If you’re using Google Chrome and setting up a new Windows PC, the most important feature of Microsoft Edge is the ability to download Chrome. Microsoft is obviously aware of this behavior and is doing something about it: Neowin has discovered new Edge pop-ups that specifically try to discourage users from downloading and installing Chrome, a change I promise I didn’t know about when I wrote about Microsoft. the annoying promotion of Microsoft Edge just yesterday.
You won’t see pop-ups every time you try to download Chrome (I haven’t seen it yet), but Neowin and other sources like The Verge found at least three different messages:
- “Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, but with more trust from Microsoft.”
- “I hate saving money,” no one ever said. Microsoft Edge is the best browser for online shopping.”
- “This is such a 2008 browser! Do you know what’s new? Microsoft Edge.
While operating system-level popups represent a minor escalation in the ongoing browser wars, this behavior is not new. If you use Bing to search almost any web browser, including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Vivaldi, or Brave, large Edge ads appear both above the search results and in the giant box to the right of the search results. And whenever you sign in to Google services for the first time using Edge or any other non-Chrome browser, you’ll get a “helpful”tip about downloading and installing Chrome. But as a Windows vendor, Microsoft certainly has more options to offer Edge, and it uses those features with depressing regularity.