To make web links open in your preferred browser in Windows 10, go to Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps. Under Web browser, select the browser currently shown and choose the installed browser you want to use. Then test a link. This changes Windows’ normal web-link association, although Outlook for Windows, Teams desktop, and Windows 10 S mode have separate limitations.
Change the default browser in Windows 10
The Settings app is the most consistent way to change the browser Windows uses for ordinary web links. The labels can vary slightly between Windows 10 releases, but the control remains under Default apps. You do not need to change browser settings one by one or remove Microsoft Edge first.
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- Select Start, then select Settings.
- Open Apps.
- Select Default apps in the left-hand pane.
- Scroll to the Web browser section. Windows displays the browser currently assigned to web links.
- Select that browser. A list of browsers installed on the PC appears.
- Select the browser you want to use. If Windows displays a confirmation prompt, accept the change.
After the selection changes, Windows should send ordinary HTTP and HTTPS links to that browser. The browser must already be installed and available in the list. If it is missing, install it from its official publisher, close and reopen Settings if needed, and return to Default apps.
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Microsoft documents this process in Change Default Apps in Windows.
Prepare and verify the change
Before changing the setting, make sure the browser you want is installed under the Windows account you are using. If you are switching because another browser contains your bookmarks or passwords, confirm that the information is present there first. Changing the default does not automatically move browsing data between browsers.
It can also help to close open browser windows before testing. This makes it easier to see which application Windows launches for a new link and which profile it opens. A browser with multiple profiles may open a different profile than the one you expected; that is a profile choice inside the browser, not necessarily a failed Windows default.
Use a link from a neutral location, such as a document or a standard Windows application, rather than starting with Outlook or Teams. Select the link and confirm which browser opens. This separates a Windows-wide default from an application that has its own link preference.
- Check that the browser window you expected opens.
- If a different profile appears, review that browser’s profile selection separately.
- If Edge opens only for links inside Outlook or Teams, go to the app-specific section below instead of repeating the Windows steps.
- If only one kind of link behaves differently, inspect the individual file or link association in Default apps.
A successful test from a document or ordinary application confirms the Windows default. It does not prove that every application will honor it, because some Microsoft applications can apply their own policy or preference.
What Windows 10 is actually changing
Default apps in Windows can be assigned in more than one way. The main Web browser setting chooses an application for general web links, while Windows also maintains associations for particular file extensions and link protocols. Microsoft’s guidance covers defaults by application, file type, and link type.
That distinction explains why a browser change can appear to work for most links while one specific link still opens elsewhere. A particular protocol or file type may have its own assignment. For example, a normal website address and a link that opens a local HTML file are not necessarily evaluated through exactly the same association.
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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 matchOpen Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps and inspect the available choices for the relevant association. Depending on the Windows release, you may be able to choose defaults by file type, by link type, or by application. Select the browser you want for the association, then test the same link again.
Change only the association that is producing the unexpected result. Reassigning unrelated file types can make other files open in an application you did not intend. If you are unsure which association is involved, first note where the link came from and what it opens, then compare its behavior with an ordinary website link.
Use the Settings controls rather than registry edits or unsupported scripts. Registry changes can create additional associations or make later troubleshooting harder, while the supported interface exposes the assignments Windows is currently using.
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Alternative route: search for Default Programs
Some Windows 10 interfaces expose an older control-panel style route. Select Start, type Default Programs, and open the matching result. In the browser section, choose the browser you want to use for web links.
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The wording and layout may differ from the Settings app, especially after updates. If the search result does not appear or does not show a browser control, use Settings > Apps > Default apps, which is Microsoft’s general route for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Microsoft preserves the Windows 10 browser-selection workflow in its Using SharePoint in Windows 10 guidance. The alternative route is useful when a familiar Control Panel result is easier to find, but the Settings route is the primary walkthrough for current Windows 10 installations.
If your preferred browser is not listed
Install the browser first
Windows can offer only applications that are installed and registered as capable of handling web links. Download the browser from its official publisher, complete the installation, and reopen Default apps. The newly installed browser should then appear under Web browser.
Do not choose an unrelated application merely because it appears in the list. The selected program should be the browser you intend to use for web links. If the browser installer offers to make itself the default, you can accept that option or finish the installation and make the choice later in Windows Settings.
Check the installation and account
If the browser still does not appear, confirm that its installation completed for the Windows account you are using. Close and reopen Settings, then check the list again. An incomplete installation or an application that is not registered as a web-link handler may not be offered as a choice.
If the browser appears after installation but links still open in Edge, repeat the neutral-link test. Then inspect the relevant file or link association rather than assuming the general Web browser entry failed.
Consider organizational restrictions
A work or school PC may be managed by policy. An administrator can limit which applications are available or which associations users may change. If the control is locked, immediately reverts, or omits an installed browser, contact the administrator rather than attempting to bypass the policy.
Why Outlook or Teams links may still open in Edge
Changing Windows’ default browser does not necessarily change the browser selected by Outlook for Windows or Teams desktop. Microsoft says links from Outlook emails and Teams chats can open in Edge according to settings inside those applications, independently of the Windows default.
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In Outlook, open the application’s settings and look for the option controlling how web links are opened. If it is set to Edge, change it to the system default browser or the available alternative presented by your Outlook version. The exact label can vary between Outlook builds, so use the app’s settings search if the option is difficult to locate.
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After changing the Outlook preference, close and reopen an Outlook window if the old behavior continues. Test a link from a new message or an existing message and compare it with a link from a document. This confirms whether Outlook is honoring its own selection while Windows continues to use the browser chosen under Default apps.
Teams desktop
Teams has a comparable link-opening preference. Open Teams settings, find the browser or link-handling option, and choose the system default or another offered browser instead of Edge. Save the setting, then select a link in a chat to test it.
Microsoft’s explanation of this behavior and the related controls is available in Web links from Outlook emails and Teams chats open in Microsoft Edge. If links from other applications also ignore the Windows choice, check those applications for their own browser setting before changing Windows associations again.
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Windows 10 S mode is a special case
Windows 10 in S mode does not permit the same browser choice as a standard Windows 10 installation. Microsoft states that Edge remains the default browser in Windows 10 S mode and that Chrome or Firefox cannot be made the default while the PC remains in S mode.
This restriction applies specifically to S mode; it is not a limitation imposed on every Windows 10 PC. To identify the edition and mode, open Settings > System > About and review the Windows specifications. If the device is in S mode, the browser selection may remain unavailable or return to Edge.
Leaving S mode is a separate Windows decision with its own consequences. Do not treat it as a browser-setting workaround unless you understand the change and have confirmed that your device supports the required process. Microsoft’s S mode explanation is in the Windows 10 and Windows 11 in S mode FAQ.
When only some links open in the wrong browser
Identify the link type
Note where the problem link came from and what it does. A normal website address, a local HTML file, and a link handled through a particular protocol can have different associations. Reproduce the problem once, then return to Default apps and inspect the association that matches it.
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Review file and protocol defaults
In Settings > Apps > Default apps, use the controls for choosing defaults by file type or link type. Find the relevant entry and select your preferred browser. Windows may display separate entries for different extensions or protocols; change only the association that is producing the unexpected result.
Retest from the same source
After changing an association, close and reopen the application that supplied the link. Some applications retain a previously resolved handler until they are restarted. Test the original link and one ordinary website link so you can tell whether the change fixed a specific association or the general browser default.
If the ordinary test works but the original link does not, the source application may be applying its own setting. That is especially important for Outlook and Teams, which can choose Edge independently of the Windows-wide browser setting.
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Choosing a browser before you switch
Windows does not rank browsers for you, and this setting is not a performance comparison. The practical choice is the installed browser that fits how you already work. Before switching, consider:
- Bookmarks and passwords: confirm that the browser contains the data you need or that you know how to import it.
- Extensions: check whether the extensions you rely on are available in the browser you plan to select.
- Accessibility: verify that its zoom, text-size, high-contrast, screen-reader, and keyboard features meet your needs.
- Organizational policy: on a managed computer, your employer or school may require a particular browser or enforce a link-handling policy.
- Profiles: if the browser offers multiple profiles, select the profile you intend to use after the browser opens.
These considerations affect your experience after Windows hands a link to the browser; they do not change the Windows procedure itself. There is no physical product to buy for this task: the change is completed in Windows Settings, and a replacement PC or generic manual is unrelated to the setting.
Windows 10 support status
Microsoft says Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. The operating system continues to function, but standard technical assistance, feature updates, and security updates ended on that date. Microsoft lists consumer Extended Security Updates as an option that can protect a Windows 10 device through October 12, 2027, subject to the program’s requirements.
This lifecycle status does not alter the browser-selection steps. It matters because a browser setting cannot provide operating-system security updates. Keep the device’s support status in mind when deciding whether to remain on Windows 10, use the available security program, or move to a supported Windows release.
See Microsoft’s dated notice, Windows 10 support has ended on October 14, 2025, for the current lifecycle details. The support date is separate from the browser choice: changing from Edge to another installed browser neither extends Windows support nor removes the need to address the operating system’s lifecycle.
Quick troubleshooting checklist
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Change the entry under Web browser to an installed browser.
- Accept any confirmation prompt only after checking the browser name.
- Test a link from a document or ordinary application.
- If only Outlook or Teams is affected, change that application’s own link-opening setting.
- If only one type of link is affected, inspect its file-type or link-type association.
- Restart the source application after changing an association.
- If the browser is absent, install it from its official publisher and reopen Default apps.
- If the PC is in S mode, understand that Edge remains the default while S mode is enabled.
- If the setting is blocked or reverts on a work or school PC, ask the administrator.
- Remember that Windows 10 support ended October 14, 2025; browser selection does not replace operating-system security updates.
Frequently encountered questions
Will changing the default browser remove Edge?
No. Selecting another browser for web links changes the default association; it does not remove Edge from Windows.
Do I need to change every browser setting?
No. The Windows-wide change is made in Default apps. You may separately need to change Outlook or Teams if those applications are configured to open links in Edge.
Why did Windows ask me to confirm the browser?
Windows can display a confirmation prompt when you replace the current default. Accept it only after checking that the browser shown is the one you want for web links.
Can I change the default browser without installing another one?
No. Windows can select only a browser that is installed and available in its application list. If the browser you want is not listed, install it first.
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Windows supports defaults by file type and link type as well as by application. Revisit Default apps and inspect the association for that protocol or file type, then test the same link again.
Why do Outlook links still open in Edge after I changed Windows?
Outlook for Windows can use an app-specific link preference. Open Outlook settings and choose the system default browser or another offered option instead of Edge.
Why do Teams links still open in Edge?
Teams desktop can also select Edge independently of Windows. Review Teams’ browser or link-handling setting and test a chat link after saving the change.
Can Chrome or Firefox be the default in S mode?
Not while Windows 10 remains in S mode. Microsoft says Edge remains the default there. S mode is a specific exception, not a restriction on every Windows 10 installation.
Does changing the browser affect bookmarks or passwords?
No. The setting changes which installed application receives links. Bookmarks, passwords, extensions, and profiles remain matters for the individual browsers.
Does this procedure apply to every Windows version?
The Settings path described here is for Windows 10. Microsoft’s general Default apps article also covers Windows 11, but labels and available controls can differ between versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make Chrome or Firefox open links by default in Windows 10?
Install the browser, then open Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps. Under Web browser, select the current browser and choose the installed Chrome or Firefox entry.
Why do Outlook links still open in Edge?
Outlook for Windows can have its own link-opening preference. Review Outlook settings and select the system default browser or another offered browser instead of Edge.
Can I set another browser as default in Windows 10 S mode?
No. Microsoft says Edge remains the default browser in Windows 10 S mode while S mode is enabled.
What if only some links ignore my browser choice?
Inspect defaults by file type or link type in Settings > Apps > Default apps. A particular protocol or file extension may have a separate association.
The Bottom Line
For ordinary Windows 10 links, use Start > Settings > Apps > Default apps > Web browser and select an installed browser. Test from a neutral application, then check Outlook or Teams settings and individual file or link associations if some links still open in Edge. Windows 10 S mode keeps Edge as the default, and Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025.
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