Microsoft now permits uninstalling Edge, Bing, and OneDrive to adhere to the EU's Digital Markets Act.
Microsoft now permits uninstalling Edge, Bing, and OneDrive to adhere to the EU's Digital Markets Act.
Microsoft has started the rollout of Digital Markets Act changes in its Windows 10 and 11 operating systems for users from the European Economic Area.
These changes are only applicable to users in the EEA. For those outside the region, Windows will continue to function as it is!
The changes to Windows for DMA-compliance include:
- You can now uninstall Edge and Bing web search using the built-in settings. Earlier, the option was greyed out.
- Third-party web search application developers can now utilize the Windows search box in the taskbar using the instructions provided by Microsoft and choose any web browser to show results from the web.
- Microsoft will no longer sign-in users to Edge, Bing, and Microsoft Start services during the initial Windows setup experience.
- Data collected about the functioning of non-Microsoft apps, primarily bug detection and its effects on the OS, from Windows PCs will not be used for competitive purposes.
- Microsoft, from now on, will need explicit user consent before combining data from the OS and other sources. It will also deliver new consent screens where required.
About 20 years ago, Microsoft was found guilty and convicted, because they forced their browser on their users, driving out competitors by abusing their de facto monopoly on PC operating systems. These days, they are doing the exact same thing again, just on an even broader base. I don't even understand how this verdict took so long.
So where are the people saying edge couldn’t be uninstalled because it’s a core part of the system that other element depended upon. I swear I have seen this answer on every reddit post about uninstalling edge, yet Microsoft show its absolutely possible (although only in Europe, because dependencies don’t work the same in Europe 😂).
Props to EU keeping these assholes in check
One drive is the one that really ruffles my feathers.
It turns itself back on randomly, which wouldn’t be too much of a problem except for that it fucking remaps the desktop.. a file that was previously located at C:\user\desktop\ is now at C:\user\One Drive\desktop…
Note the space in the path, they didn’t even have the decency to use an underscore… \one_drive\… even though it’s one of their own rules in powershell scripting.
For those of us using powershell to automate stuff this remapping is a nightmare and should be illegal.
Too bad I am in the US and will just have to continue to get support calls from time to time when a users desktop gets remapped behind the scenes.
Maybe there is a way using powershell and windows scheduled tasks to check to see if one drive turned itself back on, then auto turn it off and remap the desktop back to normal.
The absurdity of having windows check to see if windows screwed itself up, then if so have it fix itself is just laughable.
Awesome. How do I port this ability over to an American PC?
I want this for android phones and chrome, gmail etc without jumping through hoops
Nice
I'd rather uninstall Chrome, TBH. If you need a Chromium browser, Edge is just better. And Bing is about as good as Google for most searches. Only a handful of things (like default maps) do I switch for. Which is honestly staggering because Bing used to be such shit in comparison. Google has really let itself go.
Now we just need a version that comes without bloatware and the windows 2000 theme
Brussels effect ftw!
I'd say that everyone should use Linux but that is materially impossible for many folks. Microsoft should just make consumer friendly products instead of this bullshit.
Well it's good although only for EU, for the rest of the world still need to use Windows debloater script for doing same thing (or just install micro win 11 if you hate the hassle)
I hope this also means not showing the thousand "setup" screen needed to install the os,post install.
That is single-handedly the worst thing ever and only Apple manages to compete with such tactics.
Seriously we did this in 1998, why this again??
I feel like I'm on Coruscant after the second death star was blown up.
Stupid Edge uses like 2-3 gb on my PC, then it says “you have insufficient data, free up space”
Is it only Windows 11 that wasn't able to uninstall any of these? Because I've been able to (and have done so) uninstall them on windows 10 since always. Can even disable the telemetry stuff, but only if you have Pro and above since it requires using the group policy manager (which is kinda bullshit IMO; ain't no reason Home shouldn't have access to that).
I was surprised I was able to uninstall Media Player on Windows 11. I played a video file on my laptop and accidentally selected "always open with". Lo and behold Windows Media Player doesn't play HEVC encoded files (not sure if it was 264 or 265). I thought I would have to tinker with the default program settings but tried "add or remove programs" on a lark and it worked. I then opened the file with VLC as one normally does and life is back in balance.
after 'repairing' my edge, enabling 'get updates as fast as you can' and updating everything, I was able to uninstall edge. Rejoice.
this is surprisingly decent news.
is this only on EU or any copy of windows?
Good shit!
This is one of the few valuable informations I got today.
No if only my company’s IT team would let me remove that shit.
It's about time he did.🙏
Hello
Edit: it works I can comment now! It's been months, not sure if an error from this or lemmy.. would hate to say lemmy.. hope I can switch accounts and comment now using the account I'd like to (at the moment)
