Microsoft is attempting to make its Edge browser the default option for users accessing its Teams and Outlook platforms. According to the company, links from these two platforms will now open in Edge, even if users have selected a different browser as their default option. While Microsoft’s announcement suggested that using Edge would be beneficial for legacy Outlook apps, some users could be left frustrated as the browser may cause a significant slowdown in performance and efficiency.
The new change was spotted in Microsoft’s support documentation by technology news outlet The Register. However, a Microsoft spokesperson did say that users will be able to choose between continuing to use Edge or opening future launches inside their default browser. The announcement also revealed that similar changes will be coming to Microsoft Teams in the future.
Microsoft claims that the Edge browser sidebar pane will allow users to view their email and browse the web content they need to reference side-by-side. A Microsoft spokesperson told The Register that the change would create an easier way for Outlook and Microsoft Teams users to reduce task switching across windows and tabs to help them stay focused.
Despite Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to push users towards Edge, the latest Statcounter figures show that the browser has lost its second place in the global browser market to Apple’s Safari offering. According to the figures, Safari now has 11.87% of users, compared to Edge’s 11%, while Google Chrome remains the runaway leader with 66.13%.
