Microsoft makes Edge download difficult in Windows 10

In a totally surprising move, Microsoft has kinda blocked Edge download on other web browsers in Windows 10. The company is now forcing users to open Edge Legacy to download it if they don’t have Edge Chromium installed on the computer already.

If you want to install Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox or Opera or Vivaldi, you can download it from any web browser.

It requires you to visit the browser home page and download like any app and install it on your computer.

This is not getting applied to the new Microsoft Edge, here.

Microsoft routes users to Edge Legacy for Edge download

Consider this scenario:

On Windows 10, if you’ve blocked new Edge from being offered via forced Windows Update or you’ve new Edge already installed.

  1. In Chrome or Firefox, head to Download new Microsoft Edge browser page
  2. The page offers a “Try now” button instead of download under the “Introducing new Microsoft Edge” message
  3. Clicking the button prompts to open a “microsoft-edge link. You need to choose Microsoft Edge (Legacy), then, you can able to download the new Edge on the old Edge.
    Try now instead of Download button for Edge
    If you choose other applications such as Chrome, a blank tab opens in that browser.
    opne microsoft edge link dialog

Here, users need to switch between browsers to download Edge, not good user experience. This is not at all necessary and can be avoided by Microsoft.

Microsoft should allow users to get new Microsoft Edge from any web browser. This may be called shooting on their own foot or what else?

Without this hassle, here is the Edge offline installer link you can utilize and take advantage of.

We have checked this with another Windows 10 user, he too saw the same and we also tried to download Edge in Windows Sandbox also from Chrome, there is also no change.

Windows 10 20H2 aka October 2020 Update ships with new Edge by default. We have this issue on Windows 10 2004.

Are you using the new Edge? What’s your take on this? Let us know in the comments below.

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Venkat Eswarlu

Venkat is an independent technology journalist and the founder of Techdows. He has been covering web browsers, Windows, and software news since 2009. His exclusive scoops on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge features have been cited by Forbes, TechCrunch, Wired, CNET, and other major publications.

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