Microsoft is Back to its Old Ways—Links in Office Will Open in MS Edge Browser, Ignoring Browser Preference

[T0@st]

Windows OS users have been critical of Microsoft's strategy of prioritizing its Edge browser for a while now, and more angry feedback is expected following an announcement that updates to Microsoft 365 Outlook and Teams applications will change how things work with regards to link clicking. Discerning users of Windows have adjusted preferences so that clicked links will always open in their web browser of choice (e.g Chrome, Firefox, Opera etc.). Microsoft will be adjusting behaviors in its Outlook and Teams apps, so links are set to open in Microsoft Edge by default. The changes are advertised as a positive for customers using Windows 10 & 11, as well as Office applications: "Microsoft is always striving to improve and streamline our product experiences—offering a new way to use the classic Microsoft Outlook app on Windows and the Microsoft Edge web browser."

This week's support message explains the upcoming situation shift: "If you have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription, browser links from the Outlook app will open in Microsoft Edge by default, right alongside the email they're from in the Microsoft Edge sidebar pane. This allows you to easily access, read, and respond to the message using your matching authenticated profile. No more disruptive switching—just your email and the web content you need to reference, in a single, side-by-side view. And we're always optimizing the sidebar in Microsoft Edge to give you useful content and tools while you're browsing so you don't have to toggle back and forth between windows or even other tabs—whether you're shopping online or working in a Microsoft 365 web app." Outlook will be the first application to get updated with the "handy new feature," and the Teams app will be adjusted later this year.



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[chrcoluk]

I think they heading for another EU fine.

I noticed 3 days ago, a search bar appeared in my system tray, and found out it was an edge system tray addon that put it self there, I was able to disable it, but very sneaky, and edge wasnt even running.

Its also one thing to put edge as the default browser for a new install of office, its another to implement the change on an existing install via an update. Thats going over the line. Also will this be configurable, as it seems now they making office not honour the existing windows default app protocol.

Read the FAQ seems it will be togglable in outlook settings, but I still wouldnt be surprised if EU steps in again.

 

[mechtech]

And constantly hijacks pdfs even though you’ve set default viewer to something else 3826364893 times.

 

[Steevo]

Edge is a reinvention of a square wheel by MS, they didn’t round it, they are just slapping on new paint. There needs to be a way to uninstall Edge entirely without it breaking basic OS functions

 

[Chrispy_]

I think they heading for another EU fine.

Yeah. The EU was quite clear on this and have already fined Microsoft billions of dollars for failing to comply with previous antitrust violations.
I think the next fine will be even bigger, because continued failure to break the law proves only that the last fine was an order of magnitude too small.

 

[LabRat 891]

I've had ads in Edge open windows 'apps' before. Guess the reverse is here now too.

Defaulting to Edge for hyperlinks in documents, etc. over your default browser is clearly an anti-trust kinda move.
Guess MSFT figured the EU needs more funding for their 15-minute cities and fertilizer regulations

 

[ymbaja]

I agree. this is ie anti-trust all over again..

tbh id be more likely to use edge if they didn’t keep stooping to this kind of asshattery…

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

MS is heading for another anti-trust lawsuit, they're already 0 and 1 here in the US. but with enough money nothing more will happen.

 

[bonehead123]

There needs to be a way to uninstall Edge entirely without it breaking basic OS functions

NO, there should be an option in the OS installer to only install the browser you choose, and also to not install all the hidden registry keys/hard links etc.. that makes everything default to edge or any other M$ app from the get go...so there would be nothing to break & nothing to fix or try to work around....

continued failure to break the law proves only that the last fine was an order of magnitude too small.

Agreed, the EU should make the next fine at least $50 billion, and also make M$ decouple edge from the OS period, in the installer & everywhere else, like they did with the media player years ago...

Or, just institute an outright ban of edge installs completely, unless the user choses to download & install it themselves..

 

[LabRat 891]

I agree. this is ie anti-trust all over again..

tbh id be more likely to use edge if they didn’t keep stooping to this kind of asshattery…

funny enough...

When I 'gave in' and moved fully to Win10, I decided to try Edge as my primary browser (it was pretty much msft-branded chromium, so *shrug*).
It might seem 'silly' but I stopped using Edge because of said asshattery.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

The more MS pushes me to use Edge, the less I choose it. They really want my browsing telemetry, don’t they?

 

[64K]

MS is like the neighborhood bully that just won't leave you alone no matter how much you try to avoid them. One of my laptops is running Windows 10 and I have almost 2.5 years until Extended Support runs out but recently they have already started to nag me to "upgrade" to Windows 11.

 

[Lycanwolfen]

Yep back to the old ways. They want you to use chromium yep I will say it's true name I will not say Edge because its nothing more than chrome with Microsoft crappy programing. Every time new computer open edge ad's ads ad's. Shopping tracking turn on side bar active right away. MSN opens with news not from where your at. Runs in the background all the time. Makes it PDF default and if you have legal pdf's wont work wont print. Now their doing the office crap again. MS up to their old tricks wish the government would go after them again but this time they made deals with the governments so they can get away with crap.
Bing search is horrible as well. When I have new computer and well install chrome which btw MS says the download is bad. I open it and bang google.com no ads no news no junk way it should be.
Run in background one simple setting and its off for good. My fav in new Edge goto google play store click one button and install google apps in Edge because Edge is Chrome just MS version of it.

MS took the words of steve jobs and did the same thing good artists copy Great artists steal. MS used chromium and just call it there own.

 

[Shihab]

A company leveraging its monopoly on one (or two, in this case) market to further its interest in another at the expense of the consumers? Shocking!

Anyway:

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www.libreoffice.org

 

[Zareek]

funny enough...

When I 'gave in' and moved fully to Win10, I decided to try Edge as my primary browser (it was pretty much msft-branded chromium, so *shrug*).
It might seem 'silly' but I stopped using Edge because of said asshattery.

I did almost the same thing. I started using Edge for a few months and their BS with Bing pushed back to Firefox. This was a few years ago.

I launched Edge the other day to check out the built-in AI feature, and it sucked. The next thing I know, Windows adds a damn Bing search bar to my desktop. I got rid of that but quick. I'm trying out Windows 11 since they are killing 10 and so far, meh... The new start menu changes are AWFUL! I wished they'd stop trying to kill the things that make Windows good.

They are definitely headed for another antitrust suit. The EU will be all over them like white on rice, and the steam is building quickly here stateside. They didn't learn their lesson last time. I say this time, fine them 4X and break them up!

 

[Bomby569]

And constantly hijacks pdfs even though you’ve set default viewer to something else 3826364893 times.

I noticed 3 days ago, a search bar appeared in my system tray, and found out it was an edge system tray addon that put it self there, I was able to disable it, but very sneaky, and edge wasnt even running.

What version do you guys have? and OS?
I am at W10 Pro and i never have those problems, i know friends of mine complain of all sorts of stuff like that over the years.

 

[Wye]

I'm pretty sure this always happened in all MS apps. They open IE/Edge. They always open Bing, never Google.
Regardless of system settings.

 

[mechtech]

What version do you guys have? and OS?
I am at W10 Pro and i never have those problems, i know friends of mine complain of all sorts of stuff like that over the years.

More or way way more on work pc. (Win 10 enterprise)

 

[maxfly]

Just another reason to continue avoiding teams and office and cloud and... hahaha go away microwave.

 

[Deleted member 177333]

I think they heading for another EU fine.

I noticed 3 days ago, a search bar appeared in my system tray, and found out it was an edge system tray addon that put it self there, I was able to disable it, but very sneaky, and edge wasnt even running.

Its also one thing to put edge as the default browser for a new install of office, its another to implement the change on an existing install via an update. Thats going over the line. Also will this be configurable, as it seems now they making office not honour the existing windows default app protocol.

Read the FAQ seems it will be togglable in outlook settings, but I still wouldnt be surprised if EU steps in again.

I know exactly what you're talking about - I thought I had picked up some weird adware or something when I saw that, started digging through my running processes, found that file that launched the search bar and killed it.

Would love to see Microsoft get fined. It's stuff like that that's why I rarely, if ever, buy anything from them.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Why is it we cant sue the hell out of microsoft for doing this shit? To that end, why should someone who purchases a Windows license be allowed to receive ads in their operating system?

 

[lemonadesoda]

And i still cant stand Office ribbons toolbar. Give me menus!

 

[Andyr]

They also seem to have introduced a display bug - text randomly blanks out for me on a 3080 ti.

 

[Six_Times]

The Horror.

 

[Eternit]

That's why Microsoft can't be allowed to take over Activision, or they will introduce their handy features in Activision games. Don't get me wrong. I'm not an Activision fan, but Microsoft would be even worse.