Microsoft disabled the EdgeDeflector redirection feature in December Patch Tuesday

EdgeDeflector is an open-source tool for Microsoft browser calling protocol. The purpose of this tool is to forcibly override the system preset browser calling protocol.

For example, the Windows 10 & Windows 11 search box is forced to use Bing and must be opened with Microsoft Edge browser, and the links in widgets are also forced to use Microsoft Edge browser.

The same is true for other places in the system, such as various reference links and help links in the settings application, and in essence, this is Microsoft’s method of forcibly promoting browsers.

This open-source tool can modify Microsoft’s preset link calls. For example, search results and reference links can be opened through Google Chrome or Firefox.

In response to some users using open source tools to modify browser behavior, Microsoft previously released an optional update to modify the browser agreement to make this open-source tool directly invalid.

Despite the fierce controversy, Microsoft does not feel that there is any problem, so the relevant modifications of the optional update have been merged into the latest cumulative update pushed this week.

Routine cumulative updates will be installed by all users, so after installation, users will find that the tool is invalid, and then force the use of Microsoft Edge browser to load the content.

Microsoft said in a previous statement that when the company realizes that there is an incorrect redirection, it will issue a fix to resolve this error.

As for the reason, Microsoft said that “Windows openly enables applications and services on its platform, including various web browsers. At the same time, Windows also offers certain end-to-end customer experiences in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, the search experience from the taskbar is one such example of an end-to-end experience that is not designed to be redirected.”

Via: Neowin