Microsoft will change how links behave when clicked from the Windows Widgets panel in Windows 11 so that they respect your default browser rather than automatically opening in Edge.
As The Verge reports, a Windows dev channel blog post from Aug. 25 mentioned that "Windows system components use the default browser to open links." This is only happening in Europe for now, and is likely intended to help Redmond avoid regulatory scrutiny. Microsoft declined to comment when asked about it by The Verge.
When Windows 11 first debuted, Microsoft made it frustratingly difficult to change your default browser away from Edge. That changed last year for most apps, but not the Windows Widgets panel or from OS-level search results. (Microsoft also recently made it so links from Teams or Outlook only open in Edge, too.) That's about to change in the European Economic Area (EEA) at least, provided this test rolls out to the stable version of Windows.
The tweaks ensure a more straightforward process for setting third-party browsers as the default and also aim to reduce the likelihood of resetting back to Microsoft Edge after system updates.
The move comes ahead of the EU Digital Markets Act going into effect in 2024. It goes after "gatekeepers" that aim to keep people locked into a company's ecosystem, whether that's an app store, payment mechanism, or browser.
Microsoft is already battling with regulators overseas regarding its bid to acquire Activision-Blizzard. Though the EU has cleared the deal, the UK is not giving up without a fight.
