How to set default browser in Windows 11

Somewhere in the gazillion pages on the forum about Windows 11

there was Feedback mentioned about Default Apps not working

correctly.

Somewhere in the gazillion pages on the forum about Windows 11

there was Feedback mentioned about Default Apps not working

correctly.

Hi,

In my system I changed default browser to Chrome and pdf reader to Chrome. Now whenever I click on an html link, Chrome opens it. Whenever I click on a pdf document, Chrome opens it. No problem at all.

I even restarted my PC to see if the changes held. No problem here, either. The changes hold.

Hope this helps.

Suat, can you kindly explain how you changed

your default browser, because even I'm at a loss.

Suat, can you kindly explain how you changed

your default browser, because even I'm at a loss.

Hi C.K.

I did it like this.

First you have to install the browser of your choice. I installed Google.

Then Go to:

Settings -> Applications -> Default apps

I changed .htm and .html to open with Google. If you like you can also change .pdf to Google ( or whatever browser you want ) while you are here.

Then you have to go further down the page to change other items, I changed HTTP and HTTPS. Otherwise, you may not be successful to set your default browser.

That's it.

Hope this helps you as it helped me.

Very convoluted and not User friendly!!

Very convoluted and not User friendly!!

Hi C.K.

I am not the one to blame, I hope. 😊

Have a nice weekend.

Hi Suat,

Thanks for clearing that issue. I generally keep Edge as default anyhow, but in order to do this, you have to make the changes via file extensions. Appreciate the tip.

I'm sure all these minor hiccups will be corrected as this is very early in the Win11 cycle. My main concern is I cannot verify the MS account on clean installs of Win11. The link is dead in Account, Windows Backup.

Tried a clean install in a vm using UEFI and Secure Boot. Now this gets weird. If I disable Secure Boot, on restart Win11 displays Win10 Start menu. Turning Secure Boot back on it goes back to Win11 Start. Hmmm!

On all my previous activated Legacy clean installs of Win11, I could join Insider in Dev channel. Using the UEFI bios in VMware, I cannot join Insider, not even RP. It just goes back to the join Insider screen and does not reboot after clicking Restart button. The last few strands of color left in my hair are turning gray :-)

Have a great weekend Suat.

Hi Suat,

Thanks for clearing that issue. I generally keep Edge as default anyhow, but in order to do this, you have to make the changes via file extensions. Appreciate the tip.

I'm sure all these minor hiccups will be corrected as this is very early in the Win11 cycle. My main concern is I cannot verify the MS account on clean installs of Win11. The link is dead in Account, Windows Backup.

Tried a clean install in a vm using UEFI and Secure Boot. Now this gets weird. If I disable Secure Boot, on restart Win11 displays Win10 Start menu. Turning Secure Boot back on it goes back to Win11 Start. Hmmm!

On all my previous activated Legacy clean installs of Win11, I could join Insider in Dev channel. Using the UEFI bios in VMware, I cannot join Insider, not even RP. It just goes back to the join Insider screen and does not automatically reboot. The last few strands of color left in my hair are turning gray :-)

Have a great weekend Suat.

Hi Johnny,

I run Windows 11 on the following machine part which does not meet many of the important Windows 11's requirements:

But I have many of Windows 11's new features, like Start Menu, Widgets, etc. This machine is an upgrade over Windows 10 build 21390. I haven't tried a clean install yet. Therefore, I haven't experienced MS account issue or secure boot issue. By the way, Secure Boot is enabled on the motherboard. But it is for the other installation of Windows 10 ( UEFI ) on the same machine. Windows 11 runs on legacy boot type ( CSM enabled in BIOS ).

Have a nice weekend, you, too.

You're convoluting things for no reason you go into the settings for edge /chrome whatever and where it asks to set as default you click there. Windows 11 recognizes that and sets it

You're convoluting things for no reason you go into the settings for edge /chrome whatever and where it asks to set as default you click there. Windows 11 recognizes that and sets it

That's not the point.

This is a Windows 11 thread and a Setting that

testers were used to being there is gone.

And yes it is easy to set Edge as the Default through

Edge, but Default App Settings apply to more than

just Edge.