Which regisry keys do I need to add to a GPO to make Firefox default
I'm trying to deploy Firefox 25 to around 400 users using terminal services on windows 2008r2 but I need it to be the default browser. I know that Firefox management isn't really that manageable in a business environment with no direct GPO or management console support but, is there a list of registry keys needed to make Firefox the default browser? At least if I know the keys it checks, I can write those with a GPO.
I've tried doing a search of the registry before/after making FF the default but there are over 70 locations and they can't all be necessary.
All Replies (4)
Hello,
Please check if these links can help you find the required registry keys which you can set using the group policy editor in the domain controller
- Default browser via Group policy (primarily IE)
- Registry keys for configuring default browser
- Registry keys for configuring the default browser
The last one also has option for the Firefox to register itself. I haven't tried it, so request you to test it and let us know the results.
If you are able to get this done, I request you to report on this thread, so that we are able to create a Wiki article for other admin users. We definitely want to make Firefox easily deployable for the admin teams.
Thank you
Also found these links that might be helpful for you. I haven't tried these, since I don't have Domain controller / SCCM access
Thank you
Modified by gnittala
Thanks for the responses.
The last entry on the first post comes close but doesn't appear to stop Forefox asking to become default. I've been able to fix this but in a rather long-winded manner. The first step is to create two registry files that emulate Firefox making itself default (I've tried one or other file but it seems to need both). The entries should ensure that hyperlinks in other products (Outlook, Word) will open Firefox as default. :
- File 1 Start ***
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxHTML] @="Firefox HTML Document" "FriendlyTypeName"="Firefox HTML Document" "EditFlags"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxHTML\DefaultIcon] @="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe,1"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxHTML\shell] @="open"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxHTML\shell\open]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxHTML\shell\open\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe\" -osint -url \"%1\""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxHTML\shell\open\ddeexec] @=""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxURL] @="Firefox URL" "FriendlyTypeName"="Firefox URL" "EditFlags"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxURL\DefaultIcon] @="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe,1"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxURL\shell] @="open"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxURL\shell\open]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxURL\shell\open\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe\" -osint -url \"%1\""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\FirefoxURL\shell\open\ddeexec] @=""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ftp] "URL Protocol"="" "EditFlags"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ftp\DefaultIcon] @="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe,1"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ftp\shell] @="open"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ftp\shell\open]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ftp\shell\open\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe\" -osint -url \"%1\""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ftp\shell\open\ddeexec] @=""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\http]
"URL Protocol"=""
"EditFlags"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\http\DefaultIcon] @="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe,1"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\http\shell] @="open"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\http\shell\open]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\http\shell\open\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe\" -osint -url \"%1\""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\http\shell\open\ddeexec] @=""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\https]
"URL Protocol"=""
"EditFlags"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\https\DefaultIcon] @="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe,1"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\https\shell] @="open"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\https\shell\open]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\https\shell\open\command] @="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe\" -osint -url \"%1\""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\https\shell\open\ddeexec] @=""
- File 1 end ***
- File 2 start ***
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\ftp]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\ftp\UserChoice] "Progid"="FirefoxURL"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice] "Progid"="FirefoxURL"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\https]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\https\UserChoice] "Progid"="FirefoxURL"
- File 2 end ***
Next - Import the files using a user profile with admin access.
Finally, in the same session used to import the keys, run the GPO editor and, using the registry wizard (pic attached), add all the above keys to the GPO. If you then apply the GPO properly, it forces users to use Firefox as the default.
I'm sure this could easily be turned into and ADM/ADMX to simplify the process for others with the same issue.
