Tag Archives: Microsoft Edge

Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Windows 11 Makes It Harder To Switch From Edge Browser

Analysts who have been following the development of Windows 11 generally have good things to say about the redesign of the interface. There is one aspect of the new OS that’s been raising hackles and causing analysts to sound alarm bells. That has to do with the new software’s browser controls.

Microsoft faced a chorus of accusations of unfair competition from web browser competitors when recent Windows 10 updates made Microsoft Edge the machine’s default browser. That was even in cases where users had previously selected some other browser to serve as their default.

If rival browser companies didn’t like that move they’re going to be absolutely furious about Windows 11. The new version of Windows makes it even more difficult to change the default browser away from Microsoft Edge.

Tom Warren of the Verge discovered that in order to set Chrome or some other browser as default, there are are quite a few steps. Users would have to check boxes identifying Chrome or the browser of the user’s choice for every type of link (HTM, HTML, PDF< SHTML, XHTML, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, etc.).

In other words there is no single box you can check to set a default browser and its absence may confuse a certain percentage of users. Users will wind up using Edge whether they want to or not simply because they find it too confusing to switch to something else.

After a user selects some other browser as default by clicking the requisite check boxes they’ll get one additional plea from the company asking them to “Try Microsoft Edge – It’s fast, secure, and built for Windows 11.”

Microsoft explains that the presence of multiple check boxes give users more fine-grained control over what browser they want to use. While that may be the case competitors see it as a heavy-handed means of ensuring that more users wind up staying with Edge. That’s even if they don’t really want to.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Microsoft Edge Browser Getting Automatic HTTPS Web Security Feature

The latest version of Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser will follow in the footsteps of the other major browsers on the web.

As of Edge 92, the browser will automatically switch users to a secure HTTPS connection when visiting an HTTP address, provided that the browser enables the Automatic HTTPS feature.

It’s a good move that’s been in the company’s development channel for some time, but it was only very recently that the company finalized and announced an official roll out date.

Microsoft had this to say about the change in a recent blog post:

“Automatic HTTPS switches your connections to websites from HTTP to HTTPS on sites that are highly likely to support the more secure protocol. The list of HTTPS-capable websites is based on Microsoft’s analysis of the web, and helps enable a more secure connection on hundreds of thousands of top domains.”

The major driving force behind this change that is now either planned or in place on all the popular browsers in use today, was the infamous “Heartbleed” security flaw that caused chaos back in 2014, which it was publicly disclosed.

Since then, all the major browser companies and a number of other giant tech firms have been putting their collective heads together to map out a strategy to make the internet more secure. This is one of the strategies devised, and although progress has been slow, it has finally been made into a reality.

If you’re an Edge user and are interested in testing the new feature now, just open edge://settings/privacy, and when the page loads, turn on the feature labeled “Automatically switch to more secure connections with Automatic HTTPS.”

If, for some reason, that flag is not available to you, you can enable it another way by going to edge://flags/#edge-automatic-https, and toggling the “Automatic HTTPS” experimental flag, then restarting the browser. In our view, it’s an feature well worth experimenting with and getting comfortable using.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Microsoft Edge Browser Gets Fix For Crashing Issue

Earlier this month, Microsoft Edge users were in an uproar, with significant numbers of them reporting that the browser would lock up when they were watching YouTube videos or reading comments on YouTube videos.

The browser would simply become non-responsive, and then, after a time, would crash to desktop.

Users who opened their task manager to investigate would see that one of their Edge processes had begun to use memory that ran into gigabytes, which would eventually, inevitably lead to a crash.

For their part, Microsoft acted quickly and released a fix in their testing channel that the company is referring to as “The Canary Fix.” That initial fix was a step in the right direction that resolved the issue for some users, but not for everyone, so the company kept at it. In an unusual move for Microsoft, they even had one of their engineers on Reddit, communicating directly with users and keeping them apprised. On Friday, they released Microsoft Edge 90.0.818.62, which resolved the issue for everyone.

If you’re an Edge user who doesn’t spend much time on YouTube, you may be unaware of the issue. Even so, if you want to make sure you’re using the latest version, just start your browser, go to “Help and Feedback” and then to “About Microsoft Edge.” At that point, Edge will run an auto-detection routine that will check for updates and install them automatically if one is found.

Kudos to Microsoft for fast action with regards to a bug that was annoying big portions of Edge’s user base. While the company has historically not had the best reputation where responsiveness to its user base was concerned, to their credit, they’ve been making great strides in that direction in recent months. That’s a very good sign indeed, and here’s hoping the trend continues.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Microsoft Edge Will Redirect Users To HTTPS Secure Sites

If you’re a Microsoft Edge user, be aware. Beginning in July, with the release of Edge 92, the browser will automatically redirect users to a secure HTTPS connection any time they visit a website via the HTTP protocol.

Microsoft is not alone in this, and in fact, is coming a bit late to the party. Chrome 90, released earlier this month, already does the same thing, as does Firefox 83.

All of this is a result of, and a response to, a number of high profile man in the middle attacks last year. Those attacks saw hackers taking advantage of the fact that traffic via HTTP is insecure and can thus be intercepted. When those attacks occurred, browser vendors sprang into action and began devising plans to better protect users. The default to HTTPS was the solution that the major players in the browser market settled on. Since then, all the browser makers have been marching toward that goal.

This, of course, is part of a larger drama that has been playing out on the web since its earliest days. Hackers find a new exploit, and software vendors and security experts rush to patch it to prevent abuse. Then, the hackers move onto another, newly discovered weakness and the cycle continues.

Although the default to HTTPS is an unquestioned good, it’s just a matter of time before some new exploit makes its way into the headlines. Then, the cycle will repeat.

Even so, kudos to Microsoft, Google, Mozilla, Apple and all the other browser vendors for fighting the good fight and working hard to keep their users secure. IT security professionals have plenty on their plates and no shortage of things to worry about, but it is nice anytime one of those concerns gets removed from the board altogether.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Latest Windows 10 Update Replaces Edge Legacy With Chromium Edge

It’s no secret that Microsoft has struggled where web browsers are concerned. Internet Explorer was basically a security-riddled disaster and was eventually retired for that very reason.

The company’s next attempt was Microsoft Edge, but unfortunately, it never gained much traction in the market and the company never did a lot with it.

What they did do, however, was rather innovative, and their most recent move may have made the Redmond giant relevant again in the world of browsers. They created a new Chromium-based Edge browser. It’s essentially Google Chrome under the hood, and as such, it can use the full range of Chrome extensions, but Microsoft took pains to add some unique features and capabilities to it that makes it…more.

While we’d hesitate to say that it’s better than Chrome, it is a distinctly different product at this point. Over the past several months, it has enjoyed rampant growth and increased adoption, recently surpassing Mozilla’s Firefox in terms of market share.

Make no mistake, it still lags behind Apple’s Safari, and far behind Google Chrome, but as of now, Chromium Edge is the third most popular browser on the web.

Back in January of 2020, Microsoft took the step of pre-installing Chromium-based Edge on all devices that shipped with the Windows 10, October 2020 update. Now though, they’re upping the ante further, and the next time you install a Windows 10 update, you’ll automatically be upgraded away from legacy Edge and to Chromium-based Edge.

There’s no point in trying to fight it or make any effort to hold onto Legacy Edge, the company formally ended support for it last month. Not that it was around long enough that many custom applications were developed for it, but even if your firm did something like this, your best bet is to simply upgrade your app and enjoy the new capabilities of Chromium Edge.

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