Microsoft is ???? ?????? ??????? ?????now making it easy for some users to remove Edge, its browser that has been pining to edge out its Google Chrome rival since it launched in 2015.
Is Microsoft making this possible because it's acting out of the goodness of its heart? Of course not! According to The Register, Edge is now removable because the Redmond-based tech giant is putting up the white flag with the EU's Digital Markets Act, which pulls the reins on big tech's influence, dominance, and control.
However, not everyone will get to benefit from this new feature.
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Microsoft is 'geo-gating' users' ability to uninstall Edge
In a Thursday blog post, Microsoft announced that it added the ability to uninstall Microsoft Edge and Web Search from Microsoft Bing, but this is only for users in the EU.
All users, however, will get the option to remove Camera, Cortana, and Photos.
This new feature hasn't rolled out widely yet; it's still in preview for now.
Keep in mind that while Microsoft doesn't make it easy to uninstall Edge, there is a workaround — but it's a pain in the rear that requires you to tap into Command Prompt. And even then, it can be reinstalled when you initiate an update. As such, you'll need to tweak the registry to prevent its return.
Now, however, EU users needn't jump through hoops to uninstall Edge.
Interestingly, The Register pointed out that other companies have made their EU-mandated changes "universal across all their products." Microsoft, on the other hand, is geo-gating users' ability to uninstall Edge.
The EU's new mandate officially goes into effect in March 2024.