Business starts at $36 per user per month, and Browserling's paid plans start at $12/month for testing sessions.
Why is Edge crashing, slow or showing blank tabs?
Make sure EDGE_CLI still includes --disable-dev-shm-usage, and give the service 1–2 GB of RAM. Rendering is CPU-only, so WebGL-heavy pages and high-resolution video will be slow.
Do I lose my bookmarks and logins when I redeploy?
No. The Edge profile — bookmarks, extensions, cookies and sessions — is stored on the /config volume and survives redeploys and image updates.
Can I install extensions and sign in to my Microsoft account? Yes. It's the full desktop Edge, so you can install extensions from the Edge store and sign in to sync, and both persist on the volume.
Why do some websites block or challenge me? Traffic comes from Railway's datacenter IP addresses, which some streaming services and anti-bot systems treat with suspicion. That's a limit of any server-hosted browser, not a setting you can change here.
Why Deploy and Host Microsoft Edge on Railway?
Railway is a singular platform to deploy your infrastructure stack. Railway will host your infrastructure so you don't have to deal with configuration, while allowing you to vertically and horizontally scale it.
By deploying Microsoft Edge on Railway, you get a private, always-on cloud browser with a persistent profile that you can open from any device, for a flat usage cost.
Template Content
