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[winjer]

Microsoft will allow Windows 11 users in the EU to uninstall Edge and disable Bing

Microsoft is one of the six "gatekeepers" named in the EU's DMA alongside Apple, Amazon, ByteDance, Google, and Meta. A gatekeeper is defined as any tech company...

www.techspot.com

Good news for Windows 11 users in the European Union: Microsoft will soon allow you to uninstall the Edge browser from the OS, disable Bing search, and more. The Redmond company isn't being generous for no reason: Microsoft's hand is being forced by the European Commission's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which comes into effect in March next year.

Microsoft is one of the six "gatekeepers" named in the EU's DMA alongside Apple, Amazon, ByteDance, Google, and Meta. A gatekeeper is defined as any tech company with more than 45 million monthly active users and a market cap of $82 billion. The idea behind the DMA is to ensure users are given more choice and the companies don't gain an unfair advantage.

Microsoft has now announced the upcoming release of the November 2023 non-security preview update for Windows 11, version 23H2 to the Release Preview Channel (Build 22631.2787) that previews many of the changes made to Windows 11 to meet the DMA's obligations, which must be met by March 6, 2024.

Some big changes for users in the EU include the ability to uninstall Edge, which right now can't be removed using conventional means from Windows 11 or Windows 10, and Bing web search from Windows Search. Microsoft is also allowing EU users to remove Photos, Cortana, and Camera, something it has already been doing in the US. Moreover, Microsoft is clearly marking the apps that are system components in Windows 11.

The ability to remove this bloatware without having to go through Powershell and a ton of commands, or scripts, is great news for every user.
Sadly, it will only be available for EU users. But maybe other countries will force MS to allow users to remove bloatware, in the future.

 

[GymWolf]

 

[BlackTron]

MS has an uncanny penchant for getting intro trouble over Web browsers. It's like someone over there hoped that time passed/culture changed enough since Netscape happened.

 

[kanjobazooie]

I use Edge.

 

[winjer]

I use Edge.

I just lost all respect I had for you.

 

[64bitmodels]

Common European W. Now go for the ads and the lack of ability to use a different desktop environment.

 

[Kilau]

I use Edge.

I do too, it’s basically Chrome and I get extra MS reward points.