This is not the first time Microsoft has been criticized for such tactics. The company has been using similar strategies for over four years to migrate users away from Chrome. These include launching Edge automatically on PCs, blocking the EdgeDeflector tool to force Windows 11 users into Edge, using prompts to stop people downloading Chrome, and making it difficult to switch browser defaults in Windows 11. Such behavior has led to increased distrust in Edge, Windows 11, and Microsoft's AI efforts.
Key takeaways:
- Microsoft's Edge browser has been automatically starting up on some PCs and offering to import Chrome tabs and data without user consent.
- The new update includes a prompt that is ticked by default to regularly import data from other browsers, which can be dismissed with a small X button.
- Microsoft confirmed the new feature, stating it is a notification giving people the choice to import data from other browsers and there is an option to turn it off.
- These tactics have led to distrust towards Microsoft's Edge, Windows 11, and the company's AI efforts, with concerns that it is trying to trick users into migrating away from Chrome.