Microsoft is partially abandoning its strategy of making the Edge browser the default, which it has been pressuring Windows users for a long time. The company’s implementation of this change is based on the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The new regulation will end the practice of forcing Edge to be the default for users. However, this step is limited to the European region only.

Microsoft will not make the Edge browser the default

After the update covering Windows 10 and Windows 11 versions, Edge will be suggested to be the default only when users open the browser directly. Until now, Windows constantly showed the user notifications to make Edge the default, especially during the first installation, and faced various obstacles for those who preferred alternative browsers.

For users outside of Europe, the current policy continues. In other words, there is no change for Windows users in the US, Asia or other regions with this update. Microsoft confirmed that the change is only valid in countries within the European Economic Area.

Microsoft had previously resorted to aggressive methods to increase the usage rate of Edge. Users who wanted to install alternative browsers were faced with full-screen warnings, misleading buttons, and interfaces that made it difficult to change the default browser.

Towards the end of the year, another innovation for Windows users will be related to the Microsoft Store application. Users will be able to remove the Store from the system. However, applications installed through the store will continue to be updated.

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