Microsoft is launching a new Chromium-based Edge browser as part of a new Windows 10 update replacing the existing Edge browser. The new Chromium Edge browser has been included in Windows 10 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909, and 2004 versions as it has become a key component of the Windows 10 operating system.

Updated browser rollout is not without its fair share of controversy. Twitter user Taran Quarantino Twitter has started a thread where he highlights how once a new update is installed, users are held hostage for a moment. Rebooting your Windows 10 PC brings up a full-screen prompt for setting up the Chromium Edge browser, with no way to turn off the splash screen. Users need to start the setup process before being given the option to exit. For those who want to set it up, you can sign in with your Microsoft ID and import settings and data from other browsers. Additional issues mentioned in the Twitter thread include an icon for a new browser being pinned to the taskbar, added to the desktop, and opening a web link when you are greeted with a prompt asking if you want to set the new Edge browser as default. Unfortunately, the fuss over these last two points seems to be more annoying to the kids than anything else.

For starters, the Edge browser icons are always present on the taskbar and desktop whenever a user sets up a brand new Windows 10 PC with a complete reinstall of the OS or even a factory recovery. Removing them, if they are oh so intrusive, is as easy as a right-click, then choosing “Delete” or “Unpin from the taskbar”. Microsoft has already announced that it will replace the current version of the Edge with a new chromium-based build as part of the default suite of Windows 10 apps, so the noise seems a bit unreasonable. The Chrome icon can be found on desktop and Chromebook docks while the Safari icon is featured on MacOS and iOS. This is a standard practice and it is absolutely wrong to ask Microsoft to do it alone.

Microsoft’s Chromium-based Edge browser rolls out in user backlash

Forced Splash Screen, however, feels wrong on many levels, and Microsoft has not taken users hostage for the first time. At times, Microsoft has removed the visible option of setting up Windows with a non-Microsoft account. The only way to setup Windows without signing in to your Microsoft ID is to make sure you’re not connected to the Internet. However, during the Windows setup process, connecting to a network is presented to users as one of the first tasks, and unknowingly, most of us are compelled. Once done, the option to set up an offline account is removed. Microsoft is increasingly forcing Microsoft ID linkage across various Windows 10 components, even if no user wants to. For example, if you decide to set up an offline account, there is no way to download anything from the Microsoft Store without signing in. Once you sign in, the information is applied system-wide or is restricted to Microsoft Apps only. Options that are disguised as a hyperlink. There is no substitute for restricting store login information, and that’s where the problem lies.

No matter what steps Microsoft takes to push its browser to the Windows 10 user-base, the browser has significantly improved security and features that can go hand in hand with Google Chrome. Users of Microsoft’s new browsers have reported less RAM usage than Google Chrome, which will be very attractive to users running on systems with 8GB or less of RAM. For those who are interested in testing the browser, you do not need to run Windows Update if you are worried about possible issues. The new browser can be downloaded from the Microsoft website.