Microsoft has lastly solved its browser selection drawback inside Home windows 11…form of.
As Neowin famous, the newest non-compulsory replace to Home windows 11 (construct 2000.593, or KB5011563) features a lengthy record of bug fixes—however one new function that it hides is the power to lastly set your default browser in a single click on. In the event you navigate to Home windows 11’s Settings menu after which Home windows Replace, you may even see it as an non-compulsory replace for the time being. (The replace will possible be added as a normal Home windows 11 replace in some unspecified time in the future within the close to future.)
As we famous in our unique Home windows 11 assessment, the lack to simply swap between browsers was a significant flaw of Home windows 11. Our record of one of the best browsers for Home windows 11 assumes that you simply’ll be capable to simply swap forwards and backwards, and without spending a dime. Prior to now, Home windows 11 pressured you to assign a default browser to every file kind: an HTML file, PDF file, and so forth.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Now, below KB5011563, you possibly can navigate to the Settings menu, then Apps > Default apps and choose an app like Google Chrome. You need to see a “Make Google Chrome your default browser” button on the prime. Clicking it is going to change the default app for HTTP, HTTPS, HTM and HTML information to Chrome…and that’s it.
So, sure, Microsoft isn’t solely switching your default browser—or, whether it is, it’s defining “browser” as “primarily accessing web sites”. Edge will nonetheless be the default browser for PDF information, FTP transfers, SHTML, and XHTML information. It’s the primary file class—PDF information—the place you’ll in all probability need to swap the default browser to Chrome. However for those who do, Microsoft will throw up one in every of its detested adverts as a replacement.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Bear in mind, we’re really in favor of adverts selling new options inside Home windows. This advert stands in the way in which of a professional person selection, and there’s actually no purpose for it. Leaving the default PDF file handler unchanged implies that Microsoft hopes to raise the variety of Edge’s month-to-month customers by often launching Edge to serve PDF information.
Nonetheless, most of the modifications Microsoft has made to Home windows 11 have been in response to customers loudly demanding the return of options that Microsoft eradicated from Home windows 11. Browser selection is a kind of must-have choices.
