Why does Windows 11 default to Edge and how do I change it?
Every time I click a link or try to set a default browser, it keeps switching back to Edge. I prefer Chrome but Windows seems to force Edge on me.
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It's annoying. Microsoft definitely wants you using Edge since they built it and own the OS. The thing is, Windows 11 made it even harder to switch away from Edge compared to Windows 10 - they basically buried the settings and made the process way more annoying than it should be.
To actually make it stick, you need to change the default browser through Settings, but here's the key part that most people miss: go to Settings > Apps > Default apps, then scroll down and click on Edge (or whatever your current default is), and then select Chrome for each file type and protocol. Don't just click the Chrome app itself - you have to go through and manually set it for .html files, http links, https links, all of that. It's tedious but it actually works. Some people also uninstall Edge or disable it in Task Scheduler so Windows can't randomly reassign it, though uninstalling can be a pain since Microsoft doesn't make that super easy either. If you're really fed up, there are some registry tweaks people use but honestly the Settings method should work if you do it right.
The frustrating part is Windows will sometimes reset your default again after updates, so you might have to redo it occasionally. It's one of those things that feels intentionally annoying rather than a glitch - just Microsoft being Microsoft.
Microsoft's been pretty aggressive about pushing edge since it's their own browser and uses chromium now. they want people using it for market share basically. windows 11 specifically makes it harder to change the default than previous versions did.
to actually change it, you gotta go into Settings > Apps > Default apps. find your browser (chrome in your case) and click on it, then you'll see a bunch of file types and protocols - you need to click each one individually and select chrome. this includes things like http, https, .html files, etc. it's annoying because there's like a dozen of them. some people find that after doing this windows still tries to switch it back after updates, so you might have to redo it occasionally which is frustrating.
if that keeps failing, make sure chrome is fully updated and that you're not running any windows update in the background while you're trying to change settings - that can interfere. also worth checking if edge is set to open in your startup programs and disable it if it is. are you finding it switches back immediately after you change it, or does it take a few days? that might help figure out if it's windows or something else going on.
robert7 asker
Switches back within hours, sometimes immediately. Thanks for the detailed fix.
The thing is microsoft really wants you using edge since it's their own product and they've baked it pretty deep into windows 11. they control the OS so they can make it the default for links in emails, windows settings, cortana results, etc. it's honestly kinda annoying if you prefer something else, but there are ways around it.
to actually stick with chrome you gotta be thorough. just setting it as default in settings sometimes isn't enough - you need to go into Settings > Apps > Default apps and then specifically set Chrome for http, https, .html files, and also the "web browser" option if you see it. some people also recommend checking Settings > Apps > Apps & features, find Edge, and if it lets you, you can disable it (though windows doesn't always make this easy). also make sure chrome isn't set to auto-reset - windows used to do this but i think they chilled out on it after people complained.
one more thing: if you're clicking links in windows mail or other microsoft apps and they still open in edge, you might need to set the default there too since some apps have their own browser settings. and honestly if all else fails you can disable some edge-related tasks in task scheduler, but that's getting into the weeds. chrome should stick as your default if you do the settings thing properly though.
It's annoying 🙄 Microsoft definitely pushes Edge hard since it's theirs, but if Chrome keeps getting reset as default, check if you have "Restore previous version" or similar settings sneaking in - sometimes Windows updates or certain apps can flip it back. You might need to go into Settings > Apps > Default apps and make sure Chrome is set as default for HTTP/HTTPS protocols specifically, not just as the general browser default.
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