I posted the following number in an answer to a question, and surprisingly it is showing up as a link (as it does here)! 150103844.77

Out of curiosity, I clicked the link (something you should probably never do with suspicious links), and it says I need an app for it (which I did not download). Is this a bug or something?

It still does it if I use HTTPS. I am using Windows 10, and the Edge browser.

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It's probably being detected as a phone number by whatever software you are using to browser Stack Exchange.

You mentioned you are using Edge on Windows 10. As it turns out, on a clean install of Windows 10, Edge does convert phone-number-like strings into a link, outside the DOM, and clicking on it opens up the "People" app to the contacts section.


(Tested with a clean Windows 10 VM I have handy.)

Don't worry, this is a software specific feature, it is not a problem with Stack Exchange.

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Guessing you have some sort of plug-in/add-on installed on your browser (or computer) that recognizes numbers as phone numbers that your computer can dial out to (skype does that, for example).

If it isn't a plug-in it might be injected by your ISP or some other agency sitting between you and Stack Exchange (browse over HTTPS to rule that out - if on HTTPS you don't see it - it is being injected).

This is not something Stack Exchange does.

Related: Taming the automatic telephone number thing in the windows 10 edge browser

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  • It still does it if I use HTTPS. I am using Windows 10, and the Edge browser. – Jonathan Apr 16 '16 at 15:29
  • Skype is owned by Microsoft, who make Windows 10 and Edge... just saying... Did you install Skype? – Oded Apr 16 '16 at 15:30
  • Related: stackoverflow.com/questions/31718796/… – Oded Apr 16 '16 at 15:31
  • I don't have skype installed. Perhaps that is the app it wants me to download? – Jonathan Apr 16 '16 at 15:31
  • Looks like something the Edge does, automatically, as the linked question in my previous comment claims. – Oded Apr 16 '16 at 15:32
  • I think the related link answers the question, thanks! – Jonathan Apr 16 '16 at 15:33

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