Microsoft is rolling out big changes to Windows 10 and Windows 11 for users in the European Economic Area (EEA). These updates follow the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, giving people in Europe more freedom to customize their system.
with the latest updates, users can now remove Microsoft Store from the Start Menu and Settings. Even if it’s uninstalled, apps already on the device will still get updates. If needed, users can download and reinstall the Store later.
One of the biggest changes in the ability to fully stop Microsoft Edge prompts. Unless you open Edge directly, the system will no longer push users to make it the default browser. If Edge is removed, the system won’t ask you to reinstall it – unless a web app from the Store needs it.
These updates also give more control over default apps. Beta testers in the EEA can now set third-party browsers as the default for more file types, like .htm, .html, .svg, .xml, and more. You can also make another browser your default for PDF files, FTP, and read links. When you choose a new default browser, it will automatically pin its icon to the taskbar.
Microsoft has also improved Windows search. Bing has already been removed, and now other search apps can provide web results. Users will be able to reorder or turn off specific search engines from showing results.
All these changes are live in the beta channel now and are expected to reach all EEA users by July. However, users outside Europe, like in India or the US , won’t see these updates just yet.
These changes aim to give users more freedom, especially with browser choice and system settings.
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