A recent bug in Microsoft’s Family Safety feature has been preventing Google Chrome from opening on Windows PCs, frustrating users since early June.
The issue, first reported on June 3rd, appears to specifically target Chrome, while other browsers like Firefox and Opera remain unaffected.
Chrome support manager Ellen T. confirmed that the bug is linked to the Family Safety tool used by parents and schools for web filtering. “For some users, Chrome is unable to run when Microsoft Family Safety is enabled,” she explained. As a temporary fix, some users have found success by renaming Chrome.exe to Chrome1.exe, or by disabling the “filter inappropriate websites” setting, though that removes web restrictions entirely.
Despite growing complaints, Microsoft has yet to issue a formal fix or statement. According to a Chromium engineer, Microsoft has offered individual guidance to affected users, but no widespread solution has been deployed.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has been accused of nudging users away from Chrome. Over the years, the company has used aggressive popups, AI-generated misinformation, and deceptive UI tricks to promote its Edge browser.
While the current Chrome-blocking issue is likely an unintentional bug, it has reignited concerns about Microsoft’s long-standing browser rivalry tactics.
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