Microsoft Edge Introduces Windows 11 Taskbar Pin Notification for Google Chrome Users

Microsoft Edge Attempts to Boost Adoption with New Pinning Alerts

If you occasionally switch between Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, you might encounter a notification urging you to pin Edge to your Windows 11 taskbar. This feature appears to be part of an internal experiment aimed at encouraging users to favor Edge over its more popular competitor, Chrome.

Microsoft Edge pop-up suggest to pin to taskbar — Microsoft Edge pop-up prompting users to pin the browser.

The Push for Edge: What’s Behind It?

Microsoft’s promotion of Edge on Windows 11 is widely recognized. The screenshot provided highlights their strategy. The company is currently facing scrutiny, including an antitrust complaint from Opera in Brazil, suggesting concerns about anti-competitive practices. While various players in the market share the blame, Microsoft isn’t alone in these allegations.

Recently, a noteworthy aspect of the Microsoft Edge experiment caught attention. According to updates from Windows Latest, the latest Canary version of Edge introduces feature flags aimed specifically at promoting a “pin Edge when you close the browser” alert. Although this campaign isn’t entirely novel, the inclusion of Google Chrome in the feature flags is particularly interesting.

Unique Feature Flags Indicating User Behavior

The introduction of flags like “msOptimizeChromePBSignalForPinningOnCloseCampaigns” clearly hints at the strategy in play. The term “PBSignal” refers to an internal behavior indicator responsible for determining if the user qualifies for the pop-up. If user behavior aligns with their target threshold for Chrome usage, the notification will appear; otherwise, it remains hidden.

Interestingly, Microsoft appears sensitive to user preferences regarding multiple browsers, seeking not to overwhelm users who enjoy a degree of choice in their web browsing environment.

An old Microsoft Edge promotional campaign — Previous campaign encouraging Microsoft Edge usage.

Understanding User Engagement with Chrome

The data shows that the campaign operates under specific conditions. The flag dubbed “msPinningCampaignChromeUsageGreaterThan90Trigger” indicates that the pop-up will prompt users to pin Edge only when their Chrome usage exceeds 90%.This raises questions about how Microsoft gathers information on Chrome habits—whether through default settings, import signals, or telemetry remains unclear. For now, the actual functionality of these flags is uncertain, as many may never reach the public.

Nevertheless, it’s evident that Microsoft aims to promote the “pin to taskbar” notification for Edge users who primarily rely on Chrome.

Customizing Alerts for Different User Profiles

Another variant in this initiative is titled “msPinningOnCloseCampaignsChromeEngagedUser, ” which seems to target those identified as heavy users of Chrome. Furthermore, it appears that there may be a tailored approach for Edge users themselves, providing a lighter nudge for those who do not heavily engage with Chrome.

The overarching strategy suggests a nuanced effort to encourage Edge adoption at moments users might consider closing Chrome, depending heavily on their browsing patterns.

Conclusion: Impact on Edge’s Market Share?

Do you believe that targeting users with nudges to pin Microsoft Edge will aid in increasing its market share? We’d love to hear your insights in the comments below.

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