Microsoft Edge irritation!

[v_v]

So I run Microsoft Edge one day a week, on Mondays.  With all of my browsers usually I start with a blank page.  Today when I launched Edge up popped the browser with a screen full of images, helper "bars" and/or "links," and "content."  For a moment I thought that somehow my computer had been taken over by some intrusion.  Well, yes, it had --- and the intruder was Microsoft!

Being slightly computer literate I quickly figured out how to go to Settings and slowly eliminate all of these unasked for intrusions, but to my mind I should not have had to do this.  I did not give Microsoft any permission to just decide that my customized blank starting page needed to be updated with new gizmos, gadgets, and whatever.

If Microsoft wanted me to "try a new look" maybe they could have sent a message making such an offer on a page after an update.  But to unilaterally make the changes which then forces me to take the time and effort to eliminate all the changes gives the company a deserved black eye, as far as I am concerned.

Not good for customer goodwill!

(End of pseudo-rant!!)

v_v

[Corrine]

Since you only use Microsoft Edge on Mondays, there must be a particular reason for that one day a week usage.  If that usage always involves a particular website, set that as your startup page. 

[DR M]

v_v, you can't start Edge with a blank page. If you go to the browser's settings, you will see that there isn't such an option. What maybe happened, is that the layout changed from Custom to something else.

[v_v]

Corrine,

I use many different browsers; it is my way of keeping up with what goes on in the world of browsers.  Edge is assigned to Mondays just because of the alphabetical order.  My week starts on Sunday with Brave, then next is Edge.  So that is my particular reason.  It has nothing to do with any web site or web page.  But thanks for the thought and suggestion anyway.


Corrine and Panos,

When I said that I start with a blank page in Edge perhaps I should have been a little more specific and descriptive.  My usual starting page in Edge, begins with only:

1. the Microsoft label and the Bing "Search the web" bar in the middle of the page;
2. the nine dots of the "App launcher" in the top left hand corner; and
3. the four icons for "Sign In", ""QR Code", "Rewards", and "Settings" on the top right side.

Other than these listed items the page is blank, no images or content, or anything else---just a plain and generic light gray background.  So no, I guess that it is not completely "blank!"  But it has been customized to be as blank as possible.

Regardless, my point was that Microsoft made an unwarranted and unasked for intrusion adding

a screen full of images, helper "bars" and/or "links," and "content."

that was not there last Monday or for the previous 40 or more Mondays!  While I did get rid of all of this intrusion---meaning that I have restored my mostly "blank" start page---I should not have had to do so.  Thus from my perspective Microsoft changed the look of my start page without my permission.  So to repeat my conclusion from my previous post,

If Microsoft wanted me to "try a new look" maybe they could have sent a message making such an offer on a page after an update.  But to unilaterally make the changes which then forces me to take the time and effort to eliminate all the changes gives the company a deserved black eye, as far as I am concerned.

Not good for customer goodwill!

v_v

[Corrine]

It would be helpful if you could provide a screen capture of what you're seeing.

[v_v]

Corrine,

There is no need for all of that.  But thanks anyway.

As I indicated at the end of my first post, I was just making a "pseudo-rant."  Besides, as I wrote, I have gotten rid of all of the extra junk now.  Edge is back to opening up with my customized virtually blank page.  I know enough about Edge to customize it to near-blankness (as per the list in my last post).  My point/complaint was simply that Microsoft revamped my opening tab/start page/new tab without permission.  But nothing needs to be fixed now---I have already restored everything and all is well!

v_v

[v_v]

My edit did not work!

[Edit: if you really want to see what I saw, I suppose you could open an Edge tab, go to the tab's "Page settings", and turn everything "On".  So my fix was simply to turn everything off, returning my tabs to their near-blank state.  In addition, I had to kill the Edge bar, and the service "Show suggestions to follow creators in Microsoft Edge" too.  Somehow all of these things had become activated, which I will attribute to some update within the last seven days.]

v_v