Microsoft is giving Windows users in Europe more control over their PCs by rolling out changes that reduce the dominance of its apps like Edge, Bing, and the Microsoft Store.
These updates come in response to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which is pushing tech giants to offer fairer choices to users.
As of Edge version 137.0.3296.52, released on May 29, users in the European Economic Area (EEA) — including the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway — will no longer be bugged by constant pop-ups asking them to make Microsoft Edge their default browser. If users don’t open Edge, they won’t see those reminders.
Microsoft is also expanding what happens when you set another browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Brave as your default. It will now automatically handle even more file and link types, including .svg, ftp, and read-only links. That browser will also be pinned to the taskbar unless the user opts out.
Another big change is the ability to uninstall the Microsoft Store. While users can remove it from Start and Settings, any apps installed from the Store will still get updates, and the app itself can be reinstalled at any time.
Microsoft is also opening up Windows Search to allow third-party apps to show their web results. Plus, links from the Bing app, Widgets Board, and Lock Screen will now open in the default browser, not just Edge.
Some of these features are already live for beta users, with full rollout expected across Windows 10 and 11 starting in June and continuing into July.
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