OK, I screwed up. What the heck is Microsoft Edge?

[Paper Roses]

About 2 weeks ago a big message on my screen. I thought by the title (didn't read the whole thing) that is was a Windows update so I said OK.
The rest of the story:

I use Firefox as my browser. I now have this thing called Microsoft Edge. Is that a second browser? Firefox is still here.
The computer(an old Dell w/Win10) is now slow as molasses. Sometimes opens to Bing, not Google which I use as my home page. I was comfortable using my old Win7 but since this machine was updated to 10, I can't find anything.
How do I get rid of MS Edge? I looked around and can't find a way to get rid of it.

My computer guy charges $125.00 plus for work and I'm not sure he is even coming to the houses any longer.

Do I call him or is there a way to get rid of this Edge that I cannot find? Do I dare?

This old timer appreciates any advice, especially since I don't know what the heck I'm doing.

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. It's just a browser

ignore it or google how to get rid of it.

[flibbitygiblets]

2. +1 I would add "it's a sucky browser"

[Ferrets are Cool]

4. 😆😆😆😆😆😆

[Salviati]

6. From what I understand, it's actually not a terrible browser....

... but MS is taking some pretty shitty steps in promoting it and getting it installed on peoples computers.

[flibbitygiblets]

14. it uses Bing as it's default search engine

which you can change to Google or something else, thankfully

[CurtEastPoint]

3. As of late, it is extremely difficult to remove. Google it but MS disabled the 'uninstall' option.

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. I thought this was the case, but didn't want to state it as fact.

I know that MS is making it harder and harder to uninstall things they "want" on your computer.

[LizBeth]

7. Happened to me too. I really dislike Edge/explorer and they try to force it on us. I use chrome.

[42bambi]

8. I'm unsure if this will work, but try a - restore your computer to an earlier time.

[yonder]

9. This Firefox user almost did the same thing two weeks ago.

It looked liked it installed itself without my prompting but I never did open it up. I was able to uninstall by going to control panel, uninstall program and right clicking on MS Edge. I don't think any artifacts are still there but we shall see.

Good luck.

[NBachers]

10. I had avoided Edge, and Bing to me is just bizarre in the results, not like Google. But I'm finding

that my newest Edge update is actually not a bad as previous versions - I'm giving it a chance, and using it occasionally. I like the clean opening page, and the fact that the sites I usually access are all linked and ready to go at the bottom.

I've recently overlaid Duck Duck Go over my Google, and am quite happy with that.

[SWBTATTReg]

11. Edge is not too bad. It's the replacement for Internet Explorer for MS platforms. I'd been kind..

of resisting installing (I'm an old software guy, I don't like changing my platforms/software on everyone's whim and desire, e.g., update this, update that, etc.). I've finally updated as I was getting too many things not working when I tried to call up their platform via Internet Explorer (IE).

Didn't take long, hasn't resulted in any problems, and works like a charm on everything, and you can still maintain your Internet Explorer if you want (I left the IE on still, and it'll work still on quite a few platforms, while you have the Edge platform working on other things too (I usually have multiple sites open at one time)).

Good luck.

[Mike 03]

12. Welcome to the club

I froze it while it was trying to install itself, I thought. Next morning I had a new browser. It's not terrible or anything, but I still use Chrome.

[LPBBEAR]

13. Edge

Edge is just Microsoft latest attempt to shove a web browser down users throats. If your system is growing increasingly slow that is typical behavior for Windows. As time goes on it becomes increasingly slow and kludgy. Microsoft doesn't help that situation when they force update the system with programs like this.

I use Firefox also but I use it in Linux. Linux does not grow slower as it ages. The speed and performance remains constant as it ages. It is also free.

If you're not tied into Microsoft and its services too tightly you might take some time to investigate Linux. There are many versions of Linux out there. A popular choice is Linux Mint. Check www.distrowatch.com to get an idea of what is available.

Happy to help if you decide to make the switch.

[Bev54]

15. Can you not just uninstall it?

[BigOleDummy]

16. Just go to your settings in Firefox

And make it your default browser. Same with the search. Its one click apiece. It shouldn't be slowing your computer down, have you ran an malware check? Also, go to disk cleanup and run it clicking the temp files AND the files Microsoft uses as a back up. It will free up a load of space and that is probably why your computer is running slower now.

I use Edge as my main browser and personally I love it. Same for Bing. I refuse to use Google or anything from the alphabet company, my personal choice. As an aside, the "new" Edge you downloaded and installed is chromium based, just like Google/Chrome. Thats why its an independent download for the time being. It will be the default Microsoft browser soon and the old Edge will be phased out along with Explorer.

[ManiacJoe]

17. Exactly this.

This new chromium version of Edge is pretty good compared to the previous version.

Yes, MSFT is going to force feed it to you because Windows needs an internal browser and because IE and the old Edge are going away.

I have Edge, Firefox, and Chrome installed. They are all good for different things. Pick a browser that you like and make it the default.

Pick a search engine you like and make it the default for each browser you have installed.

[douglas9]

18. How to remove the new Microsoft Edge if uninstallation is blocked

https://www.ghacks.net/2020/07/07/how-to-remove-the-new-microsoft-edge-if-uninstallation-is-blocked/