Taras Buria
Neowin
@TarasBuria ·
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Being the default out-of-the-box browser on Windows 10 and 11 makes Microsoft Edge a go-to utility for downloading Chrome or another browser. That upsets Microsoft so much that it constantly comes with more aggressive and user-hostile methods to make customers stay on Edge. An attempt to install Chrome using Edge Canary now results in the browser displaying two ads: the first (tiny one) will pop on the screen when the Chrome website loads, and the second, a humongous full-size banner, will appear once the download starts. Yikes!
Microsoft also plays with words to throw shade at Chrome. The banner states that Edge uses the same technology as Chrome with the “added trust of Microsoft.” The “trust” that your computer will connect to ad providers the moment you turn it on for the first time. The “trust” that Edge will shove more “recommended content” down your throat and enforce Bing without you even making a click. The “trust” that you cannot remove Edge from your computer and many more.
To be fair, Microsoft is not the only one practicing questionable things to increase the user base. Google also shows banners to promote Chrome, but they appear only on the company’s websites. Google is not injecting ads on the Firefox website, nor does it cry foul whenever you want to download another browser.
It is worth noting is that I could not get the banner in the latest stable Edge release, so the abomination might be a thing Microsoft tries on a limited set of Edge insiders or only in specific regions. Whatever happens in Microsoft’s software labs, there are no signs of the company making its browser (a great browser so far) less irritating, which is just sad.
Update 2/22: The ad no longer shows up in Edge Canary, Dev, and Stable. Beta is the only version still displaying the banner when you try to download Chrome.
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Maribel Redner