Microsoft Edge user numbers keep growing as Firefox falls

midian182

Posts: 9,632   +120
Staff member
In context: Remember when Microsoft’s Edge had a popularity problem? That started to change when it switched to a Chromium-based version, replacing Firefox as the second-most-popular desktop browser after Chrome last year. It's a pattern that is continuing.

NetMarketShare’s 2020 report showed that Edge’s 7.59% desktop market share pushed it past Firefox in March last year. Now, a different analytics company—StatCounter (via Windows Latest)—reports that Edge has been adding users over the last few months as Firefox’s userbase shrinks.

While the data doesn’t prove Firefox users have been leaving for Edge, we see that Microsoft’s browser has seen its market share jump from 7.81% to 8.03% this year, while Mozilla’s product declined from 8.1% to 7.95%. That’s an all-time high for Edge, according to StatCounter.

StatCounter Global Stats - Browser Market Share

Edge’s gain in users hasn't secured it the second position. That honor goes to Safari, which now has a 10.11% share, though its numbers have been falling since December, so Edge could overtake it soon enough.

Like Windows 7, it seems some people are having trouble letting go of the now-discontinued Internet Explorer. It has a 1.7% share that is declining very slowly.

The data is only for the desktop market. Looking at all platforms—desktop, tablet, and mobile—iPhones and iPads make Safari's second spot more secure with a 19.03% share, while Firefox moves ahead of Edge, albeit by just 0.23%.

Last month, we heard that a bug in the ‘Startup boost’ feature, which increases Edge’s launch time by keeping key processes running in the background when the browser isn’t open, was preventing it from closing, borking system performance.

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The only reason Edge has any ground is due to an update that resets it as your default browser, pins itself to your task bar and opens automatically the next time you log in. The people who don't realize this has happened just keep using it...
 
More likely shoved down your throat every single Windows update :-D
Oh, you had PDF, HTML, MP3, AVI, MKV, DOC, RTF etc. paired with non-M$ app? Well not any more, enjoy fixing that again dear "user".

One of those updates I got really pissed and rude words were flying everywhere ... so I destroyed every single mention in Windows 10 that lead to Edge ... to my surprise it worked, at least there was no update that was trying to "fix" this state.

Even added master password to my browsers, so Edge was not able to read my favourites, tabs etc. I was really angry back then.
 
It is shame Firefox is fall. I use Waterfox now. I don't trusting Firefox as much as use to. They say they are privacy focus, while increase their own data collection. I want zero data collection and zero telemetry from browser. If Firefox continue believe those are necessary then I will using something else.
 
Funny how you can't even imagine someone switching willingly, like me. Sorry to burst your bubble.

It's an excellent browser, and I don't understand this gag reflex whenever Microsoft's name comes up. The 2000s want their memes back.
I've noticed that many of my shops customers moved to Edge when they purchased a new machine. The Chrome users tend to stay with Chrome on new machines. I suspect that the increased usage has a lot to do with the fact that Edge works well now, and many former IE users now use Edge.
 
Now that Edge syncs everything with your Microsoft account and it's basically Chrome but supports more stuff, it's actually the better browser.

Edge is what I've been pushing for ever since the major update to it, easy to manage, deploy and use.
 
Firefox isn’t good, I don’t like being prompted to install updates every time I launch a browser. I want to see my downloads at the bottom of the screen to monitor progress. I do IT, there are SO MANY PEOPLE that call us asking how to download a file or where it is because they never got promoted. It’s not good for the user experience. Make the updates silent, don’t ask, I don’t make users local admins and never will. Do what Chrome does. Make downloads obvious, let’s go. Fix the user experience, and people may return, but it’s been this way for far to long I don’t think people will come back at this point. Oh and that stupid like marketing tracker crap it comes with now on the home page. Not a fan.
 
Now that Edge syncs everything with your Microsoft account and it's basically Chrome but supports more stuff, it's actually the better browser.

Edge is what I've been pushing for ever since the major update to it, easy to manage, deploy and use.
Edge is definitely a great browser and whoever is saying otherwise never actually used it and shouldn't be considered as valid critic.
 
Funny how you can't even imagine someone switching willingly, like me. Sorry to burst your bubble.

It's an excellent browser, and I don't understand this gag reflex whenever Microsoft's name comes up. The 2000s want their memes back.
Sorry if you feel offended at the idea that MS is using their marketing power to push one of their products, something that has happened many times in the past, most recently this thing called windows 10. You may have heard of it. People react negatively to MS doing stuff because they are the 900lb gorilla in the room that force their competitors out of the market with money as opposed to genuienly good products.

There are those who willingly use IE11 as well, doesnt mean MS didnt push that garbage HARD.
 
Hard to believe anyone is using Internet Exploder these days! It's a HORRIBLE browser for today's world for so many reasons. I think a lot of it is LAZY companies that have not ported over their intranet-type sites and forcing users onto IE.

Our company's bank still requires IE 11 to access some of the services we need - even after they just redid their site.
 
The only reason Edge has any ground is due to an update that resets it as your default browser, pins itself to your task bar and opens automatically the next time you log in. The people who don't realize this has happened just keep using it...
Remember how Chrome started out?
 
Sorry if you feel offended at the idea that MS is using their marketing power to push one of their products, something that has happened many times in the past, most recently this thing called windows 10. You may have heard of it. People react negatively to MS doing stuff because they are the 900lb gorilla in the room that force their competitors out of the market with money as opposed to genuienly good products.

There are those who willingly use IE11 as well, doesnt mean MS didnt push that garbage HARD.

I don't get the hate for Windows 10. I've been a Windows user since version 3.1 and at this point 10 is easily the best Windows version. Edge is snappy and clean.

This is not fanboyism, I regularly use Chrome/Firefox in Windows/Linux/Chrome OS.
 
Hard to believe anyone is using Internet Exploder these days! It's a HORRIBLE browser for today's world for so many reasons. I think a lot of it is LAZY companies that have not ported over their intranet-type sites and forcing users onto IE.

Well, I work for a major photocopier manufacturer, and all of the service manuals, bulletins, parts books MUST use internet explorer. The program installs a new user "home page" and all of the electronic documentation (Edocs) install and run in IE. Heck, the install program looks like windows 95 icons!

For my personal use, I use the Brave browser.
 
I haven't stopped using Firefox, I've stopped using Chrome. The only reason I still even have Chrome on my PC is I need it to cast Plex to my Chromecast on my old TV. I like Edge it's so much faster than Firefox, but FF is a lot more privacy based and if they could make it as snappy as Chrome/Edge I'd not bother with any other browser.
 
Now that Edge has Sync on Linux, I switched all my devices from Chromium to Linux. Also, the convenience of having a real installer for windows while Chromium does not.

But to be honest, the final nail in the coffin was Edge being capable of streaming Netflix at 1080p while Chrome and FF do not.

I think as of now, Edge is the better browser overall.
 
Really interesting to read all of this anger at Microsoft updates. I use Edge on my personal computer and I use Chrome at work. Not once has Windows tried to force Edge on my work computer. Am I just getting lucky, missing these forced changes? I don't understand.

When I built my new desktop back in December I decided to give Edge a try, and I've even left Bing as my search engine. FWIW, I still switch over to Google maps.
 
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