Microsoft brings Windows 10 into compliance with European requirements (DMA): everything that changes

The American giant is taking advantage of an update to adapt to the new regulations in force on the Old Continent. So, what privileges will we be entitled to?

We have been talking to you for some time about the Digital Market Act (DMA), which aims to regulate the economic and commercial practices of digital giants, by making, for example, their platforms less opaque to competition.

Now is the time to take action, because in a few weeks these new rules will come into effect. This is therefore the final stretch for companies, who are reviewing their copy one last time.

Goodbye Bing and Edge!

We can’t say that all Windows updates are particularly notable. However, some are more so than others, and that of February 2024 has a little extra je ne sais quoi which, let’s admit it, delights us somewhat. On Saturday, Microsoft announced that it had “ worked to ensure its compliance with the Digital Markets Legislation (DMA) in the European Economic Area “. Thanks to (or because of) this, the company has finally decided to give us something that users have been asking for for many years.

On Windows 10, it will be possible to uninstall more applications installed by Microsoft and which were previously difficult to remove. This is something that we have already been able to experience on Windows 11, with the possibility of getting rid of programs such as the Camera, Photos, or even the late Cortana applications. However, the optional update KB5034203 goes further for the European market in particular, since it will be possible to get rid of the Bing integration within the system search bar, but also from Microsoft Edge. A promise made by the firm several weeks ago.

This is a giant step for Windows 10 users, although not everyone will be able to take advantage of it immediately. The KB5034203 update is primarily intended for IT administrators, who can test it in advance. This is therefore a rehearsal with a view to a deployment planned for February 2024, and which should be fully effective by March 6, the date of entry into force of the DMA.

Some questions still unanswered

Windows will be forced to use the default application settings configured by users, for example when opening files and links. However, Microsoft has announced that some of these will still need to be opened in Microsoft Edge, which is rather strange since it can be deleted. We’ll have to wait and see what happens once it’s gone, but let’s hope the company doesn’t force users to keep a piece of its web browser when they don’t want to. It would therefore be quite legitimate to wonder if the American giant will really give a perfect copy to the regulators…

This Windows opening will only be available in the European Economic Area. If you live anywhere else, Edge and Bing will stick to your computer like barnacles to the hull of a ship. To locate you in the world, Microsoft indicates that it will be based on the location parameters indicated during the configuration of Windows 10. A parameter which cannot, however, be modified on the fly, as the firm specifies: “ The region used for DMA compliance can only be changed by resetting the PC “. In a way, this is a positive point, since users will be free to choose whether or not to have a Windows experience that complies with European regulations.

Source : Windows Insider Blog