Microsoft has not stopped forcing Edge on Windows 11 users

Microsoft published a blog post on the Windows Insider Blog in late August with a vague statement saying that Windows system components were to begin respecting the default web browser setting. Windows 10 and 11 regularly bypass this setting and force-open links in Microsoft Edge instead. In my extensive testing, I haven't found any changes in the new Windows Insider version.

The issue here, I think, is in the wording Microsoft used. Here's the announcement:

In the European Economic Area (EEA), Windows system components use the default browser to open links.

I think the issue lies in the term Windows system components". The author of the post, Vivaldi employee Daniel Aleksandersen, states he tested links inside the new Copilot, Start menu, Search on the taskbar and desktop, Windows Spotlight, first-party apps (Outlook, Teams, News, Weather, and more), and Widgets on the taskbar (formerly called News and Weather)." However, I don't think Microsoft was talking about any of those things.

When I read that original announcements from Microsoft, I assumed Windows system components" referred to links inside things like the Settings application, or various control panels. I have a feeling system components" does not include applications, search, or things like the search functionality. Idiotic and unclear, I know, but Microsoft is known for arcane language and terminology that doesn't make any sense to normal people outside the company.

Of course, this is just my guess, so we'll see how this plays out.