While the new design elements are aimed at improving the user experience, there is still much to be said about the change in default browser settings in Windows 11 (Beta). Unlike in the past, Microsoft has made changing the default browser a somewhat complicated and lengthy process compared to Windows 10. Today we will take a look at how you can change the default browser from Microsoft Edge to any third-party browser.
Steps to change the default browser in Windows 11
For this article, we will use Google Chrome as a reference. The steps to change the default browser are the same for all browsers.
Open the start menu and search for default apps.
After opening default apps settings, scroll down in apps until you see the browser.
Now, choose the browser you want to set as default. Let’s say you want to set Google Chrome as your default browser on Windows 11, then choose Google Chrome from the list of apps.
Here, you will see many options but do not get confused. Click on .htm and choose switch anyways.
From the drop-down menu, click on Google Chrome, and you are done.
Do the same for all other options, and boom, you have successfully changed the default browser on Windows 11. Though it seemed a pretty straightforward process, the fact that you need it to change for every single option is not a pleasant experience compared to changing only one setting on Windows 10.
But why is it so complicated compared to Windows 10?
Yes, the process is comparatively longer and more complicated than Windows 10, but we have to keep in mind that Windows 11 is still in beta. So there is a possibility that some design elements are not finalized yet. That being said, with a public release in just four weeks, we are not very confident that this issue will be fixed soon. We hope that Microsoft will take users’ feedback into account and simplify the process before the final release.
But do you actually need to switch from Microsoft Edge?
In 2020, Microsoft released a new version of Microsoft Edge to the public to take on popular third-party browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Microsoft has completely redesigned the browser and added some of the most requested features. Let us take a look at some of these features.
1. Installing websites as apps
One unique feature in the new Microsoft Edge browser is the ability to install websites as apps. This can come in very handy if you visit a particular website quite frequently. Let us have a look at how to do use this feature.
2. Ability to use Chrome extensions on Edge
One of the prime reasons people prefer using Google Chrome is the Chrome web store. Chrome Webstore has a truckload of extensions compared to other browsers. But did you know the tech giant added the ability to use third-party browser extensions directly in Microsoft Edge? Let us have a look at how you can do just that.
1. Why Microsoft made changing the default browser complex in Windows 11?
As we mentioned above, some design elements are not finalized and might change with the public release on October 5th. But… Microsoft has been fishy in the past in implementing tricks to make users use their browser, be it Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge. This complicated browser-changing process may prevent non-tech enthusiasts from changing their default browsers and explore Microsoft Edge.
2. I want to try Windows 11 now, but the PC health app says my PC is not supported. How do I bypass this?
With Windows 11, Microsoft made TPM 2.0 and secure boot compulsory for PCs to be compatible with its latest desktop operating system. That said, you do not need to worry, as we have already covered a detailed guide on how you can install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware without TPM 2.0.
3. I am sticking with default Microsoft Edge, are there any tricks to improve the experience?
Yes, Microsoft Edge has a ton of new features and improvements for the end-user. We have already summarized a list of the best tips and tricks to use in Microsoft Edge. You can give it a read here.
