Microsoft Edge is Turning Scareware Blocker Into a Scam-Site Killer

Microsoft’s Scareware Blocker has been updated in Edge Canary. First announced as a way to stop fake tech support pop-ups, the feature is now on by default and has been expanded with new controls that both block scam sites and share details with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen.

When it first launched, Scareware Blocker worked by detecting scam pages, exiting full-screen mode, muting them, and showing a warning. You could close the page, continue, or report it to Microsoft from that warning screen.

Microsoft Edge Can Block Scam Sites and Share Data With Defender SmartScreen by Default

In today’s Edge Canary build, Scareware Blocker appears as an expanded section with two new options, both switched on by default:

• Block sites detected as scams: Instead of only breaking out of a pop-up, Edge can now block entire websites it identifies as scams.
• Share detected scam sites with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen: This new option, on by default, shares a small amount of information with Microsoft. When Edge finds a scam site, it sends the website link and its classification to Defender SmartScreen, helping Microsoft quickly block the same scam for millions of other people.

The second setting also includes a help icon that explains:

“This helps Microsoft prevent and identify similar threats. When you turn this on, you agree to share the website link and its scam classification.”

This is the first time Microsoft has separated reporting into its own setting, rather than keeping it inside a warning dialog.

With both options enabled by default, Edge Canary not only blocks scam sites locally but also feeds details into Defender SmartScreen, strengthening protection for everyone. At the same time, users get more control, and you can keep blocking scams even if you choose not to share data.

Scareware Blocker has gone from protecting just one person to helping protect everyone. It’s still being tested, but it’s starting to look more like a full security feature than just a basic switch.

That’s not all. Microsoft is enabling a Copilot-inspired theme in the Edge browser and testing Passkey roaming to sync saved passkeys across devices. Edge also now supports the GPT-5 model.