Last Windows 11 update appears to have changed some default user settings

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Key notes

  • Microsoft appears to have inserted some sneaky changes in the latest Windows 11 updates.
  • Users across forums have expressed their disappointment with the changes and are now calling the company malicious.
  • The change comes with the latest Windows update, delivered as a forced automatic update. 
Windows 11 background

Microsoft has silently changed the default search engine for the entire web browser to Microsoft’s own search engine, Bing, in a move that effectively overrides existing third-party preferences set by users.

As is often the case with Windows updates, the change makes sense if you think about it for a minute. Microsoft wants to promote its own services, so it’s not surprising that the company wants to push its own browser. 

Baffled users complained to Microsoft’s tech support when they found that after installing the update, Edge was now their default browser despite their previous choice.

New set of default settings

In the last Windows update, Microsoft did something very sneaky. They changed the default browser to Edge without asking you.

Affected users have since found that Microsoft support forums have been filled with complaints about the change, and have criticized the company for failing to inform them that this would be taking place

The default browser is not the only change. If you use Windows and have the latest updates, your default browser search engine has been changed from Google to Bing.

The biggest change here, though, was with the “restore previous tabs” setting. If you had it set to “no” before the update, Windows 11 would now have it set to “yes.” And what this means is that every time you start up your PC, instead of immediately opening your browser window, Windows 11 opens a new Edge window and points it at Bing.com.

According to users, Microsoft is changing people’s browser settings behind their backs. It’s not clear how many of Chrome’s users were affected by this latest change, but it appears that not everyone who received the update was affected. 

If you don’t want to use Edge as your default browser on your Windows computer, you may be interested in reverting back to Chrome or any other web browser of your choice. 

Have you upgraded to the latest Windows 11 update and have these changes taken effect in your browser settings? Share your thoughts down below.