Windows 11 makes it easy to switch your default web browser. Recent versions have a single Set default button on each browser’s page in Default apps, so you no longer have to change every file type one by one.
Quick Answer
Open Settings, Apps, Default apps, select the browser you want, and click Set default at the top of its page.
How to Change the Default Browser in Windows 11
- Install the browser you want and open it once.
- Open Settings and select Apps, then Default apps.
- Search for or scroll to the browser and click it.
- Click Set default next to Make this browser your default.
- Check that .htm, .html, HTTP and HTTPS now show the new browser.
- Many browsers also offer a Make default button in their own settings.
What Set Default Changes
| Type | Changed by Set default? |
|---|---|
| HTTP and HTTPS links | Yes |
| .htm and .html files | Yes |
| PDF files | No; set separately |
| Links opened by some Windows features | May still use the built-in browser |
| Search in Start | Still uses the built-in search provider |
Related: how to make Chrome and Google your defaults.
Troubleshooting
- No Set default button: install the latest Windows updates; older builds require setting each file type.
- Links still open in the old browser: some system links are handled separately; set PDF and other types individually.
- Browser keeps asking to be default: turn off its prompt in its own settings.
- Related: how to set default apps in Windows 11 and how to set Google Chrome as default.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change it back?
Yes. Repeat the steps with the other browser.
Does changing the default delete the old browser?
No.
Why is this different in Europe?
Windows in the EEA has extra choice options, but the Default apps steps are the same.
Is it the same on Windows 10?
Similar: Settings, Apps, Default apps, Web browser.
Summary
- Settings, Apps, Default apps.
- Pick the browser.
- Click Set default.
- Check file types.
- Set PDF separately if needed.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.