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3d ago

Microsoft’s beta Windows update in Europe unlocks browser choice and removes Edge and Store

The beta update extends July’s retail launch by granting EEA users EU-mandated rights to uninstall core apps, assign more file types to third-party browsers, pin them to the taskbar, surface external search results in Windows Search

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Overview

  • The beta (Build 26120.4151) in the EEA lets testers uninstall Microsoft Edge and the Microsoft Store while preserving updates for apps already installed
  • Third-party browsers such as Chrome or Firefox can be set as defaults for additional protocols and file types—ftp, svg and PDF among them—and will be pinned to the taskbar by default
  • Microsoft Edge will stop prompting EEA users to set it as the default browser unless the app is explicitly launched
  • Windows Search can now display results from third-party search apps with user controls to disable or reorder providers
  • These EU-mandated features are live in the beta channel now and are scheduled to roll out to retail Windows 10 and 11 users in the EEA in July 2025