Why do some links STILL open with Edge after setting my default browser to NOT edge

Question

Usually web links open correctly in the default browser that I've selected under Settings > Apps > Default Apps.

But some web links seem to ignore this and always open in Edge, regardless of my default browser setting.

Here's an example - a weblink from Settings > Personalization>Taskbar:

Surely ALL web links should open in the default browser that I've selected, shouldn't they ?

Or does 'default' actually mean 'default (except for sometimes)' ?

So the question's really is this behaviour a bug, or is this by design ?

ANSWER:'Default browser' actually mean 'default browser (except for sometimes)' and it's 100% by design. It's the MICROSOFT-EDGE protocol (not the HTTP or HTTPS protocol), which will totally ignore the user's default browser selection and open the link using Edge.

Answer 1

I'm fairly certain that FTP is totally irrelevant for this particular example. You can see from the address bar in the original query's screenshot that it's an HTTPS page that's opening in Edge.

The HTTP and HTTPS default app was already set to non-Edge, asyou can see in green below, which is what I'd hope and expect since I'd set my default browser to non-Edge.

So Windows appears to be totally ignoring my selection for default HTTPS app when it opens that https://support.microsoft.com URL from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar

However, as you can see in red above, I did notice that there's also a specific MICROSOFT-EDGE protocol apparently reserved exclusively for Edge (none of the four non-Edge browsers I have installed appear as options for it, only Edge).

While investigating this protocol I found a January 2020 How to open url:microsoft-edge with for example Firefox? topic on the Microsoft community forums, asking a similar question to mine - why do Cortana/Windows search results always open in Edge regardless of default browser selection.

In simple terms it appears that simply adding a 'microsoft-edge:' prefix to any http or https URL will cause Windows to totally ignore the user's default browser selection and open it in Edge. And several things within Windows seem to do this - Cortana, the taskbar search, my 'How do I customize the taskbar?' link, etc.

So it's 100% a deliberate design decision.

Answer 2

Some links are hard-coded to open in Microsoft Edge. By 'hard-coded' I mean that the link is coded by the developer to open in Microsoft Edge.

I obviously don't know why a developer chooses to do this in any particular case, but in general: Since Microsoft Edge is built into every copy of Windows, it's a way to ensure that a link will open.

Answer 3

Hi, I am Van. I'm an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft user like you. I'll be glad to help you today.

Yes, this is possible, You might need to also change the routing of HTTP HTTPS to your default browser. To do this kindly follow the step below.

1. Open Setting on Start Menu.
2. Go to Apps> Default Apps.
3. Scroll down and click Choose Default Apps by Protocol
4. On the list look for all the protocol which associated to the web. (e.g.) HTTP, HTTPS, FTP and change it to the browser that you want to use.

I hope you find this useful. Do not hesitate to get back to us if you need further assistance. I am more than happy to help

Best regards,

Van

Answer 4

You appear to be correct in aroundabout way - see my response to Van Dennis' post.

It seems to me that the actual URL used by the System >Personalization >Taskbar > How do I customize the taskbar? link is this:

microsoft-edge:https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/29280/windows-10-how-to-use-the-taskbar

which will totally ignore the user's default browser selection and always uses Edge.

Once again I've managed to answer my own question, but I can't mark my own post as the answer. And I can't mark either of the responses as the answer, because they weren't, although they both helped.

Answer 5

Hi Pete,

Yes, this is by design. Windows always use Edge as the default browser when you use Cortana and windows search option. Microsoft pushes us to use their very own browser and search engine.

Best regards,

Van