I waste a lot of time trying to undo things computers do to me, such as change settings that aren’t supposed to change. For example, I prefer browsers to open with Google or even a blank page, but suddenly, for some unfathomable reason, Edge decided to forget my preference and instead open with the Microsoft page. I don’t mind Edge, but I do not like Bing, and even though I use Microsoft products, I don’t like the name jammed down my throat to gag me. Which is why I want Google as the opening page.
I spent what seemed like hours searching for the instructions on resetting Google as my homepage (though it probably wasn’t more than half an hour). As it turns out, the setting is still the same, with Google set as the default opening page. Edge has simply decided to ignore it.
You’d think, then, that I would switch to Chrome to get the opening page I want, but I always seemed to have problems with Chrome, though it could have been my old computer that had problems with it and this one would like it okay.
Although many people over the years have recommended Firefox, I never was that fond of it. I do use it as an alternative browser, though, so I can keep two different sets of sites going at once. For example, on one browser, this blog is kept logged in, and on another browser, a different blog is kept logged in. (That’s the blog I have to use to reblog this blog so I can post a link on Facebook so my friends there can keep current with me. Confusing, right?)
With previous browsers, a new tab would open to my default opening page, but Microsoft removed that option, so now it takes me an extra step to get to the Google page on subsequent tabs. I imagine I’ll get used to doing the same thing when I open the browser. It’s not as if an extra click is that onerous, it’s that computers are supposed to be increasingly easy to use without having to make those extra clicks.
I could go with a completely different browser — I’ve heard that Opera is good — but like Edge, it uses the Chromium page-rendering engine. (From what I can gather, the only holdout is Firefox.) So why bother with any browser other than Chrome?
In my case, it’s laziness. Edge came with my computer, and so that’s what I’ve been using, though, as you can see, I’m rethinking that particular option and browsing for browsers.
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Pat Bertram is the author of Grief: The Inside Story – A Guide to Surviving the Loss of a Loved One. “Grief: The Inside Story is perfect and that is not hyperbole! It is exactly what folk who are grieving need to read.” –Leesa Healy, RN, GDAS GDAT, Emotional/Mental Health Therapist & Educator
Bertram's Blog 
May 29, 2021 at 8:25 pm
Why you never try to use Apple products ? Macintosh or iPad ?
I use both.
May 29, 2021 at 10:12 pm
I’ve never used Apple. Maybe someday.
May 29, 2021 at 9:13 pm
The opening page thing in edge is an annoyance.
You should be able to change the search engine from bing to whatever though. I have mine set to use duckduckgo.com in MS edge. If you prefer google, you should be able to set it to that by entering the search in the address bar (not the search box on the edge page).
May 29, 2021 at 10:10 pm
I don’t use the search box, I always use the address bar, and I just checked — it’s set for google searches. Cool! It will save me having to go to google first, even though google is on my favorites bar, so it’s just a matter of a click. But I still have to see that MS opening page. Oh, well.
May 30, 2021 at 12:10 am
I use Firefox with PC (Microsoft) and
Chrome with iPad to familiarize. And Firefox, Safari
Please make a desktop shortcut with google as home page (with your choice Chrome, Microsoft edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera) it will be efficient to get google with one click to avoid tool bar.
May 30, 2021 at 8:08 am
It worked! Thank you!
May 30, 2021 at 1:00 pm
Edge is going away.