Opera has filed a competition complaint against Microsoft with Brazil’s antitrust authority, accusing the company of using unfair practices to push users toward its Edge browser and Bing search engine. Norway-based Opera Software says Microsoft makes it harder for users to choose or stick with alternative browsers by using tactics that limit access and influence decision-making.
According to the complaint, Windows often bypasses a user’s default browser settings by opening links and PDFs in Edge, even when another browser has been selected as the default. It also says Windows uses prominent messages to discourage downloading other browsers, often when people search for them using Edge. Opera argues these tactics prevent real choice and hurt competing browsers.
The complaint also targets Microsoft’s relationship with hardware makers. Opera claims that Microsoft only discounts software licenses if device manufacturers sell products in Windows “S mode.” This mode restricts app installations to those from the Microsoft Store, effectively preventing users from installing most other browsers, as reported by The Verge.
Brazil is an important market for Opera, which is currently the third most popular browser in the country. Opera says the issues raised are not unique to Brazil and apply to Microsoft’s global behavior. It wants Microsoft to let PC makers install other default browsers and stop using design techniques that influence users to stick with Edge.
Thanks to DMA, Microsoft made changes to the European version of Windows, including reducing Edge pop-ups and giving users more options to set the default browser. However, Opera says these changes are insufficient.