You’ll Have Greater Control Over Default Applications With Windows 11

Photo Credit: Microsoft

In Windows, managing your favorite default program for web browsing, watching movies, or other tasks can be challenging, particularly when Windows is constantly wiping your settings clean. Perhaps in the future, that won’t be as much of an issue.

There are a few ways for Windows programs to add themselves to the taskbar and become the default application for particular URLs or files. When certain programs attempt to set themselves as the default without your awareness and when Windows frequently resets the settings after an update, the process might be perplexing. Moreover, Microsoft Edge is the default web browser for several web tasks in Windows, such as clicking links in the taskbar web search.

Photo Credit: PCMag

In a recent blog post, Microsoft promised to address some of the perplexing default app behavior. The company stated, “We want to ensure that people are in control of what gets pinned to their Desktop, their Start menu, and their Taskbar as well as to be able to control their default applications, such as their default browser, through consistent, clear, and trustworthy system dialogs and settings provided by Windows.”

Also Read: An Updated Version Of Windows 11 Brings ChatGPT-Powered Bing AI To The Taskbar

Microsoft is developing a new application deep link URI that will send users directly to the default apps settings page in Windows 11. For instance, if Firefox requests to be your default online browser and you agree, the browser may direct you to the Settings page, where you can change your default browser. With the help of a new API, Windows 11 will also permit programs to pin primary or secondary tiles to the taskbar. This API will display a warning with Accept or Decline options.

After application developers have had time to adopt these new practices, the Windows team aims to “take efforts to prevent unrequested adjustments to a user’s selections […] later this year.” When the new APIs are available and have been embraced by apps, it appears like Windows 11 will eventually prohibit applications from modifying the default settings using the current ways, although things could still change there. When the new pinning and default features are available, Microsoft has also committed to switching Edge to them.

Microsoft appears to be moving toward making default programs and taskbar pins more similar to their counterparts on Android and iPhone devices, where apps cannot change your settings discreetly without your permission. For instance, an app can only open the page in the system Settings app so that you may make the change yourself if it wants to be the default browser on Android or iPhone.

Photo Credit: Newsfet.com

“In the coming months” the Windows Insider Dev Channel will test the new functionality.