Mozilla Criticises Microsoft's Method to Set Default Browser in Windows 10

Mozilla is criticising Microsoft for making it a little harder for users to change the default browser in Windows 10. Unlike previous versions of Microsoft's desktop operating system, Windows 10 requires some additional efforts to change the default app for Web browsers, media players, and calendars among other things.

Microsoft is no longer letting browsers (or any other app) give users a quick pop-up option to easily change the default browser. Chris Beard, the CEO of Mozilla finds the introduction of multi-step requirement to change browser " an aggressive move to override user choice on Windows 10."

In a blog post addressed to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Beard said, "It now takes more than twice the number of mouse clicks, scrolling through content and some technical sophistication for people to reassert the choices they had previously made in earlier versions of Windows," claims Beard. "It's confusing, hard to navigate and easy to get lost." Beard also posted a video, showing the additional clicks.

When a third-party app tries to set itself as the default application, instead of showing a pop-up option to users, Windows 10 shows a settings page. In its defence, Microsoft says that this will help reduce the noise multiple prompts may bring.

As The Verge reports, the move is justifiable from the security standpoint, as it makes it hard for third-party apps to change the default programs for different tasks. But it could also be Microsoft's attempt to make users stick to Microsoft Edge, its new browser that took over as the default browser from Internet Explorer.