Microsoft Makes More DMA-Based Changes to Windows 10/11 in the EU

Microsoft announced Monday that it is making several changes to Windows 10/11 and their in-box apps in the EU to better comply with the competition rules of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Unlike Apple, Microsoft is taking its legal requirements seriously. In March 2024, it detailed how it would modify Windows and LinkedIn to conform to the DMA via a new Digital Markets Act Compliance website. And today, it revealed the following changes to that compliance:

• Default browser. In addition to the file and link types that already change when the user switches their default web browser, those in the European Economic Area (EEA) will also change the ftp, http, https, and read link types and the .htm, .html, .mht, .mhtml, .shtml, .svg, .xht, .xhtml, and .xml file types. There are also new “Pin to Taskbar” and “Pin to Start” links in the “Make [this app] your default browser app” group, and a new “Make [this app] your default .pdf app” group, in Settings.
• Windows Search. Apps can provide web search results in Windows Search in the EEA, and now those apps will automatically register as web search providers when installed. Users can filter search results to show whatever combination of search providers they wish and reorder them to customize the experience.
• Microsoft Store. Users in the EEA will now be able to uninstall the Microsoft Store app. When they do, apps that are distributed from the Store will still get updates to keep them secure and up-to-date. You will also be able to reinstall the Store app. These changes are coming later this year.
• App changes. The Bing and Start Experiences apps will now open web content using the default browser in the EEA, and not Microsoft Edge (unless that is the default, of course). Microsoft Edge will no longer prompt you to make it the default browser unless you open it directly. And when Edge is uninstalled, other Microsoft apps will no longer prompt you to reinstall it. (The only exception is PWAs the user installed from Edge.)

These sound like excellent changes that should be available to all Windows 11 users worldwide.