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To open a URL in a particular browser, launch that browser’s executable (or its operating-system launcher) and pass the URL as an argument. Use microsoft-edge: for Edge on Windows, open -a on macOS, and a browser command such as firefox or google-chrome on Linux. Commands such as start, open, and xdg-open without a browser name use the system default instead.
Choose between the default browser and a named browser
There are two different tasks:
- Open with the default: give the operating system an
http:orhttps:URL and let its registered handler decide. - Open with a specific browser: invoke that browser directly, or use a browser-specific URI scheme.
A default-browser command is convenient for scripts that should respect each user’s preference. A named-browser command is appropriate for testing, support instructions, automation, or opening a page in a browser with a particular profile or extension set. The browser must be installed, and executable names or paths can differ by distribution and installation method.
Windows: open a URL in Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or the default browser
Microsoft Edge
In Command Prompt, PowerShell, or the Run dialog, use the documented Edge URI scheme:
start "" "microsoft-edge:https://example.com"The microsoft-edge: prefix selects Edge even when another browser is configured as the default. Keep the empty quoted argument after start; Windows treats the first quoted argument as a window title.
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Google Chrome
Pass the URL to Chrome’s executable. A common 64-bit installation path is:
"C:Program FilesGoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe" "https://example.com"Some installations are under Program Files (x86) or a user profile. If that path fails, locate chrome.exe and substitute its actual path. Once the executable directory is on PATH, you can usually run:
chrome "https://example.com"Mozilla Firefox
"C:Program FilesMozilla Firefoxfirefox.exe" "https://example.com"Use the installed path on your machine; enterprise and per-user installations can differ. Firefox accepts a URL as a command-line argument and opens it in an existing Firefox process when possible.
The Windows default browser
start "" "https://example.com"Windows delegates ordinary http: and https: links to the registered default handler. An ordinary application generally cannot choose which registered application handles those schemes; use an explicit executable or Edge’s scheme when the browser matters.
PowerShell details
PowerShell can invoke a quoted executable path with the call operator:
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& "C:Program FilesGoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe" "https://example.com"For the default browser, use:
Start-Process "https://example.com"Do not concatenate untrusted text into a command without validation. A URL containing shell metacharacters can change what the shell executes; pass it as a separate, quoted argument.
macOS: target Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or the default
Open in a named application
The open command selects an application by name:
open -a "Google Chrome" "https://example.com"
open -a Safari "https://example.com"
open -a "Firefox" "https://example.com"The application name must match the installed app. If macOS reports that it cannot find the application, check the name in Finder’s Applications folder. The command normally reuses an existing browser process and creates a new tab or window according to that browser’s settings.
Open in the default browser
open "https://example.com"This uses macOS’s default URL handler. Changing the default browser in System Settings changes where this command goes, but does not change an open -a command that names an app.
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Use a full application path when names are ambiguous
open -a "/Applications/Google Chrome.app" "https://example.com"Application names and paths containing spaces must be quoted. The macOS application launcher and browser protocol-handler registration are separate mechanisms: open -a is a one-off choice, while registration associates a scheme with an app for future activations.
Linux: launch a specific browser from a terminal
Firefox, Chrome, and Chromium
firefox "https://example.com"
google-chrome "https://example.com"
chromium "https://example.com"Executable names depend on the package and distribution. Snap, Flatpak, or vendor packages may expose a different command; check the launcher installed by your package manager. To verify which command will run, use command -v firefox, command -v google-chrome, or command -v chromium.
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Open in the preferred or default application
xdg-open "https://example.com"xdg-open intentionally opens a URL in the user’s preferred application, normally the configured default browser. It is therefore not a browser-selection command. Desktop environments may also provide gio open, but that likewise follows desktop associations unless you invoke a browser explicitly.
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Many browser commands remain attached to the terminal. Add an ampersand in a shell when you want the prompt back:
firefox "https://example.com" &For scripts, capture the process ID if you need to monitor or terminate the browser. Avoid assuming that a new process means a new window: an already-running browser may handle the request through its existing instance.
Comparison of launcher methods
| System | Specific browser | Default browser | Executable path required? | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | start "" "microsoft-edge:URL" or an executable path |
start "" "URL" |
Only when invoking Chrome, Firefox, or another executable directly | One-off launch |
| macOS | open -a "App" "URL" |
open "URL" |
No for a correctly named app; yes if using a full path | One-off launch |
| Linux | firefox URL, google-chrome URL, or another executable |
xdg-open "URL" |
Usually no if the executable is on PATH; otherwise yes |
One-off launch |
| All systems | Registered custom protocol handler | Not applicable | Registration determines the handler | Persistent association for a scheme |
Can a website force a link to open in a particular browser?
No ordinary webpage can reliably force an https: link to open in an arbitrary browser. The operating system and the user’s browser settings control ordinary web schemes. A site can offer a link, detect limited browser characteristics, or ask the user to continue in another app, but it cannot silently override the user’s choice.
Protocol handlers are different
Custom schemes such as web+music: can be registered to an installed application. Windows, Linux, and macOS support protocol handlers for installed web apps, and activation can involve user permission or a handler-choice prompt. A website can register a handler with navigator.registerProtocolHandler(), but activation navigates through the registered URL template; this is not unlimited control over arbitrary ordinary links.
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Use a custom scheme only when you control the application and its registration flow. For a normal web URL, document the appropriate command for each operating system instead of promising that a page can force a browser.
Reliable scripts and automation practices
Quote and validate the URL
Always quote the complete URL. Validate that it uses an expected scheme such as https: before passing user input to a shell. Reject newline characters and shell control characters when URLs come from forms, tickets, or external data.
Locate the executable rather than hard-coding one path
Windows installations vary by architecture and per-user versus system scope. Linux package formats vary even more. Prefer a configured executable path, an environment variable, or a lookup such as command -v instead of assuming one location.
Expect an existing browser process
Launching a command may hand the URL to an existing process. If a clean session is required for testing, use that browser’s documented profile or private-session options and isolate the profile directory; do not delete a user’s profile as a shortcut.
Handle headless and server environments
These desktop launchers require a graphical session. On a server without a display, use a supported headless browser automation stack or a screenshot service instead of expecting open, start, or xdg-open to display anything.
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Common errors and fixes
- “The system cannot find the path specified” (Windows): the executable path is wrong. Find the installed browser and update the quoted path, or add its directory to
PATH. - Edge opens when you expected Chrome: you used
start "" "URL"or another default-handler command. Invoke Chrome directly. open -asays the app is unavailable: the app name does not match its installed name, or it is not in Applications. Use Finder’s exact name or a full.apppath.xdg-openchooses the wrong browser: that is its purpose—it follows the preferred handler. Call the desired browser executable instead, or change the desktop default.- Linux says “command not found”: the browser is not on
PATH, has a different package command, or is not installed. Locate its launcher and use the full path. - The command returns but no window appears: the machine may be headless, the browser may be minimized, or an existing process may have consumed the request. Check the display session and browser process.
- A URL opens incorrectly: quote it as one argument and ensure characters such as
&,?, and#were not interpreted by the shell.
Or skip the browser setup
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FAQ
How do I open a link in Chrome instead of Edge on Windows?
Run Chrome’s executable with the URL, for example "C:Program FilesGoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe" "https://example.com". Do not use the default-handler form start "" "https://example.com".
Can I make every link use one browser without changing the default?
Not for ordinary http: and https: links. Use explicit launch commands in the application or script that needs a particular browser; persistent system associations affect the default handler.
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Most browsers route command-line URLs to an already-running instance. If you need isolation, create a separate supported browser profile or automation session rather than assuming each command creates a new process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I open a link in Chrome instead of Edge on Windows?
Run Chrome’s executable with the URL, for example "C:Program FilesGoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe" "https://example.com". Do not use the default-handler form start "" "https://example.com".
Can I make every link use one browser without changing the default?
Not for ordinary http: and https: links. Use explicit launch commands in the application or script that needs a particular browser; persistent system associations affect the default handler.
Why does a browser command reuse an existing window?
Most browsers route command-line URLs to an already-running instance. If you need isolation, create a separate supported browser profile or automation session rather than assuming each command creates a new process.
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