A long-standing frustration for Windows users may soon be addressed, as Microsoft appears to be testing new functionality that could finally let web links from the Start menu open in your default browser rather than being forced into Microsoft Edge. According to Windows Latest, experimental code in Edge’s Canary build suggests that Microsoft is preparing to loosen restrictions that have long kept users within its browser and Bing ecosystem.
Several new developer flags provide hints at what’s coming. One, named msExplicitLaunchNonEdgeDB, appears to enable explicit support for launching links in a “non-Edge default browser.” Another, called msExplicitLaunchNonBingDSE, seems even more significant, implying that Windows could permit users to route searches to a “non-Bing default search engine.” In practice, this could mean Start menu queries opening directly in Chrome with Google Search, breaking from Microsoft’s historical insistence on Edge and Bing integration.
This move may not be entirely voluntary on Microsoft’s part. Regulators in Europe have recently increased pressure on the company, with the European Commission cracking down on practices that limit consumer choice. Microsoft was recently compelled to provide Windows 10 extended security updates at no cost for EU customers, and the browser/search defaults in Windows could be next on the enforcement list. Offering broader control to users may be a way for Microsoft to sidestep potential fines and comply proactively with regulatory requirements.
If these experimental features make it into stable versions of Windows, they would represent one of the most dramatic quality-of-life improvements in recent memory for PC users. Being able to search from the Start menu and open results in whichever browser and search engine you actually prefer would give Windows a more open and user-friendly feel. Still, Microsoft’s history suggests caution—until the feature officially launches, there’s no guarantee it won’t be altered, restricted, or limited to certain regions.