Why Is Opera Fighting Microsoft Again? The Browser War Takes a Dangerous Turn

Is Microsoft Killing Your Browser Freedom? Opera Says Yes in Shocking New Complaint

Opera just threw down the gauntlet against Microsoft. Again. This time, the browser maker filed a formal complaint with Brazil’s antitrust authority, claiming Microsoft is playing dirty tricks to keep you stuck with Edge.

The big picture? Opera says Microsoft is blocking fair competition by making it hard for you to use other browsers on Windows computers.

What Microsoft Is Actually Doing

Here’s what Opera claims Microsoft does to keep you on Edge:

Ignoring your choices

Even when you set Opera (or another browser) as your default, Microsoft still opens PDFs and links from apps like Outlook using Edge instead.

Sneaky redirects

When you use Windows Search or click on widgets, links automatically open in Edge, not your chosen browser.

Annoying pop-ups

Microsoft shows “obtrusive banners and messages” trying to scare you away from downloading other browsers when you search for them on Edge.

Making deals behind closed doors – Opera claims Microsoft gives special deals to computer makers, encouraging them to only install Edge on new Windows devices.

Why Brazil Matters

Opera picked Brazil for good reasons. The country represents Opera’s third-largest market, where it holds 2.54% of the browser market share. Brazil’s browser landscape looks like this:

• Chrome: 85.02%
• Safari: 4.55%
• Edge: 4.14%
• Opera: 2.54%
• Firefox: 1.37%

“This complaint presents an opportunity for Brazil to be a leader on this international issue,” said Aaron McParlan, Opera’s general counsel.

This Fight Has Deep Roots

This isn’t Opera’s first rodeo with Microsoft. Back in 2007, Opera complained to the European Union about Microsoft bundling Internet Explorer with Windows. That case ended with Microsoft paying a massive 561 million euro fine.

The EU even forced Microsoft to show a “browser ballot screen” – a menu letting Windows users pick from different browsers instead of automatically using Internet Explorer.

What Opera Wants Fixed

Opera is asking Brazil’s competition authority to force Microsoft to:

• Let computer makers pre-install other browsers besides Edge
• Stop blocking people from downloading alternative browsers
• End the confusing pop-ups and tricks that push users toward Edge
• Stop requiring computer makers to use “S mode” (which blocks downloading browsers like Opera) to get Windows discounts

Microsoft’s Response? Silence So Far

Microsoft hasn’t responded to these latest accusations. But the company has made some changes in Europe recently, allowing users to uninstall Edge from Windows in EU countries.

The Bigger Battle

This complaint is part of Opera’s worldwide effort to challenge Microsoft’s browser tactics. Last year, Opera tried (unsuccessfully) to get the EU to label Microsoft Edge as a “gatekeeper” under new Big Tech rules.

Even though Microsoft made some changes to reduce Edge prompts for European users, Opera says these changes don’t go far enough.

What This Means for You

If Opera wins this case, you might see:

• More browser choices when buying a new computer
• Fewer annoying pop-ups trying to keep you on Edge
• Better respect for your default browser preferences
• Easier downloading of alternative browsers

The outcome could set important rules for how tech giants can promote their own products on their platforms – not just in Brazil, but potentially worldwide.

Bottom line: This case is about your freedom to choose which browser you want to use, without a tech giant making that choice harder through sneaky design tricks and business deals.