Windows 11 will change access to apps but only in Europe

Windows is changing the way apps can access your Microsoft account. Currently, when you sign in to Windows 11 or 10 with your Microsoft account, most applications automatically use that Microsoft account to sign in to the application. The technology giant intends to change this behavior, allowing you to refuse access to Microsoft accounts in installed applications. So let’s look at how Windows 11 will change access to apps.

Windows 11 will change access to apps but only in Europe

As mentioned in a November 2023 post, Microsoft is adapting Windows to align with the European Union Digital Markets Act (DMA). Starting in early 2024, users in the European Economic Area (EEA) will notice changes when they sign in to apps on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

So what is changing? When, as a user based in Europe, you log into Windows and open an application, a new notification will appear. This notification will ask if you want to use the same login credentials for the application that you used for Windows. The notification is titled “Continue to sign in?” and offers two options – Do not log in and Continue.

As shown in the screenshot above, you can allow access to your Microsoft account or deny it, and then choose another account or use the app without signing in. This pop-up applies to the first time you open an application that allows you to sign in with a personal Microsoft account or ID after signing in to Windows.

Once you agree to use the same credentials, this notification will not appear again in most cases, but there are some exceptions.

Although the pop-up appears once per device for each user, it may reappear. But this is only if you don’t log into Windows for 90 days or add a cloud account to Windows again.

If you decide not to use your Windows login credentials for the application, you can enter different credentials. If the application allows it, you can also choose to use it without logging in.

The feature is coming in January!

Microsoft is testing the feature on Windows 11 Build 22631.2787 or newer in the Release Preview Channel. The changes are expected to be shipped as part of an optional update in January or February, before a broader rollout in March.

To test these changes, you must sign in to Windows using a Microsoft account and then open an application that supports these sign-in methods.

Likewise, the device region must be set to an EEA country to try this new sign-in approach.

It is also important to note that both Windows 10 and Windows 11 will introduce this change starting in January or February 2024. Windows Server versions are not affected.