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Set Google Chrome as the default browser at the operating-system level. That changes the normal http and https link handlers, so links clicked in email, documents, and most applications open in Chrome instead of Microsoft Edge.
It does not remove Edge or override every application. Some Microsoft apps can explicitly launch Edge or use Microsoft-specific protocols. The steps below cover the supported fix first, then explain what to check when Edge still appears.
Windows 11: make Chrome the default browser
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Enter Chrome in the Set defaults for applications search box.
- Select Google Chrome.
- Select Set default beside Make Google Chrome your default browser.
Windows assigns Chrome to the standard browser associations. To verify the individual assignments, remain on Chrome’s Default apps page and inspect Set default file types or link types. In particular, check the entries for the HTTP and HTTPS protocols. They should show Google Chrome.
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Use Chrome’s own shortcut
You can also open Chrome and select More (the three-dot button) > Settings. Find Default browser, then select Make default. Chrome takes you to the relevant Windows settings and completes the change. If Chrome does not show a Make default button, Chrome says it is already the default browser.
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Windows 10: change the Web browser setting
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Under Web browser, select the browser currently shown, usually Microsoft Edge.
- In Choose an app, select Google Chrome.
Older Windows 10 releases may use Settings > System > Default apps. Windows 10 versions starting with the Creators Update use Settings > Apps > Default apps.
macOS and Linux
The simplest cross-platform method is Chrome’s built-in setting:
- Open Google Chrome.
- Select More > Settings.
- Find Default browser.
- Select Make default.
If the button is missing, Chrome reports that it is already the default browser. On Linux, some desktop environments also provide a system setting under their Applications or Default Applications panel; choose Google Chrome as the Web or Internet browser there if Chrome’s button does not change the association.
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- Open Settings.
- Select Apps > Default apps.
- Select Browser app.
- Choose Chrome.
Android menu names can vary slightly by manufacturer, but the setting is normally under the default-app or browser-app section.
iPhone and iPad
The Chrome option requires iOS 14 or later.
- Open Chrome.
- Select More > Settings > Default Browser.
- Select Go to Settings….
- Select Default Browser App.
- Choose Chrome.
If Default Browser App is not available, update Chrome and check that the device is running iOS 14 or a later release.
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What changing the default browser actually changes
When Chrome is the default browser, normal web links should open in Chrome whenever the operating system and the application allow it. This primarily means links using the standard http and https protocols, along with associated web-page file types.
It does not:
- Uninstall Microsoft Edge.
- Prevent Edge from opening when an application explicitly starts Edge.
- Convert a Microsoft-specific protocol into a standard web link.
- Change the search engine used inside Edge.
Microsoft describes Edge as a Windows component used by web-based features, so changing the default browser is the supported alternative to removing it. Current Edge is the Chromium-based version; Internet Explorer and the legacy version of Edge are no longer supported.
If links still open in Edge
1. Check the HTTP and HTTPS associations
On Windows 11, return to Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps, search for Chrome, select Google Chrome, and open Set default file types or link types. Check the browser-related entries individually.
| Association | Expected application for ordinary Chrome browsing |
|---|---|
HTTP |
Google Chrome |
HTTPS |
Google Chrome |
.htm and .html |
Google Chrome, if you want saved web pages to open there |
If HTTP or HTTPS is still assigned to Edge, select that entry and choose Chrome from the application list.
2. Do not confuse the search engine with the browser
Changing Bing to Google inside Edge will not make links open in Chrome. It only changes the search provider used by Edge’s address bar.
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That Edge setting is at Settings and more (…) > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Search and connected services > Address bar and search. It is separate from Windows’ default browser setting.
3. Identify applications that deliberately use Edge
The default-browser setting is not a universal redirect. An application can explicitly launch msedge.exe or use a Microsoft-specific protocol rather than handing a normal http or https URL to Windows.
In that situation, resetting Chrome’s default associations will not change the application’s behavior. Look in that application’s own settings for a browser preference, or ask the administrator whether its link-handling policy can be changed.
4. Check whether the computer is managed
On a work or school computer, an administrator may enforce Edge through policy or a default-application associations file. The relevant Microsoft Edge policy is named Set Microsoft Edge as default browser. Its policy value is DefaultBrowserSettingEnabled, under:
HKLMSOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftEdgeThe documented registry value is a REG_DWORD named DefaultBrowserSettingEnabled; a value of 1 is the enabled example. However, Microsoft notes that this policy is effective for Windows 7, while later Windows versions require administrators to deploy a default application associations file assigning Edge to protocols such as http and https.
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Edge also has a separate DefaultBrowserSettingsCampaignEnabled policy. On Windows, it is supported from Edge version 113 onward and can allow Edge to display prompts asking users to make Edge the default browser and Bing the default search engine. Accepting the prompt changes those settings; dismissing it does not.
If Chrome becomes the default and later changes back to Edge, contact the organization’s IT administrator. Repeatedly changing the setting manually may not survive the next policy refresh.
Can a command force every link into Chrome?
For ordinary personal computers, no supported command-line switch universally redirects every Edge-launched link to Chrome. Google’s and Microsoft’s current consumer instructions use the Default apps interface or Chrome’s Make default button.
For managed Windows deployments, administrators can use policy and a default-associations file. That is different from running a one-off Chrome command and is the appropriate method when settings must be applied consistently to multiple users or devices.
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- Set Chrome as the default browser.
- Copy a normal address such as
https://www.google.com. - Paste it into a text document, email draft, or chat message.
- Click the link.
If it opens in Chrome, Windows’ ordinary web association is working. If it opens in Edge only from one particular application, that application is probably launching Edge directly or using a special protocol. If it opens in Edge everywhere, recheck the HTTP and HTTPS associations or look for an enforced device policy.
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FAQ
Can I completely remove Microsoft Edge so links cannot open in it?
Usually not through supported Windows settings. Microsoft describes Edge as a Windows component used by web-based features. Set Chrome as the default browser instead, and treat applications that explicitly launch Edge as a separate issue.
Why does Edge open even though Chrome says it is the default?
The application may be explicitly launching Edge, using a Microsoft-specific protocol, or retaining an individual association for a protocol or file type. Check Windows’ HTTP and HTTPS entries first, then inspect the application’s settings and any device-management policy.
Will changing Bing to Google make links open in Chrome?
No. That changes the search engine inside Microsoft Edge. The browser used for links is controlled by Windows’ Default apps setting or the equivalent setting on another operating system.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHow do I make Chrome the default browser on Windows 11?
Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps, search for Chrome, select Google Chrome, and select Set default beside Make Google Chrome your default browser.
Is there a command to force all Edge links to Chrome?
There is no supported consumer command that universally redirects every link launched by Edge or another application. Use the Default apps interface for normal links; managed computers require administrator-controlled policy or default-associations deployment.
The Bottom Line
Use Default apps to assign Chrome as the browser, then verify the HTTP and HTTPS handlers. That is enough for ordinary links. If Edge still opens only from a specific Microsoft or managed application, the application or administrator is bypassing the normal default-browser association; changing Bing or running a Chrome command will not override it.
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