A bug in Microsoft’s Family Safety feature has rendered Google Chrome unusable for many Windows users since early June, sparking accusations that the tech giant is once again undermining its biggest rival to boost its own struggling browser, Edge.
The issue first surfaced on June 3, with users reporting that Chrome either refused to launch or immediately crashed. The problem traced to Microsoft’s Family Safety tool — a parental control feature bundled with Windows and Microsoft 365 — appears to affect only Chrome. Competing browsers like Firefox and Opera remain unaffected, fueling speculation that the glitch may be more than a technical hiccup.
“Our team has investigated these reports and determined the cause of this behavior,” confirmed Ellen T., a Chrome support manager. “For some users, Chrome is unable to run when Microsoft Family Safety is enabled.”
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Workarounds That Undermine Safety
With no formal fix from Microsoft for over two weeks, users have resorted to temporary and sometimes unsafe workarounds. These include renaming the Chrome executable file from chrome.exe to chrome1.exe, or disabling the “filter inappropriate websites” setting within Family Safety — a move that essentially turns off all content filtering and defeats the feature’s core purpose.
In a bug-tracking thread dated June 10, a Chromium engineer wrote, “We’ve not heard anything from Microsoft about a fix being rolled out. They have provided guidance to users who contact them about how to get Chrome working again, but I wouldn’t think that would have a large effect.”
Despite user frustration and public requests, Microsoft has remained silent. The company has not issued a statement, leaving many to wonder whether the bug is simply a case of negligence — or a more deliberate strategy.
A Pattern of Interference?
Microsoft’s long history of trying to steer users toward its own browser gives skeptics plenty of ammunition. While Family Safety’s Chrome-blocking bug might be accidental, it comes after years of the company aggressively nudging, prompting, and even tricking users into choosing Edge over Google Chrome.
These tactics have included:
- Injecting popups and AI-generated “warnings” into Bing results that discourage downloading Chrome
- Hijacking the Chrome download page with fake surveys or messages promoting Edge
- Defaulting to Edge in new Windows installations, requiring several steps to change
- Suggesting that Edge is “faster and safer” than Chrome when users try to switch defaults
Earlier this year, Microsoft even manipulated Bing’s search results to mimic Google’s interface, confusing users trying to download Chrome.
Edge’s Long Battle with Chrome
Microsoft has spent over a decade trying to claw back the browser market share it once dominated. Internet Explorer, once the default for billions, steadily lost relevance through the 2010s. In 2015, Microsoft replaced it with Edge, promising a sleeker, faster, more secure browser.
But users didn’t bite.
Despite being bundled with Windows 10 and 11, Edge has failed to compete with Chrome’s dominance. According to StatCounter, Chrome holds over 64% of the global desktop browser market, while Microsoft Edge trails far behind with around 12% — a figure inflated mostly by default installations rather than voluntary adoption.
Even after switching Edge’s underlying engine to Chromium (the same open-source project that powers Chrome), Microsoft has failed to reverse its browser’s image as a fallback, not a favorite.
Chrome: A Threat Microsoft Can’t Ignore
Google Chrome, launched in 2008, quickly rose to dominance with a clean interface, fast performance, and a vast extension ecosystem. It became the browser of choice not just for individuals but also for businesses, schools, and developers.
As such, any disruption to Chrome’s usability on Windows — especially one tied to Microsoft’s own software — raises alarms.
Even if unintentional, the Chrome-blocking bug in Family Safety conveniently disadvantages Microsoft’s top rival and nudges frustrated users toward Edge. And given Microsoft’s track record, critics argue the company has little benefit of the doubt left.
The lack of urgency in fixing the problem only adds to user skepticism. Without a clear timeline or public explanation, Microsoft is facing a growing backlash from users, parents, educators, and developers who rely on Chrome daily.
Whether the issue is resolved quickly or drags on, the damage is already being done — not just to Microsoft’s reputation, but to the trust consumers place in an operating system that once claimed neutrality in the browser wars.
