How to Change the Default Browser in Windows

Whenever you select a link in an email, click on a shortcut to a URL or perform any other action that causes a browser to launch, Windows will automatically open the default option. If you've never modified this setting, the default browser is most likely Microsoft Edge.

If Microsoft Edge is not your everyday browser of choice, or if you've inadvertently designated another browser as the default, changing this setting is fairly simple but varies by application. In this tutorial, you will learn how to make many popular browsers the default option in Windows 7.x, 8.x or 10.x. Some browsers may prompt you to make them the default browser immediately upon launch, depending on their current configuration.

This tutorial is only intended for desktop/laptop users running the Windows 7.x, 8.x or 10.x operating system. Please note that all Windows 8.x instructions in this tutorial assume that you are running in Desktop Mode.

 

Google Chrome

To set Google Chrome as your default Windows browser, take the following steps.

  1. Open your Google Chrome browser.
  2. Open Chrome's main menu button, located in the upper right-hand corner of the browser and represented by three vertically-aligned dots.
  3. When the drop-down menu appears, select the Settings option. Please note that you can also access Chrome's settings interface by entering the following shortcut command in the browser's Omnibox, also known as the address bar: chrome://settings.
  4. Scroll down, if necessary, until you locate the Default browser section.
  5. Click the button labeled "Make Google Chrome the default browser".
 

Mozilla Firefox

To set Mozilla Firefox as your default Windows browser, take the following steps.

  1. Open your Firefox browser.
  2. Select the Firefox menu button, represented by three horizontal lines and located in the upper right-hand corner of the browser window.
  3. When the pop-out menu appears, select Options.
  4. Firefox's Options dialog should now be displayed, overlaying your browser window. Select the General icon, if necessary.
  5. The first section in the General tab, labeled Startup, contains settings related to your default browser. Click the Make Firefox My Default Browser button.
 

Internet Explorer 11

To set IE11 as your default Windows browser, take the following steps.

  1. Select the Gear icon, also known as the Action or Tools menu, located in the upper right-hand corner of your browser window.
  2. When the drop-down menu appears, select Internet options.
  3. The Internet Options dialog should now be displayed, overlaying your browser window. Select the Programs tab.
  4. Find the "Default Web Browser" in the "Programs" tab. Next, click the "Set as Default Browser" button.

 

Microsoft Edge

To set Microsoft Edge as your default browser in Windows 10, take the following steps.

  1. Click on the Windows Start button, located in the lower left-hand corner of the screen. When the pop-out menu appears, select Settings.
  2. The Windows Settings interface should now be visible. Select Default apps, found in the left menu pane.
  3. Scroll down until you locate the Web browser section. Select the current option to display the Choose an app menu.
  4. Select Microsoft Edge. 
 

Safari

To set Safari as your default Windows browser, take the following steps.

  1. Click on the Gear icon, located in the upper right-hand corner of your browser window. When the drop-down menu appears, click on Preferences.
  2. Safari's Preferences dialog should now be displayed, overlaying your browser window. Select the General icon, if it is not already selected.
  3. Select the drop-down menu accompanying the Default web browser option.
  4. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled Safari.

 

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