Microsoft makes it easier for users to switch default apps on Windows 11

Mones Hawass books

Tuesday, March 21, 2023 12:00 AM

The way Microsoft manages default apps in Windows 11 has received constant criticism, and compared to Windows 10, the newer operating system complicates the process for users who want to use third-party apps instead of Microsoft’s default offerings.

However, that may soon change when Microsoft plans to ease things up for those who want to change the default apps on Windows 11, and Microsoft said, in a blog post, that it “reaffirms our long-standing approach to putting people in control of the Windows PC experience.” , announcing the new feature for Windows 11 users that will allow them to easily control changes to the default settings for their apps.

How will the new Windows 11 feature work?

In Windows 11, if a user prefers not to use Edge as their default browser, they have to go to the Settings menu and change the default app based on file types and links, which takes some time, but now, Microsoft is introducing a new Settings deep link URI scheme for developers, which It will allow them to point users directly to a settings page to modify the default program for certain types of files or links.

Microsoft will also begin testing a new API that allows apps to pin a primary or secondary panel to the taskbar. Last year, an update to Windows 11 was released to simplify the process of switching back to your default browser, which was made available to all users.

These two features will be made available for the first time to computers running the Windows Insider Dev channel in the coming months before being integrated into the public release of Windows 11, and these features should become available to all users by the end of this year. By releasing updates for Edge, which will include support for these browser features as they are introduced.