The recent transformation of Windows 11’s MSN Widgets board, specifically its newfound ability to open links in a user’s default browser within the European Economic Area (EEA), represents both a significant technical shift and a broader signal of how legislation—namely the Digital Markets Act (DMA)—is reshaping user experience in mainstream operating systems. This change, quietly rolled out by Microsoft but immediately noticed by users and tech press alike, answers one of the most persistent criticisms about both Windows 11’s widgets and Microsoft’s historic browser strategies. The implications reverberate well beyond the EEA, raising questions about user choice, platform openness, and the evolving regulatory landscape surrounding digital ecosystems.
Widgets in Windows 11 combine glanceable information—news headlines, weather, stock updates, calendar items, and more—into a single personalized board accessible directly from the taskbar. Powered by Microsoft’s “Start Experiences App”, the widget board serves up content sourced mainly from MSN and partner feeds, overlaid with cards linked to popular Microsoft services such as Outlook, To Do, and even your phone’s notifications via the Phone Link app.
Historically, Windows widgets (and their forerunners in Windows 10’s News and Interests or the now-defunct Live Tiles) have directed users to Microsoft Edge for any web content, regardless of which browser is set as the default system handler for .htm, .html, .http, or .https file types. This behavior, rightly or wrongly, became a flashpoint for frustration, giving rise to third-party utilities like EdgeDeflector and MSEdgeRedirect, which intercepted and rerouted these Edge-locked links to a user’s preferred browser. Microsoft eventually clamped down on these workarounds, doubling down on Edge as its entrenched portal for all widget and Start menu-driven web interactions.
The implications for Windows 11 were clear: Microsoft could no longer force-open widget board links in Edge if a user had set another browser (Chrome, Firefox, Vivaldi, etc.) as their system default. Not only did this touch on internet and intranet links initiated by the widgets, but it also compelled an architectural adjustment in how link and file type associations are managed within the Start Experiences App. The scope of “default” browser settings had to expand to include not just http and https URLs but also .htm and .html files—a subtle but crucial extension making all forms of web content respect the system setting.
It’s worth noting that Windows 10, still widely deployed, is technically exempt from this shift, as it utilizes older desk band APIs for its News and Interests feature—toolbars integrated into the taskbar rather than the more web-by-design Widgets Board of Windows 11.
This approach contrasts strongly with prior workarounds. Previously, users needed supplemental utilities such as MSEdgeRedirect (still under active development, though less critical now in the EEA) or hand-edited registry changes to achieve the same result. Not only were these solutions potentially fragile—vulnerable to Windows updates breaking or blocking them—but they also presented security and usability risks to less technical users.
Independent verification from both Windows Latest and various user forums shows that this shift is indeed working as advertised for EEA users. News, weather, and search queries—all previously restricted to Edge—now pass cleanly through to Chrome and others without exceptions, even in VMs with only a local account and no Microsoft login. These results are echoed in multiple tech outlets and are consistent with Microsoft’s acknowledgment of EEA-specific DMA compliance in recent support documents.
However, as of now, the update's reach is strictly geofenced. Users outside the EEA continue to report that widgets default stubbornly to Edge, and efforts to replicate the new behavior with VPNs or region-switching have produced inconsistent results. Microsoft has not announced (nor even hinted at) plans to roll this out globally, underlining the EU’s unique regulatory leverage.
There’s an added privacy boost as well. With no requirement for a Microsoft account to access widget-driven links, users can keep day-to-day web habits less entwined with their Microsoft identity, an especially valued consideration as privacy regulations and user paranoia crest ever higher.
For Microsoft, whose Edge market share has ticked upward in recent years but still lags far behind Chrome in almost every global market, this is a double-edged sword. Greater user trust and regulatory harmony may bring more goodwill and widget usage—but it surrenders a walled garden that previously privileged Edge’s homepage and services.
However, sources both inside and outside Microsoft caution that there is no intention, at present, to roll out this change outside the EEA. The technical capability is there, but absent legal compulsion, the default-browser “enforcement” of widgets, Start, and News and Interests on Windows 11 will remain geographically bounded.
As AI-powered news feeds, richer widgets, and more personalized desktop experiences roll out in future Windows builds, the principle established here—genuine, enforceable user choice—stands as both a precedent and a promise. For millions of daily Windows users, the browser truly can be the browser you pick, not just the one Windows nudges.
Outside the EEA, though, user pressure and regulatory scrutiny continue to mount. The broader Windows community—and the tech world at large—will be watching to see if the freedom delivered in one region can ever become the default everywhere. Until then, the EEA enjoys its rare spot as the standard bearer for user-centric innovation on the world’s most popular desktop operating system.
Source: windowslatest.com Windows 11's MSN Widgets board now opens in default browser, such as Chrome (EU only)
Windows 11 Widgets: A Quick Overview
Widgets in Windows 11 combine glanceable information—news headlines, weather, stock updates, calendar items, and more—into a single personalized board accessible directly from the taskbar. Powered by Microsoft’s “Start Experiences App”, the widget board serves up content sourced mainly from MSN and partner feeds, overlaid with cards linked to popular Microsoft services such as Outlook, To Do, and even your phone’s notifications via the Phone Link app.Historically, Windows widgets (and their forerunners in Windows 10’s News and Interests or the now-defunct Live Tiles) have directed users to Microsoft Edge for any web content, regardless of which browser is set as the default system handler for .htm, .html, .http, or .https file types. This behavior, rightly or wrongly, became a flashpoint for frustration, giving rise to third-party utilities like EdgeDeflector and MSEdgeRedirect, which intercepted and rerouted these Edge-locked links to a user’s preferred browser. Microsoft eventually clamped down on these workarounds, doubling down on Edge as its entrenched portal for all widget and Start menu-driven web interactions.
Why Change Now? The Influence of the Digital Markets Act
Everything changed with the enforcement of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which explicitly targets so-called “gatekeeper” behaviors in the technology sector. DMA Article 6(3) requires designated gatekeepers—notably including Microsoft—to respect user choice for core platform services, chief among them web browsers.The implications for Windows 11 were clear: Microsoft could no longer force-open widget board links in Edge if a user had set another browser (Chrome, Firefox, Vivaldi, etc.) as their system default. Not only did this touch on internet and intranet links initiated by the widgets, but it also compelled an architectural adjustment in how link and file type associations are managed within the Start Experiences App. The scope of “default” browser settings had to expand to include not just http and https URLs but also .htm and .html files—a subtle but crucial extension making all forms of web content respect the system setting.
It’s worth noting that Windows 10, still widely deployed, is technically exempt from this shift, as it utilizes older desk band APIs for its News and Interests feature—toolbars integrated into the taskbar rather than the more web-by-design Widgets Board of Windows 11.
Closer Look: How the Change Works in Practice
For Windows 11 users in the EEA, the change manifests following an update to the “Start Experiences App” via Microsoft Store. Once installed, clicking on any feed item—be it weather, headline, or stock quote—launches the URL in the default browser, be it Chrome, Firefox, or any compliant third-party browser. According to hands-on reports such as those by Windows Latest, this process is seamless: the system honors the browser choice and opens the linked content without requiring a Microsoft account or any registry tweaks. Even in fresh installs with only a local user account, the default browser’s dominance is unchallenged.This approach contrasts strongly with prior workarounds. Previously, users needed supplemental utilities such as MSEdgeRedirect (still under active development, though less critical now in the EEA) or hand-edited registry changes to achieve the same result. Not only were these solutions potentially fragile—vulnerable to Windows updates breaking or blocking them—but they also presented security and usability risks to less technical users.
Technical Analysis and Verification
Examining the technical backbone of this shift, it’s clear that the Start Experiences App update doesn’t just change a user interface setting. Instead, Microsoft has realigned the association map for widget-generated links, so .htm, .html, .http, and .https calls made from the widget board are now subject to the system’s core browser association. This means that any click-through action originating from widgets, the lock screen’s Spotlight, or similar feed-based UI elements opens in Chrome, Firefox, Vivaldi, Brave, Opera, or any modern browser set as default.Independent verification from both Windows Latest and various user forums shows that this shift is indeed working as advertised for EEA users. News, weather, and search queries—all previously restricted to Edge—now pass cleanly through to Chrome and others without exceptions, even in VMs with only a local account and no Microsoft login. These results are echoed in multiple tech outlets and are consistent with Microsoft’s acknowledgment of EEA-specific DMA compliance in recent support documents.
However, as of now, the update's reach is strictly geofenced. Users outside the EEA continue to report that widgets default stubbornly to Edge, and efforts to replicate the new behavior with VPNs or region-switching have produced inconsistent results. Microsoft has not announced (nor even hinted at) plans to roll this out globally, underlining the EU’s unique regulatory leverage.
User Experience: Everyday Impact
For ordinary users, this update is more than a compliance checkbox. The ability to funnel headlines, weather, or stock updates directly to one’s preferred browser eliminates a longstanding annoyance and streamlines workflows for those who rely on Chrome’s or Firefox’s tab management, plugin ecosystem, and privacy controls. Anyone invested in a tightly integrated browsing and productivity setup—be it through cross-device tabs, preferred password managers, or secure incognito/Containers browsing—now retains that continuity across all aspects of Windows 11.There’s an added privacy boost as well. With no requirement for a Microsoft account to access widget-driven links, users can keep day-to-day web habits less entwined with their Microsoft identity, an especially valued consideration as privacy regulations and user paranoia crest ever higher.
Market Impact: What It Means for Browsers
The move also directly affects the competitive landscape of browser adoption. Previously, non-Edge browser users faced a “leaky bucket” problem: even after switching, key operating system features defaulted to Edge, subtly nudging them back. By making the widget experience browser-agnostic, Microsoft levels the playing field. This could drive increased traffic to MSN and Microsoft’s ad partners, as even “Edge avoiders” are more likely to casually browse headlines or weather updates if they open in their preferred browser environment.For Microsoft, whose Edge market share has ticked upward in recent years but still lags far behind Chrome in almost every global market, this is a double-edged sword. Greater user trust and regulatory harmony may bring more goodwill and widget usage—but it surrenders a walled garden that previously privileged Edge’s homepage and services.
Risks, Trade-offs, and Unresolved Questions
Strengths
- User Empowerment: This is a major win for consumer choice, aligning platform behavior with individual preference and reducing friction for millions.
- Regulatory Compliance: Microsoft demonstrates real, technical adaptation to European law, distinguishing itself from the “bare minimum” approach sometimes seen in Big Tech.
- Transparency: The documented effect of the update—immediate, consistent browser respect across widget links—is laudably simple and well-verified.
- Privacy Improvement: No Microsoft account requirement lowers risk of unnecessary cross-service tracking.
Weaknesses and Concerns
- Region-Locked Compliance: The update is EEA-exclusive, fostering a two-tier user experience globally. For those in North America, Asia, or elsewhere, the “default browser” claim remains only partly true.
- Inconsistent Experience: Frequent travelers, international businesses, or users with multinational setups could face jarring inconsistencies, as the widget behavior changes when crossing EEA boundaries or using enterprise images.
- Potential Fragmentation: While Windows 10’s News and Interests feature is functionally similar, it remains on an older architecture and is untouched by this update, leading to a confusing generational divide in widget capabilities.
- Ongoing Workarounds: The persistence and popularity of tools like MSEdgeRedirect outside the EEA show that regulatory action—and meaningful user choice—are still partial, not universal.
Possible Security and Performance Risks
- Browser-Specific Security: Widgets often present dynamic web content, which could theoretically increase attack risk depending on the chosen browser’s sandboxing and plugin security. While Chrome, Edge, and Firefox all tout strong defenses, third-party or niche browsers may present gaps that Microsoft once controlled through Edge’s rigorous patch cycles.
- Unintended Breakage: The plumbing of default app associations in Windows is complex and not immune to bugs. Overassociating file types or URI handlers could lead to accidental breakage in certain enterprise environments, kiosk modes, or managed systems, though no major issues have been reported so far.
The Long View: Are More Changes Coming?
The European legal landscape remains dynamic, with the DMA only the tip of the iceberg in digital competition regulation. Google, Apple, and others are being forced to open up their platforms in parallel ways. Microsoft’s technical response—shifting default behaviors for a flagship OS service—may become a template for compliance elsewhere if similar regulations are adopted globally.However, sources both inside and outside Microsoft caution that there is no intention, at present, to roll out this change outside the EEA. The technical capability is there, but absent legal compulsion, the default-browser “enforcement” of widgets, Start, and News and Interests on Windows 11 will remain geographically bounded.
How to Enable the New Behavior
For EEA users eager to confirm or accelerate this shift, the process is straightforward:- Open Microsoft Store.
- Navigate to Downloads and Updates.
- Check for updates and install any flagged as “Start Experiences App.”
- Set your default browser via Windows Settings (Apps > Default apps).
- Reboot if necessary, then click any widget headline, weather, or story.
The Verdict: A Small Step, A Giant Leap
Although seemingly a minor adjustment affecting a subset of users, the update to Windows 11’s widget board signals a fundamental pivot in Microsoft’s relationship to user agency and regulatory mandate. It erases a petty but persistent source of friction for EEA users while also showcasing the positive effect that well-crafted legislation can have on consumer technology.As AI-powered news feeds, richer widgets, and more personalized desktop experiences roll out in future Windows builds, the principle established here—genuine, enforceable user choice—stands as both a precedent and a promise. For millions of daily Windows users, the browser truly can be the browser you pick, not just the one Windows nudges.
Outside the EEA, though, user pressure and regulatory scrutiny continue to mount. The broader Windows community—and the tech world at large—will be watching to see if the freedom delivered in one region can ever become the default everywhere. Until then, the EEA enjoys its rare spot as the standard bearer for user-centric innovation on the world’s most popular desktop operating system.
Source: windowslatest.com Windows 11's MSN Widgets board now opens in default browser, such as Chrome (EU only)
