Google tests Chrome download prompt on homepage for Microsoft Edge

Google appears to be testing a Chrome download prompt on its homepage in Microsoft Edge. We spotted the pop-up in Microsoft Edge Dev, where it appeared immediately after loading Google.com.

The prompt describes Chrome as “the browser built by Google” and includes a large Download Chrome button, along with a “Do not use Chrome” option to dismiss it.

Unlike Google’s standard Chrome download page, this prompt appears directly on the homepage before users perform a search.

WindowsReport previously reported Google’s homepage Chrome download prompt in Brave, Vivaldi, and Comet, but not in Microsoft Edge or Opera. Our latest testing expands that list to Microsoft Edge Dev.

The finding also highlights the long-running browser rivalry between Google and Microsoft. Both companies have used their products and services to encourage users to choose their own browsers over a competitor’s.

Microsoft has displayed prompts encouraging Edge adoption. For example, when users search for Chrome on Bing in Edge, Bing can display a comparison banner highlighting features such as Microsoft Rewards, a built-in VPN, AI personalization, and Microsoft recommendations before the Chrome download result.

Microsoft Edge also promotes its browser when users download Chrome. After a Chrome download begins, Edge can display a banner stating, “Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft,” alongside a Browse securely now button that encourages users to continue using Edge instead of downloading Chrome.

Google’s prompt appears earlier in the browsing journey. While Microsoft typically promotes Edge after users search for Chrome or begin downloading it, Google displays its promotion as users visit its homepage, before they perform a search or visit the Chrome download page.

We observed the prompt in Microsoft Edge Dev during our testing. The test was performed in an Edge Dev profile signed in to a Microsoft account, while the Google account remained signed out. Whether the behavior is tied to the browser channel, an experiment, or another rollout condition is unclear.