If I'm being forced to use Edge as a default browser why give the user the option to set a default browser in the first place?

Question

AI overview states the following "Links open in Microsoft Edge instead of your default Google Chrome because Windows 10/11 forces Edge for system-level links (Search, Widgets, News) and Microsoft apps (Outlook, Teams) override default settings.

Answer 1

Hello, are the links opening from Windows Search, Widgets, or Start menu results?

Use Settings > Apps > Default apps, then scroll to “Choose defaults by link type” and set both HTTP and HTTPS to your preferred browser. After that, open Settings > Privacy & security > Search permissions, turn off “Search highlights” and “Cloud content search” so Windows stops routing results through its own experience. This forces more links to follow your default browser instead of system features that redirect to Edge.

Answer 2

Windows provides a system-wide “default browser” setting, but individual Microsoft apps and features can still choose to open links in a specific browser (typically Microsoft Edge) for integrated or managed experiences.

Two key behaviors are involved:

1. System default browser (user choice)
   • In Windows 10/11, the default browser is controlled by the Default apps settings.
   • Users can set any installed browser as default:
     1. Open Settings > Apps > Default apps.
     2. Under Set defaults for applications, select the browser (for example, Microsoft Edge or another browser).
     3. Use Set default or configure file types/protocols individually.
   • This setting controls how most standard HTTP/HTTPS links and file types open at the OS level.
2. App-specific link handling (policy or app design)
   • Some Microsoft 365 apps (for example, Outlook and Teams on Windows) have their own policy-controlled behavior for web links.
   • The policy “Choose Which Browser Opens Web Links” lets an admin decide whether links from Outlook and Teams open in:
     • System default browser (honors the Windows default), or
     • A specific browser such as Microsoft Edge, regardless of the system default.
   • If this policy is enabled and set to Microsoft Edge, links from Outlook and Teams will open in Edge even if the system default browser is something else.
   • If this policy is disabled or not configured, links open in Edge by default, but users can change this in each app’s settings:
     • New Outlook for Windows: Settings > General > Files and links > Open hyperlinks from Outlook in.
     • Classic Outlook for Windows: File > Options > Advanced > File and browser preferences.
     • Teams: Settings > Files and links > Link open preference.

Why it feels like “forced Edge”

• The OS still exposes a default browser choice for general use.
• However, Microsoft apps and some Windows experiences can override that choice for their own links via policies or built-in behavior, often to enable side‑by‑side or integrated Edge experiences.
• When those policies are configured to use Edge, users experience Edge as “forced” for those specific links, even though the system default browser setting still exists and applies elsewhere.

How to align behavior with the default browser

• For organizations: configure the Choose Which Browser Opens Web Links policy to System default browser so Outlook and Teams respect the Windows default.
• For individual users (when policy allows): change link behavior in Outlook/Teams settings as listed above so links follow the preferred browser.

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References:

• Web links from Outlook and Teams open in Microsoft Edge in side-by-side view
• Change Default Apps in Windows