That doesn't mean Microsoft isn't trying to grow Edge as a browser. It certainly is. But it's doing so in all the wrong ways and using predatory or shady tactics to keep users on Edge. These have included intrusive pop-ups for a while, but have now grown to grand theft browser tabs. Edge is included on all the best laptops and pre-built PCs, and Microsoft has to beg for users to utilize it for anything other than downloading Chrome. That's a deeper problem that pop-ups and marketing speak can't fix on their own.
You'll see a few pop-ups, at minimum, before Microsoft lets you download Chrome
I'm not sure about you, but one of the first things I do when setting up a PC is download Chrome. You'll need to use Edge for that since it's the default browser included with Windows 10 and Windows 11. The problem is that you can't do that before Microsoft jumps in to tell you that Edge is just as good as Chrome. Just searching for "Chrome" on Edge will bring up a message that reads the following: "Microsoft recommends using Microsoft Edge for a fast, secure, and modern web experience that can help you save time and money."
Of course, Microsoft recommends that you use its browser. I'd be shocked if it didn't. This pop-up adds no value outside of frustration for users who just want to use their browser of choice. They've already bought a Windows license somehow, so the least Microsoft can do is let them pick their favorite browser without the pop-ups.
It doesn't stop there. When you get to the download page for Google Chrome, another pop-up will appear in the corner of your window. This time, it isn't a hidden advertisement disguised as a search result. Instead, this pop-up is more intrusive and actually blocks your webpage. It reads: "Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft." Now, Chrome has privacy and trust issues of its own, but it's not like Edge is much better in that regard.
Now, Microsoft is pulling a bait-and-switch
Is the Edge browser stealing user's Chrome tabs intentionally or inadvertently?
If you're a longtime Microsoft user, you'll know that these pop-ups and advertisements for Edge aren't new. However, users did discover a new shady tactic employed by Microsoft to get them to use Edge last month. This is the worst one yet; honestly, it sounds like a bait-and-switch. By definition, a bait-and-switch is when one product is swapped out for an inferior one, and that's kind of what Microsoft did when it started stealing Chrome tabs and loading them in Edge instead.
As noted by The Verge's Tom Warren, sometimes after applying a Windows update, Edge will automatically launch. Beyond that, Microsoft's browser will load the tabs a user had open in Chrome before the update. It's essentially "stealing" the tabs from Chrome and putting them in Edge, almost like Microsoft is hoping you won't notice and will keep using Edge.
It turns out there's a setting for this during Windows 11 setup, and it's one of the many settings you should opt out of after installing the operating system. It'll sync your Chrome data with Edge and share that information with Microsoft. If you fail to opt out of this feature during setup, you'll have to go out of your way to deactivate it later.
This isn't the way to grow Edge
No one likes being told what to do, and it's really that simple
Microsoft is so desperate to grow Edge that it has resorted to stealing browser tabs from Chrome, presumably in an attempt to deceive users. It's much worse than the pop-ups and has privacy implications as well. Microsoft should be making Edge so good that people want to switch instead of putting all this effort into trying to make them switch. It definitely has a chance to do this with Copilot, AI, and integration with Windows, even though the "browser wars" are all but finished. However, these shady marketing tactics tarnish the Edge brand even further, and it's not helping Microsoft's case.
