Microsoft Edge is trying to forcefully get your Chrome tabs again

Nov 12, 2024 10:26 PM - 3 weeks ago 27424

Earlier this twelvemonth Microsoft’s Edge browser automatically started up connected my PC and imported my Chrome tabs without consent. Microsoft refused to explicate why this behaviour had occurred, and past quietly addressed the problem successful a Microsoft Edge update. Microsoft hasn’t fixed up connected trying to get your Chrome information though, arsenic a caller update is rolling retired that automatically starts Edge and offers to import your Chrome tabs.

My workfellow Richard Lawler noticed that Edge started automatically connected his PC past week astatine footwear and offered up a caller punctual to “enhance your browsing experience.” The pop-up has a “bring complete your information from different browsers regularly” action ticked by default, and encourages group to corroborate and proceed pinch a large bluish button. If you want to disregard this punctual there’s a mini achromatic X fastener that looks akin to the sparkles Microsoft is utilizing successful the inheritance of the prompt.

The caller Microsoft Edge punctual to import Chrome information and tabs.

The caller Microsoft Edge punctual to import Chrome information and tabs.

Screenshot by Richard Lawler / The Verge

If you simply deed corroborate and proceed past Microsoft Edge will import your Chrome information and continually import your tabs if you person Chrome group arsenic default. The punctual seems to chiefly look connected PCs pinch Chrome installed, suggesting that Microsoft is erstwhile again targeting Chrome users.

Microsoft confirmed the caller “feature” to The Verge. “This is simply a notification giving group the prime to import information from different browsers,” explains Microsoft spokesperson Caitlin Roulston. “There is an action to move it off.”

So Microsoft intelligibly isn’t bothered that it’s automatically starting up Edge connected people’s PC and past trying to instrumentality them into importing their Chrome data. That’s not excessively astonishing though since Microsoft has been pulling tricks for illustration this for much than 4 years now.

Shortly aft releasing its Chromium-based type of Edge successful 2020, Microsoft started launching Edge automatically connected people’s PCs successful an effort to migrate them distant from Chrome. Microsoft past blocked the EdgeDeflector tool to unit Windows 11 users into Edge, started using prompts to extremity group downloading Chrome, and made it really difficult to move browser defaults successful Windows 11.

We’ve besides seen fake AI answers successful Bing hunt results for Chrome, malware-like prompts successful Windows 11 to get group to ditch Google, and moreover polls being injected into the Chrome download page.

Microsoft’s behaviour present makes galore group distrust Edge, Windows 11, and moreover the company’s AI efforts. The controversy astir Recall should beryllium a aftermath up awesome to Microsoft that its Edge pop-ups successful Windows 11 will make it difficult for consumers to spot what it’s doing pinch AI integration into Windows.

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