Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Windows does not automatically make a newly installed browser the default. In both Windows 11 and Windows 10, open Settings > Apps > Default apps to choose one. File types such as PDFs and link preferences in Outlook or Teams may be controlled separately.
Set the default browser in Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings. You can also press Windows + I.
- Select Apps > Default apps.
- Under Set defaults for applications, search for the browser you want to use, such as Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or Edge.
- Select the browser in the results.
- Select Set default beside Make [browser name] your default browser.
This is the current Windows 11 method, including versions 24H2 and 25H2. Windows 11 26H1 uses the same default-app feature set, although that release is intended for selected new devices rather than as a general upgrade for existing PCs.
If Windows 11 does not show “Set default”
Windows can change each browser association separately. This is useful if the one-click button is missing or if some web links still open in another browser.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Under Set a default for a file type or link type, search for HTTP.
- Select the application currently associated with HTTP, then choose your preferred browser.
- Repeat for HTTPS, .htm, and .html.
| Association | What it controls |
|---|---|
| HTTP | Ordinary web links using HTTP |
| HTTPS | Secure web links |
| .htm | HTML files with the .htm extension |
| .html | HTML files with the .html extension |
These are separate associations. Changing one does not guarantee that all the others have changed.
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Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs in the European Economic Area
On Windows 10 and Windows 11 installations in the European Economic Area, the Set default button can set additional associations when the browser registers for them. These may include:
- Link types: ftp, http, https, and read
- File types: .htm, .html, .mht, .mhtml, .shtml, .svg, .xht, .xhtml, and .xml
Windows may also show a separate option to make the browser the default application for PDF files. It can offer to pin the browser to Start and the Taskbar; clear those pinning options if you do not want them. This expanded behavior does not generally apply to installations in the United States.
Set the default browser in Windows 10
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Apps > Default apps.
- Under Web browser, select the browser currently displayed.
- Choose the browser you want to use.
Windows 10 also lets you change associations individually. In Settings > Apps > Default apps, search for HTTP, HTTPS, .htm, and .html. Select the current application beside each item and choose the preferred browser.
Open Default apps directly with a command
The quickest route on either Windows version is to open the Run dialog:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Press Windows + R.
- Enter ms-settings:defaultapps.
- Press Enter.
Windows opens Settings > Apps > Default apps. You can also launch this URI from an application or a command shell that supports Windows URI activation.
Do not use the older ms-settings:defaultbrowsersettings URI in current Windows 11 instructions. Microsoft lists it as deprecated.
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Why the browser does not appear in the list
The browser must be installed and registered with Windows as an application that handles the relevant protocols or file types. If it is not installed, or does not register for a particular association, it will not appear as an option for that association.
Installing Chrome, Firefox, or another browser does not automatically make it the default. Windows requires the user to approve the change through the default-apps interface; applications are not supposed to change the default silently.
If a browser is installed but missing from the list, close and reopen Settings, update or reinstall the browser, and check its file associations again. On a work or school computer, an administrator policy may also be controlling the available choices.
Changing the browser does not always change PDF files
A browser default and a PDF default are separate settings. Outside the European Economic Area, the normal Windows 11 Set default button sets the standard browser associations—typically HTTP, HTTPS, .htm, and .html—but it does not necessarily make that browser the PDF viewer.
To choose the app for PDF files:
- Open Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Search for .pdf.
- Select the application currently shown beside the file type.
- Choose your preferred browser or PDF reader.
It is therefore normal for Firefox or Chrome to open websites while Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Edge, or another PDF reader remains associated with PDF files.
When links still open in Microsoft Edge
Some applications have their own link-opening preference. This does not necessarily mean that Windows ignored your default browser.
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New Outlook for Windows
Open Settings > General > Files and links > Open hyperlinks from Outlook in, then choose the browser that Outlook should use.
Classic Outlook for Windows
Open File > Options > Advanced > File and browser preferences > Open hyperlinks from Outlook in, then select the preferred browser.
Microsoft Teams desktop
Open Settings > Files and links > Link open preferences, then choose the browser for links opened from Teams.
These settings affect links launched from Outlook or Teams only. They do not replace the Windows default-browser association used by other applications.
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Windows 10 and Windows 11 in S mode
Microsoft Edge is always the default web browser while Windows is running in S mode. Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers cannot be made the default in S mode.
To use another browser as the default, you must switch the device out of S mode. This change is permanent: Microsoft says the device cannot be switched back into S mode afterward. Open Settings > System > Activation and follow the Microsoft Store link for switching out of S mode. Check the wording on your device before confirming, because the change cannot be undone.
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Work and school computers
An organization can control default file-type and protocol associations through Group Policy or mobile-device-management policy. Those settings may be reapplied when you sign in, overriding a browser choice you make manually.
For administrator deployment, Microsoft documents exporting current associations with:
dism /online /export-defaultappassociations:appassoc.xml
The resulting XML can be used with the Set a default associations configuration file Group Policy or the DefaultAssociationsConfiguration MDM policy. This is an administrative deployment method, not a workaround for changing one user’s browser setting. Contact your IT administrator if the preferred browser keeps reverting.
What not to do
- Do not rely on Control Panel > Default Programs. The current Windows 10 and Windows 11 workflow is Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Do not assume the PDF viewer changed. Check .pdf separately.
- Do not edit the registry to force the browser. Windows protects per-user default-app data, and Microsoft does not support registry-based changes for this purpose. The UCPD.sys filter driver also blocks applications from directly writing protected default-app data.
- Do not assume every application follows the Windows setting. Outlook and Teams can use their own browser preference.
Windows 10 support note
Windows 10 version 22H2 was the final regular Windows 10 release. Microsoft ended support for standard Windows 10 editions on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides regular free Windows Update security fixes, feature updates, or technical assistance for those editions. The browser-setting steps still work, but upgrading to a supported Windows version is worth considering if the PC can run it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
How do I make Chrome my default browser in Windows 11?
Open Settings > Apps > Default apps, search for Google Chrome, select it, and click Set default. If that button is unavailable, assign Chrome to HTTP, HTTPS, .htm, and .html individually.
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How do I change the default browser in Windows 10?
Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps. Under Web browser, select the current browser and choose the browser you want.
Why do PDF files still open in Edge after I changed my browser?
PDF files use a separate .pdf association. In Settings > Apps > Default apps, search for .pdf, select the current app, and choose your preferred PDF reader or browser.
Why do Outlook links still open in Edge?
New Outlook and classic Outlook have separate link-opening preferences. In new Outlook, use Settings > General > Files and links > Open hyperlinks from Outlook in. In classic Outlook, use File > Options > Advanced > File and browser preferences.
Can I make Chrome or Firefox the default in Windows S mode?
No. Edge is the default browser while Windows remains in S mode. You must switch out of S mode to select another browser, and Microsoft says the switch is permanent.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWhy does my default browser keep changing back?
A work, school, or managed PC may have a Group Policy or MDM policy that reapplies its own protocol and file associations. Contact the administrator rather than editing the registry.
The Bottom Line
For Windows 10 and Windows 11, use Settings > Apps > Default apps. Windows 11 lets you select the browser and press Set default; Windows 10 uses the Web browser selector. If a link or file still opens elsewhere, check its individual association—especially .pdf—and review the separate browser settings in Outlook or Teams.
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