Microsoft tests new way to make Edge default Windows 11 browser over Chrome & Firefox

Earlier today, while writing about a new classic Outlook bug that won't let users send emails, I remarked that the push for New Outlook is really adversely affecting the classic app due to the shift in focus.

The same has been true in the case of Microsoft's Edge as well since the company has actively tried to get more users onto its web browser. This has in fact been going on since back in 2021 when Windows 11 first launched. If you recall, Microsoft had called Google Chrome a "so 2008" web browser that just wasn't as trustworthy as Edge. The move at the time was called "desperate" according to rival browser makers, and despite that, the Redmond giant has kept pushing Edge as the default browser choice across various Windows and Microsoft apps, even going so far as to block Registry hacks to alter default app behaviours.

There had been a few positive developments too in this regard, as Microsoft itself had later acknowledged how important default app choices can be in terms of performance, convenience, and such.

With that in mind, perhaps Microsoft is now testing a new change on Edge on Windows 11, which automatically loads up Edge by default on startup. This new behavior is part of the latest Edge beta release version 147.0.3912.37 (spotted earlier by Leopeva64 and now more recently by Windows Central) and as you can see, the browser is showing a banner up top which says:

Edge now launches when you sign into Windows, so it's ready when you want to browse. Change this anytime in Settings.

It is noteworthy that Microsoft already preloads Edge by default on Windows 11 system start-up, though with this new change, Edge will now start every time you start your PC, unless you opt out of it by clicking on the "No thanks" option on that banner.

That's the sad part, this new UX will be on by default, and you will have to opt out yourself instead of Microsoft asking you whether you want this or not. Neowin did not get this prompt when we tested it, so it seems it's a phased rollout and not everyone is getting it.

Perhaps this is Microsoft's way of testing the waters to see if users will start using Edge as it sneakily gets into their daily workflows, and eventually become their default browser.

Let us know in the comments what you think of this new prompt on Edge and whether you have also noticed it on your Edge beta install.