• How to stop Microsoft Edge spying on Chrome browsing data

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    #2593738

    https://rawinfopages.com/2023/09/04/stop-microsoft-edge-spying-on-chrome/

    If you are running the latest version of Microsoft Edge on a Windows computer, you may not realise it, but it is copying everything you do in Chrome every time you open it. Here’s how it works.

    Chrome is the most popular web browser by a very wide margin, so even though Microsoft Edge comes with Windows, a lot of people download and install Chrome and make it their main browser. There are a lot of people with both Chrome and Edge on their Windows computer and they may not realize that Edge is spying on everything they do in Google’s browser...

    Open Edge, click the three dots in the top right corner to show the menu, click Settings and then select Profiles in the sidebar. Alternatively, enter edge://settings/profiles into the URL box. Look down the list of items and select Import browser data.

    On the next screen, which is only available in Windows and not a Mac, there is an item called Import browsing data at each browser launch. Click the Edit preferences button on the right.

    Every time Edge is started, it reads Chrome’s autofill settings, browsing history, cookies, extensions, bookmarks, open tabs, payment info and saved passwords! Wow!

    * My copy of Edge Version 117.0.2045.60 doesn’t have “Import browsing data at each browser launch”…or any reference to Chrome.

    • This topic was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by Alex5723.
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    • #2593752

      I have the same Edge version and no sign of import at each launch.

      I do have the “your browser is managed” message at the top, probably from O&OShutUp, so that option may  have been removed.

      cheers, Paul

      • #2593753

        I don’t use any 3rd party tweaking tools nor “your browser is managed”.

        Wonder which version of Edge the author was using.

        • #2593811

          Same version of Edge here and no mention of “Import browsing data at each browser launch” setting.

          Maybe they stopped asking and go ahead and do it anyway?

          Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Core Ultra 7 155H 32GB Win 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.5189)
          Dell Inspiron 15 7580 i7 16GB Win 11 pro 24H2 (26100.4061),
          Microsoft 365 Version 2504 (18730.20122)
          Location: UK

    • #2593808

      From the ghack article How to stop Microsoft Edge from importing Google Chrome browsing data at launch posted today, Oct 13.

      The auto-import option was not available in Edge Stable 117 but in Edge Canary 120. This does not necessarily mean that the feature is not being tested in Edge Stable, as Microsoft has the habit of A-B testing features.

      BTW, my Edge 117.0.2045.60 also does not show that option.

      1 user thanked author for this post.
      • #2593849

        I see it in my Edge, same version as everyone else in the thread so far, 117.0.2045.60, so I guess that does indicate A/B testing.  It was already turned off when I looked at it. (I rarely use Edge.)

        • #2593988

          Not present is the latest Edge Version 118.0.2088.46.

          Edge 118: updated on-page search may send data to Microsoft

          Microsoft has released Microsoft Edge 118, a new stable version of the Chromium-based web browser. The new browser version fixes security issues in Edge and introduces a handful of changes.

          One of the important ones is an improved Find on page feature. ..

          Search is extended now, as it may find related matches and diacritics now as well. Good if you mistyped a word or phrase, as Edge may still highlight instances with the right spelling automatically.

          While that sounds good on paper, Edge users need to be aware that Find on page’s new functionality requires that data is processed on Microsoft servers…

          When users enable “include related matches in Find on page” (the setting is on by default) Microsoft Edge submits the following data to Microsoft cloud services using a HTTPS connection:

          The text of the webpage.
          The search term.
          A service token…

        • #2606349

          Running Edge  119.0.2151.93

           

          It might be a A/B situation but at a guess, it also might be because of a linked MS account.  I haven’t tried it yet with a MS account as the company I work for has an automatic  termination policy for use of MS Accounts.

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