Microsoft wants Windows users to stick with its Edge browser, and the company now puts multiple roadblocks in front of anyone trying to download Google Chrome. When people visit Chrome’s download page using Edge, they see a large banner that tells them to “Protect your privacy and security with Microsoft Edge.” This message highlights Edge’s private browsing, password monitoring, and security features while making Chrome seem like a less safe choice. The banner adds an extra step before users can continue with their download.
The obstacles don’t stop there. As users move forward to get the Chrome installer, Edge shows them more pop-up messages. These notifications talk about Copilot’s AI features, automatic shopping discounts, syncing across devices, and claims about saving battery life on laptops. Users must close each pop-up individually, which turns a simple download into a frustrating multi-step process. Microsoft uses this friction to slow people down and give itself more chances to convince them to stay with Edge.
Microsoft’s search engine Bing also plays a part in this strategy. Since January 2025, when people search for “Google Chrome” on Bing, the official download link hides behind a “See more” button. Users need an extra click to find it. Above that hidden link, Bing displays a prominent message saying there is “no need to download a new web browser” and recommends Edge instead. This design pushes Microsoft’s browser to the front while burying what users actually searched for.
Edge Loses Ground Despite Aggressive Tactics
These aggressive tactics come at a time when Microsoft Edge struggles badly in the browser market. As of December 2025, Google Chrome dominates with 71.23% of the global market share. Microsoft Edge sits at just 4.6%. Apple’s Safari holds 14.84%, mostly because it comes pre-installed on iPhones, while Firefox has roughly 2.25%. Even though Edge comes bundled with Windows and Microsoft promotes it heavily, the browser trails far behind Chrome.
The numbers show Microsoft’s strategy may actually hurt more than it helps. Edge’s market share dropped from a high of 13.06% in June 2025 to just 4.6% by December. This decline happened during the same period when Microsoft ramped up its most aggressive anti-Chrome messages. Analysts suggest the campaign backfires by frustrating users and drawing criticism rather than building loyalty.
Regulators in Europe have forced Microsoft to change its approach. Under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, Microsoft introduced new options for users in the European Economic Area starting in June 2025. Windows users there can now fully remove Edge, avoid automatic prompts that push them back to Microsoft’s browser, and have their default browser choice respected throughout the system. These changes show how laws can limit how far platform owners can go when promoting their own products.
Legal Challenges and the Future of Browser Competition
Browser competitors fight back through legal channels. Opera, a Norwegian company, filed antitrust complaints against Microsoft in multiple countries, including Brazil’s CADE competition authority in July 2025. The complaints claim Microsoft abuses its dominant position in operating systems by exclusively pre-installing Edge on Windows, using obstructive banners, and interfering with default browser settings. Opera argues these tactics hurt free choice for consumers.
User experience experts criticize Microsoft’s methods as “dark patterns”—design choices that put corporate goals ahead of user needs. Examples include visual effects that make rival browsers look less appealing, repeated pop-ups that users must dismiss one by one, and warning messages that suggest Chrome is less secure. Critics warn these tactics damage trust and increase the chances of more regulatory action.
This situation echoes Microsoft’s past legal troubles. In the late 1990s, the United States v. Microsoft case ruled that bundling Internet Explorer with Windows and using the operating system to disadvantage competitors broke antitrust law. Today’s methods use AI messaging and search page layouts instead of installation discs, but the core question remains the same: how much power should a dominant platform have to steer people toward its own browser?
Chrome maintains strong advantages that Edge struggles to overcome. Deep connections to Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Docs create habits for billions of users. Chrome’s default status on Android phones builds early loyalty that carries over to computers. For web developers, Chrome’s extensive tools and large extension library make it the standard reference point. Microsoft’s best opportunity may lie in business environments, where Edge for Business offers features like automatic profile separation, integration with Microsoft Entra ID, and Application Guard security.
These appeal to IT departments managing large numbers of devices. As AI systems increasingly shape how people access the web, control over the AI layer may matter more than control over the operating system. Microsoft positions Edge and Windows around its Copilot assistant, while Google advances its own AI in Chrome and Android. For now, Microsoft’s attempts to slow Chrome downloads undermine user trust and invite regulatory challenges.
Sources:
“Microsoft Edge’s Bing now hides Google Chrome download link on Windows 11.” Windows Latest, January 2025.
“Chrome’s market share reaches 70%, Edge drops.” Neowin, July 2025.
“Opera files competition complaint against Microsoft in Brazil.” Opera Software ASA, July 2025.
“EU DMA is working: Microsoft no longer imposes Edge, Store, Search, etc.” Born’s Tech and Windows World, June 2025.
“Microsoft’s latest desperate attempt to stop people using Edge to download Google Chrome.” TechRadar, December 2025.