Microsoft is backtracking on adjustments it made to Windows 11 that made it harder to change default browsers. A brand new take a look at construct of Windows 11 now permits customers of Chrome, Firefox, and different browsers to set a default browser with a single button, which is a far easier course of.

Rafael Rivera, developer of the wonderful EarTrumpet Windows app, found the brand new Windows 11 adjustments earlier this week. Instead of getting to alter particular person file extensions or protocol handlers for HTTP, HTTPS, HTML, and HTM, Windows 11 now presents a easy button that lets folks change default browsers in an analogous technique to Windows 10.

Microsoft has confirmed the adjustments are intentional and are presently being examined. “In the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22509 released to the Dev Channel on Wednesday, we streamlined the ability for a Windows Insider to set the ‘default browser’ to apps that register for HTTP:, HTTPS:, .HTM, and .HTML,” explains Aaron Woodman, vp of Windows advertising and marketing, in a press release to The Verge. “Through the Windows Insider Program you will continue to see us try new things based on customer feedback and testing.”

Microsoft initially defended its choice to make it harder to change defaults, telling The Verge earlier this yr that it was “implementing customer feedback to customize and control defaults at a more granular level.” Rival browser makers weren’t proud of the adjustments, nevertheless, and Mozilla, Brave, and even Google’s head of Chrome and Android criticized Microsoft’s method to default apps.

While Windows 11 does presently supply a immediate when a rival browser has been put in, it’s solely triggered whenever you click on a hyperlink from outdoors a browser, attempt to open an HTML doc, or try and entry browser protocols and information. The immediate helps you to open a file or hyperlink in a special browser, with a checkbox to at all times use this program. If you overlook to test the field, you’ll should dig into the settings app in Windows 11 and manually configure a bunch of choices.

Microsoft continues to be testing these new Windows 11 adjustments that make it simpler to change default apps and browsers, however it’s not clear when they are going to be obtainable to all customers. We’re anticipating to see these debut with a bigger replace to Windows 11 subsequent yr, however Microsoft hasn’t introduced a launch date and a few options and updates are showing forward of the massive annual drop of options.

Still, it’s encouraging to see Microsoft take heed to the criticism and suggestions round its Windows 11 adjustments. This u-turn comes amid anger over a brand new built-in “buy now, pay later” device in Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft’s efforts to dissuade folks from downloading Chrome.