Microsoft has taken its browser rivalry with Google up a notch, issuing a direct warning to Windows users trying to install Chrome: stick with Edge for a safer, faster, and more trustworthy browsing experience. 
The prompt, which now appears during Chrome installation attempts, reads: Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft.
While Edge and Chrome share the Chromium base, Microsoft argues that its browser offers tighter integration with Windows, stronger security through its own infrastructure, and a brand-level trust advantage. Supporters point to features like built-in tracking prevention, better battery efficiency on laptops, and smoother Windows syncing as reasons to stick with Edge.
This move isn’t entirely new-Microsoft has long used taskbar notifications, Bing banners, and other nudges to promote Edge-but this latest pop-up is more confrontational, appearing exactly when users are about to switch browsers. Critics see it as anti-competitive, accusing Microsoft of trying to lock users into its ecosystem through inconvenience and persuasive wording rather than letting performance speak for itself.
Meanwhile, privacy-conscious users are far from convinced. Many point out that both Chrome and Edge are Chromium-based and subject to the same ad tech compromises, especially with Google’s controversial Manifest V3 changes that limit powerful ad blockers. Alternative browsers like Brave and Firefox are being championed in online discussions, with Brave offering enhanced ad blocking by default and Firefox standing apart as the only major browser not built on Chromium-making it immune to those same restrictions.
For average Windows users, Edge might indeed be the simplest choice, especially with easier ad-blocker installation compared to Chrome. But for those who value independence, customization, and maximum privacy, this latest warning from Microsoft might be the final push to switch to something entirely different.