By default, Windows 10 and 11 Edge is often used as a convenient utility for loading Chrome or another browser. This upsets Microsoft so much that it is resorting to more aggressive methods of attracting customers.

Currently, trying to install Chrome using Edge results in the browser showing three ads recommending to switch to Microsoft’s browser: the first appears in the search engine when you search for “download google chrome”, the second after going to the Chrome website, and the third after loading.

And if the first two ads are modest in size, the last one is an advertising banner for the entire width of the window.

Microsoft also interestingly formulates the advertising text promoting the use of Edge, hinting at the shortcomings of the competitor:

“Microsoft Edge uses the same technology as Chrome, but with the added trust of Microsoft.”

Microsoft isn’t the only one practicing dubious methods to grow its user base. Google also shows banners to promote Chrome, but they only appear on the company’s own websites, meaning they definitely don’t appear on the Firefox site.

The banner didn’t appear in the latest stable release of Edge, so Microsoft may promote it to a limited number of users or only in certain regions.

Built-in VPN in Microsoft Edge – the service has already appeared in the stable build of some users and offers 1 GB of free traffic per month

Source: Neowin