I have to test Web site design elements in a variety of browsers. As a result, I like to mix it up and use different default browsers. What’s the fast way to switch ’em in Windows 10?
The easiest way to switch the default Web browser in Windows 10 is to simply fire up the Web browser you want to use. Just about all of them automatically pop up a window asking if you want to switch to having that as your default. But then again, that’s not the only way to change the default! Heck, there are probably a dozen ways to change your default Web browser, now that I think about it.
But let’s take it one step at a time, shall we? First off, there are sites online that let you test multiple browsers – including on various operating systems – that could make your life a lot easier. Check out CrossBrowserTesting.com, Lambdatest.com or Browsershots.org for some slick options. There are also some Web browsers that aren’t going to try to become your default, like Tor, the browser associated with The Onion Router.
So let’s look at how to make those changes within Windows 10 itself! Start by searching for, logically enough, “default web browser” in Cortana:
Yet another win for Cortana search, this takes you directly to the correct system setting. Just click or tap on “Choose a default web browser“. Here’s where you’ll go:
As you can see, my current default Web browser is Microsoft Edge. I have a number of different Web browsers installed on this particular Windows 10 system too, as you can see when I click on “Microsoft Edge” and bring up a menu of options:
Win10 suggests that Microsoft Edge is recommended (could be worse, they could recommend Internet Explorer!) but I could also change it to Firefox or Chrome too. Let’s change it to Firefox.
Easily done. Select by clicking or tapping and close the window. And that’s it. Done. Or you can switch to the defaults for Win10 across all of your apps. Just a bit lower down in the same system settings:
Then again, Firefox is one of those enthusiastic Web browsers that’ll ask you to switch your loyalty and use it as your new default every time you launch it on your Windows PC. With a pop-up like this:
If this bugs you and you’d rather not see it all the time, simply uncheck “Always perform this check when starting Firefox”. Or just click on the “Use Firefox as my default browser” button if that is indeed your choice!
Either way, as you can see, it’s pretty easy to switch your default Web browser as needed.
Pro Tip: I’ve been writing about Windows 10 for a long time and have a lot of Windows help tutorials here on the site. Please check them out while you’re visiting!
Thanks that was really helpful .