Microsoft will allow you to uninstall Edge or Bing in Windows 11 to comply with European regulations
Microsoft has reported that Windows 11 will comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Economic Area (EEA). Or what amounts to the same thing, it will be forced to make a series of significant changes to the operating system, making it easier for users to uninstall most of the default applications.
These changes will include the ability to uninstall the Edge browser, as well as remove Bing from the Windows search panel.
The new features of Windows 11 to comply with European regulations
It must be taken into account that, although until now Microsoft offered its users the possibility of installing and using alternatives to its Edge browser, it could not be uninstalled (at least not officially). Something that will change once the new modifications that it has been forced to make are carried out.
And the same will happen with Bing. Now European users will have the possibility of removing it from the search bar and be able to use an alternative instead. Likewise, the usual news can be removed from the desktop without this measure affecting the Widgets, something that until now was impossible.
So far, however, Microsoft has confirmed that these measures can be carried out on computers with Windows 11 in the European Economic Area, but has not specified whether the rest of the users, globally, will also have access to them or not. .
Another change that Microsoft will make in Windows 11 will go through make sure your OS remembers users’ default settingsmaking Windows respect your choice, as European regulations will now require.
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When and where will Windows allow you to uninstall Edge or Bing?
Although it has not yet released an exact date, Microsoft has committed to allowing Edge and Bing to be uninstalled, as well as making the other changes ordered by the DMA, early next year. Your deadline to complete them is March 6, 2024.
In the same way, we must also keep in mind that all these new features, which will begin to take shape in the versions currently in development during the coming weeks, They will also come to the company’s Windows 10 operating system.
The new functions, as Microsoft has assured, will be available in all countries in the European Economic Area. Or what amounts to the same, all the members of the European Union together with the added countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
In this way, Microsoft will adapt to the DMA, created in order to offer greater freedom to users when deciding what type of applications and tools they want to use. But the Redmond company will not be the only one that is forced to carry out this type of changes in European territory.
Other technology giants such as Google or Apple will also be forced to follow in their footsteps and make similar modifications sooner rather than later.
