If I told you that my entire computer screen just got taken over by a new app that I’d never installed or asked for — it just magically appeared on my desktop, my taskbar, and forced my next website launch — you’d probably tell me to run a virus scanner and stay away from shady websites.
But the insanely intrusive app I’m talking about isn’t a virus or piece of ransomware. It’s Microsoft’s new Chromium Edge browser, which the company is now force-feeding users via an automatic update to Windows.
When I logged into my Windows 10 desktop, an app I’d never asked for immediately launched itself and tried to convince me to migrate away from Chrome, giving me no option to click away or say no. It automatically pinned itself to my desktop and taskbar and ignored my previous browser preference by asking me whether I was sure I wanted to use Chrome instead of Microsoft’s Edge.
I’m surprised Microsoft would stoop this low, using tactics I’ve only ever seen associated with adware, spyware, and ransomware. I’m not at all surprised that many angry Windows users are already railing against the fact that this came as part of a forced Windows update. Microsoft has already had a hard time justifying their “automatic updates” without invading people’s desktops as well.

Microsoft justifies this action by stating the new Edge is replacing the old Edge that already comes with Windows 10; Microsoft wants you to use the best, most secure version of its browser; and you can still say no — although in this case, a “no” involves going through the “initial” setup, closing Edge, changing your default browser back to your choice, and finally having to spend time deleting unwanted junk on your desktop and taskbar.
A few weeks ago, when we talked about this upcoming release. I was actually interested in this new Chromium-based version of Edge although I had been planning to check it out on MY timetable and certainly not on my primary business workstation.

Here’s a question for Microsoft: do you think this forced update makes Windows users actually want to try Edge? Microsoft… are you listening???