Comcast, Norton Security Suite, and Edge browser

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My ISP is Comcast/Xfinity, and they offer the Norton Security Suite at no charge. I’ve taken the offer, and so has my 87-year-old tech support “customer” who lives two states away. My friend just got a shiny new Windows 10 laptop, and of course it came with the Edge browser. Now she’s getting an alert from Norton. The alert, “Compatibility of Norton Toolbar and Norton Identity Safe with Microsoft Edge browser,” tells her that “several browser-based protection and identity features that are provided in Norton products are not compatible with Edge.” These features include Identity Safe, Norton Toolbar, Safe Search, Safe Web, Antiphishing, and Scam Insight.

What’s really going on here? Did Microsoft pull their new browser from the oven too soon? Did Norton miss some messages from Redmond? Or are we seeing a little dust-up between Microsoft and Norton?

Of more concern to the user, should we feel alarmed that these features don’t work with Edge? Do the aforementioned features offer real protection, or are they little more than bells and whistles? Should I advise my friend to get another browser—IE 11, Chrome or Firefox, as Norton suggests? Or should she uninstall NSS and get another AV product that does work with Edge?

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Hi Caesar3,

IE-11 is present on Windows 10. start, all apps, windows accessories, Internet explorer

Win 11 home - 24H2
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Yep, I found IE-11 with no trouble. Thanks.

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I usually provide an IE-11 icon on my clients’ taskbars to launch it (right next to the Edge “e”) but it can be confusing to some of my clients. You might also consider making IE-11 the default Web browser (although it may change back to Edge after with the next cumulative Windows 10 Update).

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I use Norton Security in Win 7 with IE 11 and I think Norton Identity Protection caused some problems in that, but I have that and the Toolbar disabled.

I use Norton Security Deluxe and those others don’t ring an immediate bell except perhaps Safe Search, but phone Symantec as they may have a workaround for Edge.

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… phone Symantec as they may have a workaround for Edge.

That’s a great suggestion. I’ll give ’em a call.

This whole thing about Edge and Norton still seems a bit odd. Part of my initial question was to ask if anyone knows what’s behind it—that is, are Microsoft and Norton not communicating?

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Edge does not provide any support for Add Ons in the released version of Windows 10. The Norton features you mention are browser add ons. The latest Insider Builds do support a small number of add ons but they don’t include the Norton ones. Maybe they will when the Anniversary update is released to the general public on July 29.

Jerry

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That helps explain the situation. Seems odd that Microsoft would release a key product with that serious a limitation. It’s like they don’t take safe browsing very seriously.

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That helps explain the situation. Seems odd that Microsoft would release a key product with that serious a limitation. It’s like they don’t take safe browsing very seriously.

Actually, add ons are a major source of Malware and inhibiting or validating them can make the browser safer.

Jerry

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