Firefox says it is not my default browser
I had Firefox 89 when this morning I could not watch my Amazon videos because I kept getting a message saying that I needed to upgrade my Chrome browser. Since I never use Chrome, I decided to check if Firefox was at the latest version. When I clicked into options, I saw a notice saying that Firefox is not my default browser. I thought that somehow something had messed up my settings since I made Firefox my default browser when I first bought this computer over a yea ago, so I clicked the button to set it as default. That took me to Windows settings which showed that Firefox was already my default browser.
Since then I have restarted the computer multiple times; upgraded to Firefox 90 and restarted; deleted Chrome; reset Firefox; gone to Windows settings and changed my default browser to Edge. then later reset it back to Firefox.
The Firefox options STILL indicate that Firefox is not my default browser.
What is going on? Does anyone have any ideas?
I first noticed this after I could not play my Amazon videos this morning -- which I can play now after having reset Firefox -- but I am worried that this will affect other things.
All Replies (7)
Whenever you get a message / popup that software / files need to be updated;
DO NOT USE ANY OF PROVIDED LINKS
While this may be a legitimate message, it could also be Malware or a Virus. Anytime you want or need to check for upgrades, go to the website of the True Owner of the program in question. For example, to check out Firefox, go to https://www.mozilla.org
You can report such a site at;
http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/report_phish/
Google Report Phishing Page
which is the same when done while on site by going to
Help > Report Web Forgery
http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/legal/fraud-report/ Help us safeguard Mozilla’s trademarks by reporting misuse
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/avoid-and-report-mozilla-tech-support-scams
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-make-web-links-open-firefox-default
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/setting-firefox-default-browser-does-not-work
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
Here is one other thing to check.
If you start Firefox from your desktop shortcut and have it running, does clicking an external link launch a separate window? Normally, that adds a new tab to your active window. If you get a separate window, it could indicate this:
Sometimes users end up with a dual install of Firefox in different program folders. You can compare between a window opened by clicking an external link and your regular session window. Open the Troubleshooting Information page in both, and look in the first table for the Application Binary row to see where that instance of Firefox launched from. Here's how to open the page (any one will work):
- "3-bar" menu button > Help > More Troubleshooting Information
- (menu bar) Help > More Troubleshooting Information
- type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter
Thank you Fred. Unfortunately it is not in pop-up windows that I am getting that message. The only place I see something saying that Firefox is not my default browser is in Firefox Settings, which I accessed by clicking the 3 horizontal bars in the upper right corner, then clicking options. Near the top where you click to check that Firefox is the default browser there is a light blue line saying it is not my default browser. I've attached a screenshot.
The only updates I get are those Windows forces upon me and those I choose from my driver updating app or when an individual app I open that tells me if it is out-of-date. Also, nothing had been updated on my computer in weeks and everything was fine yesterday, but off this morning. I only updated to Firefox 90 after the problem showed up in case the Amazon video app required the most up-to-date version of Firefox, but even this update of Firefox is showing the same message about it not being my default browser.
Hi Jscher2000, Earlier I tried opening a link I had in a word file. It opened on a new tab in my already opened browser. I do have some things that open in a separate window, for my ESET security system. I just compared the Application binary rows in both the regular browser and the ESET version. They both say: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
Thank you Shankar, but I used the Windows Settings to change my default browser to Firefox over a year ago back in May 2020 when I first got this computer and since then it has always shown as my default browser, both in Windows settings and in Firefox Settings > Options until this Sunday.
Now Firefox settings says Firefox is NOT my default browser, while Windows settings says it IS. They disagree with each other!
And, I even tried changing the default in Windows to be Edge, then changed it back to Firefox hoping that then Firefox would recognize the change back, but Firefox still says it is not my default browser.
Somehow over the weekend, Firefox stopped being able to read my Windows setting. This is worrisome because this may not be the only thing Firefox is reading incorrectly.
Open the computers Programs Folders; "C:\Program Files (x86)" and "C:\Program Files"
Make sure you only have one Mozilla Firefox folder.
