Browser Choice

The Browser Choice screen is a Microsoft browser selection utility delivered to Windows users in the European Economic Area region.

The screen - now undoubtedly seen by most Windows users in the European Union - allows a Windows user to select an alternative web browser from the Internet Explorer browser.

It is the result of a European Commission case brought against Microsoft, which found that the inclusion of Internet Explorer with the Windows operating system was anti-competitive. As part of a settlement with the regulatory body, Microsoft agreed to present the "Browser Choice" screen to European users of Windows through the Windows Update service.

The Update would show up on a users' screen after reboot, and would also add a shortcut to the Desktop if a user decides to wait until later to make a decision.

The web browsers shown on the screen would vary each time the application is run.

With the roll-out of Windows 7 SP1, Microsoft stopped delivering the update to some users. This, according to Microsoft, was due to a technical bug. Nevertheless, in October 2012, the European Commission warned Microsoft that it had failed to comply with its agreement with the European regulators, sending the company a "statement of objection."