Summary
While Microsoft Edge is nice, most Windows users still resort to third-party browsers. And it’s a well-known fact that Windows doesn’t like that. So it’s a funny coincidence to see that Microsoft is accidentally blocking third-party browsers, even if this time it’s an actual accident.
Microsoft has acknowledged a bug within its Family Safety service that is preventing users, particularly children’s accounts, from launching Google Chrome and other third-party web browsers on Windows systems. The problem stems from a flaw in the web filtering feature of Microsoft Family Safety, a tool designed to help parents monitor and control their children’s online activities. According to Microsoft, the feature is intended to prompt children to request parental approval before using a new web browser. However, a bug in this system is causing it to block even previously approved browsers, especially after they receive an update.
In a statement on its Windows release health dashboard, Microsoft explained that when a browser updates to a new version, Family Safety fails to recognize it as an approved application. Instead of presenting a consent prompt to the parent, the bug causes the browser to crash or fail to launch altogether. This behavior is most prominent when the “Activity reporting” feature within Family Safety is turned off.
The issue itself has seen a surge in user reports since early June, and effectively renders these browsers unusable, with the app window closing moments after opening. It seems to affect devices running Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 22H2 or later. The company is actively working on a permanent solution to address the flawed blocking mechanism.
Until a proper fix for this issue is deployed, Microsoft has advised affected users to enable the “Activity reporting” feature in their Family Safety settings. This should restore the intended functionality of prompting for parental consent instead of outright blocking the browser. Other unofficial workarounds have cropped up as well. One popular, albeit temporary, solution involves navigating to the browser’s installation folder and renaming the main executable file (e.g., changing “chrome.exe” to “chrome1.exe”). This appears to bypass the Family Safety check, allowing the browser to launch.
It’s a bit of a funny coincidence that Windows is “accidentally” blocking third-party browsers, especially seeing how aggressive Edge tends to be when it comes to begging users to stick with them. I’m not saying it’s not an actual accident, but it’s funny nonetheless, especially when taking into account that this issue is mainly affecting browsers. If you’re affected by this issue, look into the fixes and workarounds I mentioned above while the update reaches your device.
