How Microsoft Impedes
Free Browser Choice

Creating hurdles for users downloading a different browser

Often, misleading pop-up screens, warnings and excessive and confusing steps are initiated by Windows and Edge when consumers want to download and install an alternative browser, limiting choice and innovative solutions.

A Microsoft Edge browser screen of a user who want's to install the Opera browser on his computer but sees warnings from Microsoft Edge explaining that it could be untrustworthy
A Microsoft Edge browser screen of a user who want's to install the Opera browser on his computer but sees warnings from Microsoft Edge explaining that it could be untrustworthy
Browser screen of a user who want's to install the Opera browser on his computer but sees warnings from Microsoft explaining that it could be untrustworthy 2
A Microsoft Edge browser screen of a user who want's to install the Opera browser on his computer but sees warnings from Microsoft Edge explaining that it could be untrustworthy
Creating hurdles for users to set their preferred browser as default

Consumers experience difficulties when opening different file types with their preferred browser. In this example, a user had “Edge” by default and decided to switch to use Wavebox. Despite setting Wavebox as a default browser, Edge remained the default browser to open some file types such as pdf which will still open with Edge. This undermines the consumer’s choice, affects their experience, and leads them to question the quality of service from Wavebox.

Screen before clicking on “set default” to other browser (Wavebox in this case) :

A screen of Windows Apps settings that are related to the webbrowser, they are linked to Microsoft Edge as default on Windows computers.

Screen after clicking on “set default”:

A screen of Windows Apps settings that are related to the webrowser, here they are linked to Microsoft Edge.
Creating hurdles for users downloading a different browser

Edge users interested in downloading a different browser (Vivaldi in this example), experience unnecessary pop-ups with ads inviting them to keep using Microsoft Edge as a direct recommendation from Microsoft. This type of message will create confusion or hesitation for users.

A screen of the Microsoft Bing search engine where the user performs a search for "Vivaldi browser", the first that he gets to see is a large message saying "There is no need to download a new web browser"
A screen of the Microsoft Bing search engine where the user performs a search for "Vivaldi browser", the first search result he gets to see promotes the Egde browser instead of linking to a page related to Vivaldi.
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