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Microsoft’s response to the Digital Markets Act has already included the ability for users in certain regions to remove Edge and Bing from Windows, and now it’s introducing more changes. Starting Monday, new features for Windows users in the European Economic Area, which consists of the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, include the option to uninstall the Microsoft Store. Furthermore, users won’t receive persistent prompts to set Microsoft Edge as their default browser, unless they actively decide to use it.
This option, which I would appreciate having in the United States, is already available in the EEA beginning with Edge version 137.0.3296.52, which was released on May 29th.
Moreover, when you select an alternative browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Brave as your default, it will automatically be pinned to the taskbar unless you opt-out. Previously, setting a new default browser linked it to some file and link types like https and .html. Now, for users in the EEA, these browsers will also support more file types like “read,” ftp, and .svg. These browser default changes are accessible for some beta users and will be fully rolled out on Windows 10 and Windows 11 by July.
Microsoft also explained that even after removing the Store app from Start and Settings, “Apps installed and distributed from the Microsoft Store will continue to get updates,” and it can always be reinstalled.
Other changes mentioned include automatically enabling third-party apps to add their web search results in Windows Search upon installation, and the option to move search providers around based on user preference. With updates rolling out in “early June,” the Microsoft Bing app, as well as the Widgets Board and Lock Screen, will open web content with the default browser instead.
