Microsoft is showing a new type of 3D banner in Windows 11 to push users to set Edge as their default browser.
Microsoft has proven time and time again that it never runs out of imagination when promoting its Edge web browser on its operating system. As spotted by Windows Latestthe Redmond firm is currently rolling out a new 3D banner on Windows 11 to try to convince users to change their default browser.
This has been in testing for some time now, but has been shown to more people recently. The banner in question appears when you open Edge without it being your current default browser. Remember that depending on the configuration of your OS, Edge can launch on your PC without you opening it directly, to display a PDF or to use Copilot for example.
Microsoft insists you use Edge and Bing
The banner explains that Edge is the browser recommended by Microsoft on Windows, and that it “helps you stay protected while browsing by blocking phishing and malware attacks”. If the user clicks the confirmation button, they are then sent back to the Windows 11 settings to choose their new default browser. This menu also allows you to customize the opening of a browser based on the file format or link type.
This is Microsoft’s latest effort to force adoption of Edge among its customers. After certain Windows updates, the publisher also tries to impose its browser as the default solution on the computer. Different banner formats have been displayed on our screens for this purpose over the years.
Worse still, we reported a few months ago that Microsoft asked to answer a questionnaire when a user used Edge to download Google Chrome. And Microsoft isn’t just being intrusive for Edge. A pop-up may also appear in Chrome to encourage users to adopt the Bing search engine as their default. The Windows 11 interface also regularly promotes Bing and its features, particularly related to AI or security.
Source: Windows Latest