Windows are altering the way that apps can access your Microsoft account. At present, when signing into Windows 11 or 10 with your Microsoft account, most apps automatically employ that Microsoft account for in-app sign-in. The tech giant plans to modify this behavior by permitting users to decline access to Microsoft accounts in installed apps.

As mentioned in a blog post from November 2023, Microsoft is adapting Windows to align with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Consequently, starting in early 2024, European Economic Area (EEA) users will observe changes when logging into apps on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

So, what can you expect to change? As a user in Europe, when you log into Windows and later open an app, you’ll be prompted with a new notification. This notification will ask if you want to use the same sign-in credentials for the app as you did for Windows. The notification will offer two choices – “Don’t sign in” and “Continue.”

As illustrated in the screenshot above, users can either allow access to their Microsoft account or deny it and then select another account or use the app without signing in. This pop-up will appear the first time you open an app that allows sign-in with a personal Microsoft account or an Entra ID following your Windows sign-in.

If you agree to use the same credentials, this notification won’t reappear in most cases, with certain exceptions. The pop-up will display once for each user per device, but may reappear if you do not sign into Windows for 90 days or if you re-add a cloud account to Windows.

If you choose not to use your Windows sign-in credentials for the app, you have the option to enter different ones. Additionally, if the app allows, you can also choose to use it without signing in at all.

The feature is expected to be rolled out in January. Microsoft is currently testing the feature in Windows 11 Build 22631.2787 or newer in the Release Preview Channel. The changes are anticipated 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 or Entra ID, and then open an app that supports these sign-in methods. Moreover, your device’s region must be set to an EEA country to experience this new sign-in approach.

It’s worth noting that both Windows 10 and Windows 11 will feature this change starting in January or February 2024. Windows Server versions will not be affected.

It is possible that these changes could be included in the Windows 11 Moment 5 update in late February or March. Alongside the Moment 5 update, Microsoft plans to add new Windows Update recovery features. Other EU-related changes include the ability to uninstall Microsoft Edge and change the search engine of Windows Search.