Microsoft lost some goodwill by forcing the Microsoft Edge browser onto indifferent users – but maybe those days are coming to an end? For a possible glimpse into the future, see this GIF by Leoparda64who has a future version of Google’s Chrome web browser on his machine, as well as the 2:22 update to Windows 10.
Back in March, changing the default browser in Windows 11 had already been improved to take just a few clicks through a settings menu, but you can see how much cleaner the older Windows 10 is than that. And with the Chrome and Windows 10 22H2 updates, you can apparently just tap the popup from the browser itself (in this case, Chrome Dev version 106.0.5231.2) to set it up right away. It would certainly be nice to have Windows 11 as well.
If you add the fact that competing browsers like Firefox and Opera already support the same kind of one-click in-browser default app switching, we could be entering a new golden age where browsers can really compete. on their merits instead of begging or pushing you around. Just click to switch browsers, as often as you want, until you’ve chosen the one you want.
I will not do it count on that, necessarily, because Microsoft isn’t the only browser maker to be pushy with prompts. And it’s not clear if this one-touch feature will work in Windows 11 at all. My colleague Tom just tried it with the 22H2 update (you could have installed the release preview since June) and that just pushed it into the settings menu without doing anything at all. It didn’t work for me either on Windows 11 21H2.
Chrome Dev is typically nine to 12 weeks ahead of stable Chrome, according to Google’s FAQ. Windows 11 22H2 is coming in September, according to Tom’s sources. Windows 10 22H2 is also expected to release this fall.
Correction, 6:34 p.m. ET: It is Windows 10 that Leopardeva64 demonstrates, not Windows 11 as we originally wrote. We regret the error.
Update, 7:05 p.m. ET: Added that this currently does not work for us in Windows 11, even with the 22H2 update.
