Edge, Internet Explorer users Czech their settings after MSN 'forgot' their language

Something funny happened to the dwindling population of Edge users this morning as their browser began bleating at them in a variety of languages.

In a surprising turn of events, the support forums for Microsoft's Edge were swiftly filled with customers complaining that the language of the browser had mysteriously changed. Surprising because, frankly, we didn't think there were that many Edge users out there.

Heck, at time of writing one topic had clocked up 143 views and 19 replies. Who knew?

The issue appeared to be with the default feeds on a new page, and the key thing to remember here is that on Microsoft's original Edge browser, and also the venerable Internet Explorer, those defaults tend to show feeds from MSN.

After a bit of tinkering here at Vulture Central, we found a machine running Windows 10 1903 (build 18362.356) that exhibited the behaviour. Open up old Edge – everything appeared in Czech. Internet Explorer – Czech again.

If we desired to know the weather in Central Bohemia, IE was happy to oblige.

However, we then tried something a little off the wall and fired up a copy of the Chromium-based Brave, navigated to MSN.com and hey presto! Czech once more.

However, navigating to a competing site, such as Yahoo.com, showed the page in English. As did MSN.co.uk.

Users have understandably been panicked about their browser taking a foreign holiday (some have reported Arabic and Russian and one Reg reader told us his browser had turned Polish), but the issue (as far as MSN is concerned at least) is to click the cog in the top right of the web page and select the correct language from a drop-down.

The issue since appears to have been resolved.

Microsoft has yet to comment on it, nor about why only a small subset of users were impacted and what changed to cause the behaviour. If they do, we'll be sure to update this piece.

In the meantime, our advice would be to click that settings cog and mind your language.

Thanks to the anonymous Register reader for the tip. ®