This content originally appeared on Opera News and was authored by Julia Szyndzielorz
You know Opera, our main approach to convince you to choose our browsers is to build ones that are better. That’s why we stay focused on innovation and we’re proud that hundreds of millions of you choose our browsers instead of the ones that come pre-installed on your devices. However, in order to be able to compete on a level playing field and to be easily accessible to you, our users, we need not to be hindered by unfair practices from our competitors.
In a world where we have countless choices for everything from our coffee to our streaming services, shouldn’t you have the absolute freedom to choose how you access and browse the web? At Opera, we believe the answer is a resounding “yes.” That’s why we are taking a stand for the rights of millions of PC users in Brazil to freely and effectively choose their preferred browser.
On July 29, 2025, Opera filed a formal complaint with Brazil’s competition authority, CADE, to address what we see as unfair practices by Microsoft that limit your ability to choose and use your preferred web browser on Windows computers. This isn’t just about browsers; it’s about ensuring a fair and open digital world for everyone.
The Heart of the Matter: Genuine Choice vs. Platform Manipulation
Windows is by far the most widely used operating system for PCs in Brazil and in the world. With this dominant position comes a responsibility to provide a level playing field for all software. We believe that Microsoft, however, is tilting the scales in favor of its own browser, Edge.
Here’s how this affects you:
- Pre-installation and Defaults: Microsoft Edge comes as the only pre-installed and set as default browser on at least the large majority of new Windows PCs. While it’s technically possible to download other browsers and change this, Microsoft employs a series of manipulative designs, often called “dark patterns,” to make it confusing and frustrating to switch.
- Misleading Pop-ups and Banners: Have you ever tried to download a different browser and been met with pop-ups suggesting you stick with Edge? Or seen messages that there’s “no need to download a new web browser”? These are not helpful suggestions; they are tactics designed to make you second-guess your choice.
- Ignoring Your Preferences: Even if you successfully set a new browser as your default, you might notice that links from certain Microsoft applications like Outlook and Teams still open in Edge. This undermines your decision and makes the experience less seamless. Microsoft even boasts about this tactic – the screenshot below is taken from Microsoft’s own website:
- Similarly, the ‘default browser’ selection does not propagate to all relevant file types (including PDFs), requiring you to manually switch the default browser for each remaining type of file and link individually.
- Preventing Browser Choice: If you use a Windows device running S mode, a particularly closed form of Windows that Microsoft targets at education and enterprise users, Edge and Bing are exclusively preinstalled as the default browser and search engine, and you cannot download from the open internet or set as default browser any other browser. Take a look: the screenshot below is taken from Microsoft’s own website.
These are only a small proportion of the manipulative tactics that Microsoft put in place to steer you towards Edge and to obstruct you from using your preferred browser. These practices are not about fair competition based on the quality of the product. They are about leveraging a dominant position to limit consumer choice and stifle innovation.
Why Brazil? Why Now?
Brazil has a vibrant tech scene, with more than 180 million Internet users. These internet users are among the most active – perhaps even the most engaged – in the world, and deserve to be able to freely choose which browser they use on their Windows PC. In Europe, regulations like the Digital Markets Act are beginning to address these issues, but we believe Brazil has an opportunity to lead the way in ensuring a truly competitive digital market.
This is not about Opera versus Microsoft. It’s about a principle: this complaint is about removing artificial barriers to ensure the best products can win on merit, which benefits all consumers and drives innovation across the entire market. When you have a genuine choice, you have the power to pick the browser that best fits your needs, whether it’s for speed, privacy features, or unique tools.
Opera has millions of loyal users in Brazil who have actively chosen our browser despite the existing hurdles. We believe that on a truly level playing field, even more users would have the chance to discover and benefit from the innovative features we offer.
Our Goal: A Fairer Digital Future for All
By bringing this issue to CADE, we are asking for a simple and fair solution:
- An End to Manipulative Designs: No more confusing pop-ups or multi-step processes designed to keep you from switching browsers.
- Respect for Your Choice: When you choose a default browser, that choice should be respected across the entire operating system.
- A Level Playing Field: All browsers should have the opportunity to compete fairly, without the thumb of a dominant platform on the scale.
The fight for digital freedom is a global one, and we are proud to be a voice for user choice in Brazil. We believe that a more open and competitive digital environment benefits everyone, leading to more innovation, better products, and a more empowered user.
What’s next?
Just a few days after our complaint, the Brazilian competition authority formally opened a preliminary investigation against Microsoft. According to the authority “as can be seen from the full content of the Complaint, there is no doubt that the alleged conduct reported concerns a matter within the jurisdiction of the Brazilian Competition Defense System, and therefore, the evidence of violation of the economic order presented must be investigated in an Administrative Inquiry” (unofficial translation). A copy of CADE’s statement can be accessed here, and CADE’s notice to Microsoft here. The authority will now gather and review evidence of Microsoft’s practices.
This content originally appeared on Opera News and was authored by Julia Szyndzielorz