Microsoft Under Fire as Brazil Investigates Edge Pressure on OEMs

Microsoft has long promoted Edge aggressively, even adding a new shortcut that lets users set it as the default browser in a single click. Now, attention is shifting beyond consumers, as the company appears to be encouraging OEMs to preinstall Edge on their devices as well.

According to Neowin, Brazil’s antitrust regulator, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), has opened a formal investigation into major PC manufacturers over the preinstallation of Microsoft Edge on devices running Microsoft Windows.

Brazil investigates Microsoft Edge preinstallation on Windows PCs

The probe stems from a complaint filed by Opera, which claims that Microsoft indirectly pressures OEMs to prioritize or exclusively preinstall Edge through its “Jumpstart” program. Regulators are now examining whether the program influences how browsers and other third-party software appear on new Windows PCs sold in Brazil.

OEM agreements and data requests under review

CADE has sent detailed information requests to several global and regional PC manufacturers, including Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer, Samsung, LG, Positivo, Multilaser, and Daten.

Authorities are seeking sales and shipment data covering the period from 2020 to 2025. This includes details on PC shipments by operating system, units sold under the Jumpstart program, and systems shipped with Windows in S mode. The regulator also wants insight into the financial and commercial consequences OEMs might face if they choose to withdraw from the program.

Contract terms and competitive impact

The investigation extends to contractual and commercial arrangements between Microsoft and its hardware partners. CADE is assessing whether agreements include penalties for non-compliance and whether the terms are negotiable or effectively presented as “take-it-or-leave-it.” Regulators are also reviewing which third-party applications, including competing browsers, OEMs are permitted or restricted from preinstalling under the Jumpstart framework.

The Browser Choice Alliance, whose members include Opera, Google Chrome stakeholders, Vivaldi, and Midori, has welcomed the probe. The alliance argues that tying incentives or commercial terms to Edge preinstallation could limit consumer choice and undermine fair competition in the browser market.

The case adds to broader regulatory scrutiny surrounding Microsoft’s Windows ecosystem, particularly around default browser settings, bundling practices, and relationships with OEM partners. The outcome of Brazil’s investigation could carry implications beyond its borders, potentially shaping future competition policy debates over how browsers and other software are distributed on Windows PCs.

In related developments, Microsoft has recently redesigned site permission settings in Edge and introduced a new option that allows users to hide Copilot within the browser interface.