Microsoft Browser Tactics Exposed as Opera Strikes Back

Key Points

• Microsoft Browser Tactics Exposed as Opera Strikes Back
• Accuses Microsoft of “manipulative design tactics”
• Claims Edge is being forced on users through dark patterns
• A complaint could spark global scrutiny of Microsoft’s practices

Opera is pushing back, hard. The popular browser company has filed a formal anti-competition complaint in Brazil, claiming that Microsoft is engaging in manipulative browser tactics that unfairly push users to stick with its Edge browser over alternatives like Opera.

In the complaint, Opera accuses Microsoft of using “dark patterns” and aggressive interface tricks to keep people from switching browsers. According to Opera’s General Counsel Aaron McParlan, Microsoft is actively working to block browser competition on Windows.

I actually really like @MicrosoftEdge – People bash on it, but if I forced you to use it for like 3 days you’d be like, “Oh, this is better…”
Don’t sleep on the edge.
Chrome fell off, and safari is atrocious. The only other good product is opera, but it’s a kinda bloatware

— Taylor Gunn (@JumpCutPro) May 31, 2025

“From preventing preinstallation of rival browsers to overriding user settings in apps like Outlook, Teams, and Windows Search, Microsoft is making it harder for people to choose alternatives,” says McParlan.

Opera claims Microsoft:

• Opens certain links in Edge, even when another browser is set as the default

• Uses obtrusive messages when users try downloading competitors

• Ignores default browser preferences in widgets and PDF handling

• Spoofs browser download pages to confuse users

These moves, Opera argues, amount to a long-standing pattern of behavior that limits fair competition and user choice.

Opera acusa a Microsoft de manipular a los usuarios para usar Edge en Windows https://t.co/3rXMFLsdIh

— Computer Hoy (@computerhoy) July 30, 2025

Microsoft’s tactics have long drawn criticism. Earlier this year, the company even created a fake Google-like UI to mislead users into staying on Bing. The interface mimicked Google Search so closely that many users didn’t realize they were still on Bing, until Microsoft quietly removed it.

This highlights growing concern around interface manipulation, a practice that’s also relevant in evolving digital trends like the Google Opal AI app builder and Google’s new web guide strategies, which emphasize user trust and transparency.

Brazil Becomes Ground Zero for Global Browser Fight

Opera’s decision to file in Brazil is strategic. The country is one of Opera’s strongest markets, where it currently holds the position as the third most popular browser. Millions of Brazilians actively choose Opera, despite Microsoft’s tactics to retain users on Edge.

Opera claims it’s constrained by Microsoft’s pre-installation of Edge—yet Chrome grabbed 75% of desktop market. Maybe companies should listen more to their product teams and less to their lawyers. Antitrust can do its part by giving short shrift to obvious rent-seeking tactics. pic.twitter.com/HzqPd2Six1

— Lazar Radic (@laz_radic) July 30, 2025

“Although these practices are global, Brazil has the opportunity to take the lead,” McParlan emphasized. “We hope Brazilian regulators will stand up for user choice and browser competition.”

Opera’s complaint to Brazil’s competition authority includes several bold demands:

• Allowing PC makers to preinstall alternative browsers

• Blocking Microsoft from displaying anti-competitive warnings during browser downloads

• Ending S Mode restrictions that lock users into Microsoft Store apps

• Forcing Microsoft to respect default browser settings across all Windows features

S Mode has become a flashpoint. Microsoft reportedly offers licensing rebates to PC manufacturers who ship devices in S Mode, which restricts app installation and effectively blocks non-Microsoft browsers unless the user exits the mode—a process many don’t know exists.

These system-level restrictions are reminiscent of the limitations users face when trying to unlock bootloaders on certain devices, where the platform owner retains control over the experience in ways that can be limiting for users.

Opera is also appealing the EU’s decision not to label Edge as a “gatekeeper” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Despite Microsoft making minor changes in Europe, Opera insists the steps taken are not enough to ensure fair browser choice.

Opera is accusing #Microsoft of using “anticompetitive tactics” to keep users locked into the #Edge browser on Windows.

The browser maker filed a complaint in Brazil – but says the issue affects users globally.#microsoft #pcnews #TechNews

🔗 https://t.co/gIBE1BC4hM pic.twitter.com/s9SGM8e4DK

— PCMag (@PCMag) July 30, 2025

A History of Browser Battles with Microsoft

This isn’t the first time Opera has taken on Microsoft. Opera played a major role in the 2007 browser antitrust case in the EU.

That legal fight led to the creation of the browser ballot screen, which forced Windows to offer users a choice between the 12 most popular browsers instead of defaulting to Internet Explorer.

Microsoft was eventually fined $730 million in 2013 after it failed to include the browser choice screen in Windows 7 Service Pack 1. That incident set a legal precedent for holding Microsoft accountable for anti-competitive behavior in the browser market.

Fast forward to 2025, and Opera sees the same troubling patterns returning—this time with Edge as the focus.

While Microsoft claims it’s giving users more freedom, critics say its recent tweaks are more about avoiding regulatory fines than truly supporting user choice.

Even subtle changes, like how Windows reopens links in Edge regardless of your default browser, raise concerns about whether Microsoft is truly respecting user preferences.

These design tactics come at a time when tech companies are promoting seamless user experiences through cleaner UIs, similar to innovations seen in iOS 26’s Liquid Glass design and simplified Qi2 25W wireless charging launches that prioritize user-centric design.

As the browser wars reignite, Opera is hoping its latest legal move in Brazil could trigger global investigations into Microsoft’s browser practices, possibly even reopening discussions at the EU, U.S., and beyond.

For Opera, this isn’t just about market share. It’s about preserving open competition and transparency in a world increasingly dominated by big tech ecosystems.