Old Microsoft is back: If the latest Windows 11 really wants to use Edge, it will use Edge no matter what
(2021/11/11)
- Reference: 1636666700
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/11/11/latest_windows_11_build_enforces_edge_links/
- Source link:
Microsoft Windows 11 build 22494 appears to prevent links associated with the Microsoft Edge browser from being handled by third-party applications, a change one developer argues is anticompetitive.
Back in 2017, Daniel Aleksandersen created a free helper application called [1]EdgeDeflector to counter behavioral changes Microsoft made in the way Windows handles mouse clicks on certain web links.
Typically, https:// links get handled by whatever default browser is set for the system in question. But there are ways to register a custom protocol handler, for operating systems and [2]web browsers , that defines the scheme to access a given resource (URI).
[3]
Microsoft did just that when it created the [4]microsoft-edge: URI scheme . By prefixing certain links as microsoft-edge:https://example.com instead of https://example.com , the company can tell Windows to use Edge to render example.com instead of the system's default browser.
[5]
[6]
Microsoft is not doing this for all web links – it hasn't completely rejected browser choice. It applies the microsoft-edge:// protocol to Windows 10 services like News and Interest, Widgets in Windows 11, various help links in the Settings app, search links from the Start menu, Cortana links, and links sent from paired Android devices. Clicking on these links will normally open in Edge regardless of the default browser setting.
When the microsoft-edge:// protocol is used, EdgeDeflector intercepts the protocol mapping to force affected links to open in the user's default browser like regular https:// links. That allows users to override Microsoft and steer links to their chosen browsers.
[7]
This approach has proven to be a popular one: [8]Brave and Firefox recently implemented their own microsoft-edge:// URI scheme interception code to counter Microsoft's efforts to force microsoft-edge:// links into its Edge browser.
But since Windows 11 build 22494, [9]released last week, EdgeDeflector [10]no longer works .
This is on top of Microsoft making it tedious to change the default browser on Windows 11 from Edge: in the system settings, you have to navigate to Apps > Default apps, find your preferred installed browser and click on it, and then assign all the link and file types you need to that browser, clicking through the extra dialog boxes Windows throws at you. Your preferred browser may be able to offer a shortcut through this process when you install it or tell it to make it your default.
[11].NET 6 LTS and VS 2022: Major releases spoiled by continuing concern about Microsoft's commitment to open source
[12]Microsoft under fire again from open-source .NET devs: Hot Reload feature pulled for sake of Visual Studio sales
[13]Microsoft's .NET Foundation under fire as resigning board member questions its role
[14]Everything OK with Microsoft? Windows giant admits it was 'on the wrong side of history' with regard to open source
The Register has asked Brave and Mozilla whether their respective link interception implementations for the microsoft-edge:// URI scheme still work. We've not heard back from Mozilla.
Brave CEO Brendan Eich told The Register his Windows 11 testers haven't yet provided an update, but allowed that Aleksandersen's post seems pretty dire. "[Microsoft] must figure [that the] antitrust Eye of Sauron is looking at [Google, Facebook, and Apple] only," he observed.
[15]
In an email to The Register , Aleksandersen said the change affects both Brave and Firefox.
"No program other than Microsoft Edge can handle the protocol," he said. "I’ve tested Brave (stable release) and a version of Firefox with the patch to add the protocol. They’re not allowed to support it either."
Microsoft isn’t a good steward of the Windows operating system. They’re prioritizing ads, bundleware, and service subscriptions over their users’ productivity
"Microsoft hasn’t blocked EdgeDeflector specifically. Windows is just bypassing the normal protocol handling system in Windows and always uses Edge for this specific protocol."
According to Aleksandersen, the latest Windows 11 build allows only the Edge browser to handle the microsoft-edge:// protocol.
"No third-party apps are allowed to handle the protocol," he wrote in [16]a blog post on Thursday. "You can’t change the default protocol association through registry changes, OEM partner customizations, modifications to the Microsoft Edge package, interference with OpenWith.exe , or any other hackish workarounds."
Aleksandersen says Windows will force the use of Edge even if you delete it, opening an empty UWP window and presenting an error message rather than falling back on the default browser.
The change to Windows means EdgeDeflector will not receive any further updates unless this behavior is reverted, said Aleksandersen.
"These aren’t the actions of an attentive company that cares about its product anymore," said Aleksandersen. "Microsoft isn’t a good steward of the Windows operating system. They’re prioritizing ads, bundleware, and service subscriptions over their users’ productivity."
Aleksandersen advises those opposed to the change to raise the issue with their local antitrust regulator or to switch to Linux.
Ironically, as Aleksandersen tells it, vendor-specific URI schemes took off in February 2014 after Google introduced a googlechrome:// scheme for its mobile apps as a way to counter Apple's anticompetitive insistence that Safari should handle certain links on iOS devices.
"Microsoft just turned the racket on its head and changed more and more links in its operating system and apps to use its vendor-specific URL scheme," he said in [17]a post last month.
Microsoft on trial: The mega antitrust battle, 1998 to 2000 [18]FROM THE ARCHIVE
The Register asked the US Justice Department whether it's aware of this change and, if so, whether it's concerned, given Microsoft's prior conviction for abusing its market dominance. We've not heard back.
"Microsoft’s use of the microsoft-edge:// protocol instead of regular https:// links is in itself an antitrust issue," Aleksandersen told The Register . "This annoyed me so much that I created EdgeDeflector to fight back on its monopolistic and user-hostile behavior".
"I believe Microsoft clearly doesn’t fear antitrust regulators.
"They’re putting up more barriers and are being more aggressive now than they were in the past when they were hit with antitrust fines. (E.g. removing the default browser settings from Windows Setting, making it more difficult to programmatically change the default browser, prompting the user to 'choose Edge' after every system update, hiding/unpinning other browsers from your taskbar.) On top of this, they’re using these horrid microsoft-edge:// links in very prominent places in the OS to bypass the default browser setting entirely."
Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment. ®
Get our [19]Tech Resources
[1] https://github.com/da2x/EdgeDeflector
[2] https://www.w3.org/TR/2011/WD-html5-20110525/timers.html#custom-handlers
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/launch-resume/launch-default-app#microsoft-edge-uri-scheme
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/anti-competitive-browser-edges.html
[9] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22494/
[10] https://github.com/da2x/EdgeDeflector/issues/141
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/08/dotnet_6_vs_2022/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/22/microsoft_net_hot_reload_visual_studio/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/05/microsoft_net_foundation_under_fire/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/15/microsoft_brad_smith_open_source/
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/microsoft-edge-protocol-competition.html
[17] https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/anti-competitive-browser-edges.html
[18] https://www.theregister.com/1998/10/20/microsoft_on_trial/
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Back in 2017, Daniel Aleksandersen created a free helper application called [1]EdgeDeflector to counter behavioral changes Microsoft made in the way Windows handles mouse clicks on certain web links.
Typically, https:// links get handled by whatever default browser is set for the system in question. But there are ways to register a custom protocol handler, for operating systems and [2]web browsers , that defines the scheme to access a given resource (URI).
[3]
Microsoft did just that when it created the [4]microsoft-edge: URI scheme . By prefixing certain links as microsoft-edge:https://example.com instead of https://example.com , the company can tell Windows to use Edge to render example.com instead of the system's default browser.
[5]
[6]
Microsoft is not doing this for all web links – it hasn't completely rejected browser choice. It applies the microsoft-edge:// protocol to Windows 10 services like News and Interest, Widgets in Windows 11, various help links in the Settings app, search links from the Start menu, Cortana links, and links sent from paired Android devices. Clicking on these links will normally open in Edge regardless of the default browser setting.
When the microsoft-edge:// protocol is used, EdgeDeflector intercepts the protocol mapping to force affected links to open in the user's default browser like regular https:// links. That allows users to override Microsoft and steer links to their chosen browsers.
[7]
This approach has proven to be a popular one: [8]Brave and Firefox recently implemented their own microsoft-edge:// URI scheme interception code to counter Microsoft's efforts to force microsoft-edge:// links into its Edge browser.
But since Windows 11 build 22494, [9]released last week, EdgeDeflector [10]no longer works .
This is on top of Microsoft making it tedious to change the default browser on Windows 11 from Edge: in the system settings, you have to navigate to Apps > Default apps, find your preferred installed browser and click on it, and then assign all the link and file types you need to that browser, clicking through the extra dialog boxes Windows throws at you. Your preferred browser may be able to offer a shortcut through this process when you install it or tell it to make it your default.
[11].NET 6 LTS and VS 2022: Major releases spoiled by continuing concern about Microsoft's commitment to open source
[12]Microsoft under fire again from open-source .NET devs: Hot Reload feature pulled for sake of Visual Studio sales
[13]Microsoft's .NET Foundation under fire as resigning board member questions its role
[14]Everything OK with Microsoft? Windows giant admits it was 'on the wrong side of history' with regard to open source
The Register has asked Brave and Mozilla whether their respective link interception implementations for the microsoft-edge:// URI scheme still work. We've not heard back from Mozilla.
Brave CEO Brendan Eich told The Register his Windows 11 testers haven't yet provided an update, but allowed that Aleksandersen's post seems pretty dire. "[Microsoft] must figure [that the] antitrust Eye of Sauron is looking at [Google, Facebook, and Apple] only," he observed.
[15]
In an email to The Register , Aleksandersen said the change affects both Brave and Firefox.
"No program other than Microsoft Edge can handle the protocol," he said. "I’ve tested Brave (stable release) and a version of Firefox with the patch to add the protocol. They’re not allowed to support it either."
Microsoft isn’t a good steward of the Windows operating system. They’re prioritizing ads, bundleware, and service subscriptions over their users’ productivity
"Microsoft hasn’t blocked EdgeDeflector specifically. Windows is just bypassing the normal protocol handling system in Windows and always uses Edge for this specific protocol."
According to Aleksandersen, the latest Windows 11 build allows only the Edge browser to handle the microsoft-edge:// protocol.
"No third-party apps are allowed to handle the protocol," he wrote in [16]a blog post on Thursday. "You can’t change the default protocol association through registry changes, OEM partner customizations, modifications to the Microsoft Edge package, interference with OpenWith.exe , or any other hackish workarounds."
Aleksandersen says Windows will force the use of Edge even if you delete it, opening an empty UWP window and presenting an error message rather than falling back on the default browser.
The change to Windows means EdgeDeflector will not receive any further updates unless this behavior is reverted, said Aleksandersen.
"These aren’t the actions of an attentive company that cares about its product anymore," said Aleksandersen. "Microsoft isn’t a good steward of the Windows operating system. They’re prioritizing ads, bundleware, and service subscriptions over their users’ productivity."
Aleksandersen advises those opposed to the change to raise the issue with their local antitrust regulator or to switch to Linux.
Ironically, as Aleksandersen tells it, vendor-specific URI schemes took off in February 2014 after Google introduced a googlechrome:// scheme for its mobile apps as a way to counter Apple's anticompetitive insistence that Safari should handle certain links on iOS devices.
"Microsoft just turned the racket on its head and changed more and more links in its operating system and apps to use its vendor-specific URL scheme," he said in [17]a post last month.
Microsoft on trial: The mega antitrust battle, 1998 to 2000 [18]FROM THE ARCHIVE
The Register asked the US Justice Department whether it's aware of this change and, if so, whether it's concerned, given Microsoft's prior conviction for abusing its market dominance. We've not heard back.
"Microsoft’s use of the microsoft-edge:// protocol instead of regular https:// links is in itself an antitrust issue," Aleksandersen told The Register . "This annoyed me so much that I created EdgeDeflector to fight back on its monopolistic and user-hostile behavior".
"I believe Microsoft clearly doesn’t fear antitrust regulators.
"They’re putting up more barriers and are being more aggressive now than they were in the past when they were hit with antitrust fines. (E.g. removing the default browser settings from Windows Setting, making it more difficult to programmatically change the default browser, prompting the user to 'choose Edge' after every system update, hiding/unpinning other browsers from your taskbar.) On top of this, they’re using these horrid microsoft-edge:// links in very prominent places in the OS to bypass the default browser setting entirely."
Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment. ®
Get our [19]Tech Resources
[1] https://github.com/da2x/EdgeDeflector
[2] https://www.w3.org/TR/2011/WD-html5-20110525/timers.html#custom-handlers
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/launch-resume/launch-default-app#microsoft-edge-uri-scheme
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/anti-competitive-browser-edges.html
[9] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/03/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22494/
[10] https://github.com/da2x/EdgeDeflector/issues/141
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/08/dotnet_6_vs_2022/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/22/microsoft_net_hot_reload_visual_studio/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/05/microsoft_net_foundation_under_fire/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/15/microsoft_brad_smith_open_source/
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YY2gprdvx7EI0vLQyYVTlQAAAIA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/microsoft-edge-protocol-competition.html
[17] https://www.ctrl.blog/entry/anti-competitive-browser-edges.html
[18] https://www.theregister.com/1998/10/20/microsoft_on_trial/
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The problem is simple.
IGotOut
Microsoft got slapped down.
Since the Apple and Google have been allowed to pick off and go far further than MS did.
The problem you now have is how are the competition regulators going to deal with MS when the other two are equally as bad, if not more so.
They ALL need huge fines (think multi-billion) and default browsers removed. They should also be banned from shoving " This page would be better in...." on their own sites.
Re: The problem is simple.
sreynolds
I don't think that MS got slapped hard enough. I am still appalled by the amount of "telemetry" being sent out to Redmond.
msobkow
And my days on the Microsoft upgrade chain are over unless and until Steam abandons Windows 10.
My next planned box is a pure Linux/VMWare stack for performance reasons; Windblows has too much disk IO overhead with its VMs.
Inventor of the Marmite Laser
That on its own is enough for me to make my next box a Unix one.
Somethings never change
HAL-9000
Egregious as ever, it is obviously too much to expect M$ to behave in good faith. According to statcounter, edge market share is 3.99% compared to Chrome's 64.7% and Safari's 19.1%. Presumably if users don't want Edge then they'll have it rammed down their throats for good measure
Anonymous Coward
Fuck it. I'm going back to Windows 98.
Sym link?
JamesTGrant
Can you rename edge executable and create a symlink to the browser exe of your choice? I assume the api that passes in the url is pretty standard and they don’t do anything special if it’s edge: prefixed?
Windows 10 last version used
jonfr
It is clear that Microsoft is slowly pushing Windows users to subscription model (more locked down operating system). I guess Windows 12 is going to be subscription only. This is also against EU laws. I don't think Microsoft is going to get away with this for a long time. Just few years or 10 to 20 years at most (because slow process of justice in this).
I wonder if I can run the only few games I play on Debian Linux with Wine (32 bit since I am playing mostly old games).
Oh Well, I keep threatening to go Minty, so I guess it's definite if my Win10 falls over for any reason. I have dismantled/deleted edge on this PC as far as I know how, although windows still tries to open stuff in a browser that isn't there.
So far 11 sounds as though it is going to make Vista look good so I will be in the market for a Chilly Willy hat in the near future.