When you click a web result on Windows Search, by default, the link will open on Microsoft Edge using Bing regardless of the browser you have configured as your system default. EdgeDeflector is a small application that redirects web searches to your preferred default browser with your preferred search engine. While the application has helped many non-Edge users for a long time, it seems that soon will no longer be the case since Microsoft has already confirmed that the search experience hasn’t been designed to be redirected, and any improper redirection of the “microsoft-edge” protocol will conclude in a patch to block such action. And now, the company is testing a block to prevent EdgeDeflector in the preview builds of Windows 11 available through the Windows Insider Program, which is planned to arrive for everyone with the December Patch Tuesday update. This is not the only attempt to enforce its web browser and search engine on the platform. Starting on Windows 11, Microsoft has made it more difficult for users to make Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and other browsers the system default by making users change the setting for every protocol instead of having to flip a single switch. Furthermore, the new Widgets dashboard also forces users to use Edge and Bing to open content and news articles. Microsoft is not sharing any specific reasons for the patch to prevent EdgeDeflector from redirecting queries to the user’s preferred browser and search engine. However, according to a report from The Verge, 500K downloads of the application may not be making the software giant very happy. Although one could understand that Microsoft wants things to work in a certain way, people still deserve the choice to choose the experience they want to use on their devices. All content on this site is provided with no warranties, express or implied. Use any information at your own risk. Always backup of your device and files before making any changes. Privacy policy info.
