For decades, Microsoft’s Windows operating system has greeted users with a familiar preloaded landscape of apps: Edge for web browsing, Bing for internet searches, the Microsoft Store for downloading software, and a smattering of baked-in experiences like widgets and curated news feeds. For many, the ecosystem was seamless. But for countless others—particularly across Europe—it’s been a source of unrelenting frustration. Nagging pop-ups insisted users keep or restore Microsoft products as defaults, and uninstallation options were notably absent, locking Windows into a tightly-woven tapestry that put Microsoft’s ecosystem front and center.
Now that era is ending for users across the European Economic Area (EEA), covering the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—a shift stemming not from voluntary corporate benevolence, but from sweeping regulatory reform. Microsoft’s far-reaching changes to Windows 10 and 11, announced in response to the EEA's Digital Markets Act (DMA), mark the single biggest change in user choice for European Windows users in years. Where once users were forced to live with—and navigate around—a set of permanent fixtures, they now have official tools to reclaim control. This feature takes you through what’s changing, what it means, and what lies ahead for Windows users and the wider tech landscape.
Understanding the significance of these changes requires a look at how Microsoft’s bundling practices shaped digital habits for millions. From the early days of Internet Explorer’s required presence—sparking the infamous U.S. and European antitrust battles of the late 1990s and 2000s—to Edge’s more recent take as Windows’s inescapable browser, Microsoft embedded its software into Windows in a way that ensured enormous reach.
The practical upshot for users was “choice,” but often only at surface level. Sure, you could install Chrome or Firefox. But persistent pop-ups would appear, pushing Edge back to the fore. Windows Search and Widgets were hardwired to leverage Bing, even if you’d never used it. Some users dubbed this the “nagware era”—one in which dialog boxes reappeared endlessly, asking again and again to reconsider.
What was missing was a real “off” switch. And uninstalling Edge, Bing, or the Microsoft Store simply wasn't an option. That resulted in a wave of community frustration, countless how-to guides on forcibly debloating Windows, and mounting pressure from regulators who viewed this as an anti-competitive practice.
The Act’s requirements, which became enforceable in 2024, left Microsoft little choice but to rethink how apps like Edge, Bing, and the Store are presented. Failure to comply could mean enormous fines and even forced divestiture—high enough stakes to demand action.
According to Microsoft’s changelog and code analysis by Windows Central and community experts, the process required a refactoring of dependencies. Edge, previously a system “component,” is now treated more like a modular app. This modularization enables removal without destabilizing core features. Likewise, the Microsoft Store’s decoupling ensures that even if uninstalled, apps keep updating via mechanisms defined in the Microsoft Update framework.
However, the integration of Progressive Web Apps remains a sticking point: PWAs, when installed from the Store, rely on Edge’s engine. Removing Edge disables these, a technical limitation Microsoft has acknowledged. While few mainstream applications depend on this workflow, power users should be aware.
In a statement echoed across Microsoft’s own support pages and major tech reporting (e.g. The Verge, ZDNet), the company says it narrowed this scope in direct response to the DMA; other global users are bound by pre-existing policies.
Taken together, these changes add up to a fundamental rewiring of the relationship between users, regulators, and digital “gatekeepers.” The question is no longer whether users deserve control, but how much—and how frictionless—such control should be. In Microsoft’s case, the user experience now reflects new legal realities, not just corporate preference.
For most users, the impact will be felt immediately: a notification to uninstall Edge, a now-empty Widgets Board, no more ads eking through the cracks of the Start menu, and a real choice to shed unwanted Microsoft optics. For power users and IT pros, configuration scripts and imaging tools will need only a few tweaks to leverage officially supported removal procedures.
But these moves also set a new standard for digital sovereignty in operating systems. What began as grudging regulatory compliance could, if successful, force global tech leaders to embrace user choice more enthusiastically, lest they risk losing mindshare—or face further regulatory action.
Still, reality’s edge is jagged. The changes are region-specific, technical exceptions (like PWAs) remain, and tomorrow’s business models will almost certainly test these boundaries. But as of mid-2024, one message rings loudest: no more nagging pop-ups, no more “can’t-uninstall” frustrations—and, for millions of Windows users in Europe, finally, a version of Windows that listens first and dictates later.
Source: inkl No More Nagging Pop-Ups: Windows Users in Europe Can Now Delete Edge, Bing, and the Microsoft Store
Now that era is ending for users across the European Economic Area (EEA), covering the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—a shift stemming not from voluntary corporate benevolence, but from sweeping regulatory reform. Microsoft’s far-reaching changes to Windows 10 and 11, announced in response to the EEA's Digital Markets Act (DMA), mark the single biggest change in user choice for European Windows users in years. Where once users were forced to live with—and navigate around—a set of permanent fixtures, they now have official tools to reclaim control. This feature takes you through what’s changing, what it means, and what lies ahead for Windows users and the wider tech landscape.
The Legacy of Bundled Choices: How We Got Here
Understanding the significance of these changes requires a look at how Microsoft’s bundling practices shaped digital habits for millions. From the early days of Internet Explorer’s required presence—sparking the infamous U.S. and European antitrust battles of the late 1990s and 2000s—to Edge’s more recent take as Windows’s inescapable browser, Microsoft embedded its software into Windows in a way that ensured enormous reach.The practical upshot for users was “choice,” but often only at surface level. Sure, you could install Chrome or Firefox. But persistent pop-ups would appear, pushing Edge back to the fore. Windows Search and Widgets were hardwired to leverage Bing, even if you’d never used it. Some users dubbed this the “nagware era”—one in which dialog boxes reappeared endlessly, asking again and again to reconsider.
What was missing was a real “off” switch. And uninstalling Edge, Bing, or the Microsoft Store simply wasn't an option. That resulted in a wave of community frustration, countless how-to guides on forcibly debloating Windows, and mounting pressure from regulators who viewed this as an anti-competitive practice.
The Digital Markets Act: Catalyst for Real Change
It took the European Digital Markets Act—a regulation passed specifically to curb gatekeeper power and reshape the digital marketplace—to force concrete shifts. The DMA is ambitious in scope, targeting so-called “gatekeepers”—tech giants with dominant market positions—and compelling them to open up their platforms to rival products, reduce self-preferencing, and hand users meaningful control over apps and services.The Act’s requirements, which became enforceable in 2024, left Microsoft little choice but to rethink how apps like Edge, Bing, and the Store are presented. Failure to comply could mean enormous fines and even forced divestiture—high enough stakes to demand action.
What’s Actually Changing for European Windows Users?
Microsoft’s adjustments to Windows 10 and 11 are extensive, going far beyond simple cosmetic tweaks or pop-up reductions. In official documentation and subsequent public statements, Microsoft has detailed a host of new user freedoms, verified by independent reporting from sources like inkl, The Verge, Windows Central, and community testing.Full App Removal: Edge, Bing, and the Microsoft Store
Perhaps the most headline-grabbing change is the ability for EEA users to fully uninstall Microsoft Edge, Bing, and—even more surprisingly—the Microsoft Store itself.- Edge: For the first time, users can remove Edge entirely from both Windows 10 and 11. This option is live for some beta testers (from Edge version 137.0.3296.52, as of late May 2024) and is set for mass rollout in July. Once uninstalled, users won't be nagged to bring it back—a marked shift from prior practice, where Microsoft apps, or even some updates, would quietly reinstate Edge or prompt for reinstallation if missing. The only exception: Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) built for Edge and distributed through the Microsoft Store. Deleting Edge will break those apps, as they use Edge’s rendering engine.
- Bing: The once-ubiquitous search engine is now severable from both Windows Search and the Start menu. Disabling Bing removes web results from Windows Search, a sharp break from historical integration policies.
- Microsoft Store: The official app repository can be completely uninstalled—though Microsoft notes apps originally installed via the Store will still receive updates, and users can reinstall the Store if desired. Developers can always offer Store apps via direct download or their own web installers, sidestepping the need for Store presence.
Default Browser Prompts and Pinning: No More Edge Nagging
One of the less technical but more welcome improvements: users are now free from relentless prompts prodding them to set Edge as their default browser. This only occurs if the user directly opens Edge—gone are the days of routine reminders on startup or after updates. In addition, when picking a third-party default browser (such as Chrome, Firefox, or Brave), Windows automatically pins it to the Taskbar unless the user actively declines.Broadening Default Handling of Web and File Types
Default browser users in the EEA will notice a more comprehensive takeover of associated file types and protocols. Beyond the basics (like HTTPS and .html files), the default browser now becomes the handler for additional types, including less common ones such as ‘read’, ftp, and .svg. This cements third-party browsers’ primacy across the operating system, ensuring fewer “escape hatches” where Edge might resurface for specialized tasks.Widgets and Web Feeds: Your Browser of Choice
Microsoft’s content feeds—whether delivered through the Widgets Board or the Lock Screen—often relied on Edge for opening web results. Under the DMA-compliant build, these now respect your chosen default browser. This change is rolling out first to Windows 11 (beginning June 2024). On Windows 10, which lacks the modern Widgets Board, Microsoft’s News & Interests feature remains bundled with Edge, and its behavior is unchanged for now. However, any application can set up a “desk band” on the Taskbar leveraging similar capabilities.No More Ads in Widgets (For EEA)
For a more streamlined experience, Microsoft has also removed advertisements from the Widgets Board for users in the EEA. Disabling the Start Experiences app, which manages widgets and feeds, results in a cleaner UI and a notable reduction in distractions and unwanted sponsored content.Under the Hood: The Engineering Effort
Engineering this degree of flexibility into an OS as sprawling as Windows is no small feat. Historically, many of these apps—particularly Edge and Store—were considered “core” components, deeply intertwined with system processes and libraries.According to Microsoft’s changelog and code analysis by Windows Central and community experts, the process required a refactoring of dependencies. Edge, previously a system “component,” is now treated more like a modular app. This modularization enables removal without destabilizing core features. Likewise, the Microsoft Store’s decoupling ensures that even if uninstalled, apps keep updating via mechanisms defined in the Microsoft Update framework.
However, the integration of Progressive Web Apps remains a sticking point: PWAs, when installed from the Store, rely on Edge’s engine. Removing Edge disables these, a technical limitation Microsoft has acknowledged. While few mainstream applications depend on this workflow, power users should be aware.
Who Gets These Changes? A Region-Locked Freedom
Critically, these freedoms are currently exclusive to users in the European Economic Area. Microsoft identifies a device’s region through system locale settings and, in some cases, IP address verification. Attempting to enable these features from the U.S., Canada, or elsewhere is not officially supported and may require region changing or VPN spoofing, with no guarantees of stability.In a statement echoed across Microsoft’s own support pages and major tech reporting (e.g. The Verge, ZDNet), the company says it narrowed this scope in direct response to the DMA; other global users are bound by pre-existing policies.
The User Impact: More Than Just “Choice”
While freedom itself is the most obvious win, a deeper examination reveals even broader effects for both individual users and the Windows software ecosystem.Simpler, Lighter Systems
For privacy-minded and minimalist users, the ability to shed Edge, Bing, and the Store means fewer background processes, tighter control over data sharing, and less “bloat.” Unwanted app pop-ups and updates are gone, replaced by a cleaner taskbar and less cluttered Start Menu.Competitive Boost for Rivals
Browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Brave, and developers distributing apps outside the Microsoft Store get a much fairer shot at user attention. Automatic pinning and full protocol handling remove friction for both users and competing products, echoing the regulatory goal of leveling the digital playing field.Reducing Shadow IT and User Workarounds
A cottage industry had emerged over the past decade around forced Windows customization: debloaters, registry hacks, and automation scripts. While handy, these risked breaking updates or exposing users to unvetted code. By codifying removal options, Microsoft greatly reduces the need for risky, unofficial workarounds.Digital Privacy and Ad Fatigue
European users—whose privacy laws are already some of the world’s strictest—gain another layer of defense from unwanted Microsoft telemetry and personalized ad targeting. The removal of widget-based advertising, in particular, signals a rare alignment between regulatory action and user demand for less intrusive digital environments.Possible Risks and Limitations
No shift of this scale is risk-free, and a few caveats remain—some technical, others policy-driven.Technical Edge Cases
- PWAs and Enterprise Tools: Users who depend on Progressive Web Apps installed through the Store need to weigh the loss of those apps if Edge is removed. Organizations with bespoke workflows built around integrated Microsoft services are advised to test upgrades carefully before deploying changes at scale.
- Store Reinstallation: While removing the Store is supported, Microsoft’s FAQ notes that reinstallation is always possible—meaning the OS keeps the hooks in place, should a user want to bring it back. This also means the Store’s removal doesn’t entirely free up its disk footprint.
- Region Restrictions: Changing device regions to access these features may not be stable across updates, and future Windows builds could lock down workarounds. At present, only users genuinely located in EEA countries receive the full benefit, as detected via system settings or network configuration.
Potential Regulatory Whiplash
Outside Europe, users are still at the mercy of Microsoft’s global defaults. And it remains to be seen whether similar legal or regulatory pushes in other big tech markets—like the United States, Canada, or the UK—might eventually produce matching freedoms. Until then, freedom of choice in Windows remains geographically split.Microsoft’s Business Model
Removing integrated Microsoft discovery surfaces (like the Store or Bing in Search) puts a dent in Microsoft’s UI-driven app revenue and data collection. While the company ultimately chose compliance over confrontation, there is ongoing speculation about future service bundling, subscription pushes, or a more aggressive ad approach outside regulated territories.Industry Context: Apple, Google, and the DMA Ripple Effect
Windows is not alone in getting a regulatory shakeup. Apple and Google have also been forced to rethink bundling, defaults, and payment flows across their respective platforms in Europe, particularly in the wake of the DMA. Apple now supports alternative browser engines and payment methods in iOS (albeit reluctantly), while Google’s Android operating system is subject to similar prompts and unbundling requirements for the Play Store, Chrome, and related services.Taken together, these changes add up to a fundamental rewiring of the relationship between users, regulators, and digital “gatekeepers.” The question is no longer whether users deserve control, but how much—and how frictionless—such control should be. In Microsoft’s case, the user experience now reflects new legal realities, not just corporate preference.
What’s Next for Windows and User Empowerment?
As July 2024 approaches—the date of mass rollout for these new freedoms across Windows 10 and 11—community testers, industry analysts, and consumer watchdogs will keep a close eye on how well Microsoft sticks to the spirit (not just the letter) of the DMA.For most users, the impact will be felt immediately: a notification to uninstall Edge, a now-empty Widgets Board, no more ads eking through the cracks of the Start menu, and a real choice to shed unwanted Microsoft optics. For power users and IT pros, configuration scripts and imaging tools will need only a few tweaks to leverage officially supported removal procedures.
But these moves also set a new standard for digital sovereignty in operating systems. What began as grudging regulatory compliance could, if successful, force global tech leaders to embrace user choice more enthusiastically, lest they risk losing mindshare—or face further regulatory action.
The Bottom Line: Choice, at Last
After years of mounting pressure, European Windows users now wield a level of control that was, until recently, unimaginable. The right to uninstall Edge, Bing, and the Store is not simply about individual preferences—it’s a victory for competition, a boost to privacy, and a model for what a user-centric computing environment can look like.Still, reality’s edge is jagged. The changes are region-specific, technical exceptions (like PWAs) remain, and tomorrow’s business models will almost certainly test these boundaries. But as of mid-2024, one message rings loudest: no more nagging pop-ups, no more “can’t-uninstall” frustrations—and, for millions of Windows users in Europe, finally, a version of Windows that listens first and dictates later.
Source: inkl No More Nagging Pop-Ups: Windows Users in Europe Can Now Delete Edge, Bing, and the Microsoft Store
