How to Change the Default Browser in Windows 11

When you install Windows 11, Microsoft Edge is deeply embedded into the operating system as the default web browser. If you click a link in an email, a PDF file, or a news article widget, it will automatically open in Edge, even if you have already installed Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

To stop Windows from forcing you to use Edge, you must officially designate your preferred browser as the system default. Early builds of Windows 11 made this incredibly difficult, requiring you to change defaults for every individual file type (HTML, PDF, SVG). Fortunately, Microsoft has since updated Windows 11 with a simple “Set default” button.

Step 1: Install Your Preferred Browser

Before you can change your default browser, the new browser must actually be installed on your computer. If you have not done so already, open Edge one last time, navigate to the official website of your preferred browser (such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Brave), download the installer, and complete the setup.

Step 2: Change the Default Browser in Settings

Once your new browser is installed, follow these steps to make it the system default.

1. Click the Start button on your taskbar and select the gear icon to open Settings (or press Windows Key + I).
2. In the left-hand sidebar of the Settings app, click on Apps.
3. Select Default apps from the list on the right.
4. You will see a search bar under the heading “Set defaults for applications”. Type the name of your preferred browser (e.g., Chrome) into this box.
5. Click on your browser when it appears in the search results below.
6. At the very top of the next screen, you will see a banner that says “Make Google Chrome your default browser” (or whichever browser you chose).
7. Click the Set default button located to the right of that text.

You will see a small checkmark appear next to the button, indicating success. If you scroll down the page, you will notice that Windows has automatically switched the default handlers for .htm, .html, HTTP, and HTTPS protocols from Edge to your new browser.

Step 3: Fix PDF Files and Other Edge Holdouts

Even after clicking the “Set default” button, Microsoft Edge will stubbornly refuse to give up control of certain file types—most notably, PDF documents.

If you want PDF files to open in your new browser (or in a dedicated PDF reader like Adobe Acrobat) instead of Edge, you must change this manually:

1. Stay on the same Default apps settings page for your browser.
2. Scroll down the list of file types until you find .pdf. It will likely still have the Microsoft Edge icon next to it.
3. Click on the Microsoft Edge icon.
4. A pop-up window will appear asking, “How do you want to open .pdf files from now on?”
5. Select your preferred browser (or Adobe Acrobat) from the list and click Set default.

Your transition away from Microsoft Edge is now complete. Any web link you click throughout the Windows 11 operating system will now open seamlessly in your browser of choice.