start "" "file://%PATH_ROOT%\files\SiteList\waitMsg.html" Unable to launch HTML files with the above command on Windows 11 25H2. Please tell me the cause and how to fix it.

Question

start "" "file://%PATH_ROOT%\files\SiteList\waitMsg.html"

On Windows 11 25H2, I can no longer open HTML files using the above command. Please tell me the cause and how to fix it.

Events during command execution

・The HTML file won't open.

・The message 'Select an app to open the .html file' appears for a few seconds and then disappears. (The screen disappears without selecting any button)

Other Notes

・Default browser setting: Edge

・Default app settings for .html: Edge

・In versions of Windows 11 up to 24H2, HTML files opened with Edge.

Answer 1

The issue you're experiencing with opening HTML files using the start command in Windows 11 25H2 could be related to how file associations are handled in this version of Windows. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially fix the problem:

1. Check Default App Settings: Ensure that Microsoft Edge is still set as the default app for opening .html files. You can do this by going to Settings > Apps > Default apps and searching for .html to confirm that Edge is selected.
2. Repair Edge: If Edge is set correctly but still not opening HTML files, you might want to repair the Edge installation. You can do this by going to Settings > Apps > Apps & features, finding Microsoft Edge in the list, clicking on it, and selecting the repair option.
3. Reinstall Edge: If repairing does not work, consider reinstalling Edge. You can download the installer from the official Microsoft Edge website and run it to reinstall the browser.
4. Registry Check: Sometimes, the registry settings for file associations can become corrupted. You can check the registry key for .html files to ensure it is set to htmlfile. To do this, open the Registry Editor (regedit), navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html, and verify that the (Default) value is set to htmlfile.
5. Run System File Checker: Since you mentioned running sfc and dism, ensure that these commands completed successfully and that there are no underlying system issues.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, it may be worth checking for any updates to Windows or Edge that could address this behavior.

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References:

• Microsoft Edge will not start. - Microsoft Q&A
• Set Microsoft Edge as the default browser