On Windows 10 and 11 machines, Microsoft Edge (opens in new tab) is the default browser, and the Redmond, WA tech giant desperately wants users to refrain from downloading and switching their default browsers to Google Chrome. So much so that Neowin reported today that Microsoft’s tactics are getting more aggressive.
It was noticed that when attempting to download Chrome while using the default Edge browser, users get hit with two ad banners. The first banner is small, kind of like a small reminder that Edge uses the same technology as Chrome, and then it states you get the “added trust of Microsoft,” which is A) very creepy and B) super clingy in a bad breakup kind of way.
Sure, Google does some of the same by displaying banners that recommend using Google Chrome, but they’re a little more passive-aggressive about it and try to make you feel that browsing with Google is empowering.
Microsoft Edge won’t let go
It used to be when you downloaded Google Chrome, during the initial setup, you just selected Chrome as your default browser, and that was it; you could move about your day. However, Microsoft has added life-draining steps that force you to pick the instances that Chrome will handle individually.
If you get an email with a PDF file and click on it, if you don’t make Chrome your default for this action, the Edge browser will open and reveal the PDF for you instead of simply opening it in Chrome. So you now have to go into settings and pick one by one which browser will open PDFs SVGs, and so on. Who has time for this?
It’s very intrusive, time-consuming, and annoying that Microsoft makes it difficult for users to use their chosen browser. When I tried using Google to download Firefox, (opens in new tab) no such drama or banner ads from Google popped up, begging me to stay, making me more inclined to do so.
Nobody likes clingy, controlling, or manipulative, and that’s how it feels when you choose not to use Microsoft Edge.
