Firefox blocked as default browser on May 25th 2019
I know this is basically a Windows 10 problem but I hope someone else has seen this.
The morning of May 25th 2019 Pacific Time Microsoft locked in MS Edge as a default browser in Windows 10.
My system shows 2019-05 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 version 1809 for x64-based Systems (KB4494441) successfully installed on 5/23/2019 (yet yesterday, 5/24 Firefox was still my default browser)
[B]Please read/B the following methods to see how they did it. Bottom line: Firefox, Chrome or any other browser are not recognized by Windows 10.
Settings>default apps>web browser
Microsoft Edge or "Look for app in Microsoft Store" (of course neither Firefox nor Chrome nor IE11 are listed there)
Settings>default apps>"choose default apps by protocol"
HTTP and HTTPS are locked in by MS Edge, no way to change
Settings>default apps>"set defaults by app"
Firefox nor Google Chrome nor IE11 are listed
Settings>apps & features
Firefox nor Thunderbird nor Google Chrome nor IE11 listed
Does anyone have a fix. What can we do?
Krejt Përgjigjet (6)
Every time Win 10 is updated, it seems to break something. I am using Win 7 and seldom get all those problems, and they plan to stop supporting Win 7 ? !
See if these links help;
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1207775
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1208759#answer-1086882
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-change-your-default-browser-windows-10
https://www.bing.com/search?q=change+default+browser+windows+10&pc=MOZI&form=MOZSBR
Hello FredMcD, thanks for the links. The only possible solution in those links is a workaround as follows:
Go to Settings>Default Apps and select one of the following [1] "Choose default apps by file type" [2] "Choose default apps by protocol" [3] "Set defaults [both file type and protocol] by app"
Unfortunately, Firefox is missing from all three of those.
Microsoft is always ahead of solutions to prevent MS Edge from being the Windows 10 default browser. I'm afraid they've really succeeded this time, at least for my computer. It is not possible for me to make Firefox my default browser.
This all happened this morning May 25th 2019. I was getting hints when Win 10 started asking me to select default apps for pictures, videos, etc. Then I started FF, it said FF is not your default browser and it all went downhill from there.
The only workaround is in Thunderbird to right click, copy link location, then paste in FF.
Sorry I could not give better advice. I suggest you continue here: https://support.microsoft.com
dangnad2 said
[2] "Choose default apps by protocol"
Firefox is no longer listed as an option for the HTTP or HTTPS protocols after the last Windows 10 update? Probably someone will create a .reg file to jam the settings into the Windows Registry as a workaround. However, this is a bit complicated in Firefox 67. Perhaps it is easier for yours if you have Firefox 60 ESR.
Thanks jscher2000. Yes, I do have FF 60 ESR and continuously check Options to make sure "Never check for updates" is checked.
Firefox long ago (after v12) began what I call updating to hell. Every update all the way to v69 has taken away, little by little, user capability in favor of "developer" capability. By v67 user customization dropped to almost zero.
When Microsoft and Mozilla get together, Katy bar the door.
I know what you mean. I am still using v54.