I think we can all agree that Microsoft Edge is better than Internet Explorer. However, whether Edge is better than Chrome and Firefox is down to personal preference and up for debate. For everyone, that is, except Microsoft itself.

Microsoft Edge is a solid web browser. And there are plenty of reasons why you should use Edge. But that's your choice, and should always be your choice. And the last thing you want or need is Microsoft trying to dissuade you from switching to Chrome or Firefox.

Microsoft Annoys Windows 10 Insiders

Unfortunately that is exactly what Microsoft is now doing. As spotted by Beta News, in the latest Windows 10 Insider builds, Microsoft has starting warning users against switching away from Edge to Chrome or Firefox. And it's very annoying.

If you use Edge to search for Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox a banner will appear informing you that "Microsoft Edge is the faster, safer browser on Windows 10 and is already installed on your PC." As if you didn't already know you were using Edge.

If you dare to download Chrome or Firefox when you try to install them will result in Microsoft reminding you that "You already have Microsoft Edge – the safer, faster browser for Windows 10". You'll then be invited to "Open Microsoft Edge" or "Install Anyway".

This is all due to Microsoft changing the default settings with this update. Previously, the default was to "Install apps from anywhere," but it's now, "Show me app recommendations". The good news is it's easy enough to change the settings back.

This Is Unlikely to Change Anyone's Mind

It's understandable that Microsoft wants to encourage people to use Edge, and therefore discourage them from switching to Chrome or Firefox. But in reality all this is likely to do is annoy Windows 10 users without actually changing anyone's mind.

If you're a fan of Microsoft Edge you may want to check out our quick guide to every setting in Edge or the best Edge browser extensions to try today. And if you're a hater looking to confirm your world view here are the biggest problems with Microsoft Edge.