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I use Internet Explorer for some things and Chrome for others. I'd like to have a choice when I click on a link of which browser to open the link in. Is this possible in Windows? I am currently running Windows 8, although there should be similarities between versions.

To the best of my knowledge this isn't possible.

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  • Disclaimer: I have not used Windows since Windows 3.11. However, this is how I expect it to work: First, write a batch or simple program that asks you if you want the URL passed to it opened in IE or Chrome. Then, in both IE and Chrome, set the default HTTP and HTTPS handler to be your little program you wrote. If (and this is a big if) you can set the default web page handler and the browsers will accept it, you will get what you want.
    – kainaw
    Apr 3, 2013 at 18:36
  • If I could write the program I would :). If you know of any out there let me know, but I wasn't able to find one already made. I suppose I was hoping a way would exist in the system such as how Windows handles file extensions for unknown types.
    – Andrew Vogel
    Apr 3, 2013 at 18:40
  • Hi kainaw, I have discovered a solution. See below and thank you for your help.
    – Andrew Vogel
    Apr 3, 2013 at 19:44

7 Answers 7

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I found the following as the simplest solution. Warning: Do not do this if you are not a local administrator.

Modify the following registry keys:

  • [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice]
  • [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\https\UserChoice]

Change ProgId to be a nonsensical value.

Remove your local admin account from permissions on the UserChoice folder. (You will still retain admin privileges as long as you are in the administrator's group)

When clicking on a http/https link, Windows will look at that registry key to see what program to run. When it can't finds it, it brings up a list of all registered http handlers for you to choose from. Normally it would set whatever one you choose to that registry key, but it fails due to the permission being removed. It would work if it had elevated permissions, but that web browser selection screen does not have elevated permissions.

A hack, but it's working for me, and I believe it is safe.

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  • That is very similar to my suggestion. Instead of writing an application, you found a way to use the built-in Windows application. I'm happy that it works for you.
    – kainaw
    Apr 5, 2013 at 0:23
  • Yep. I tried initially to have a batch program as you suggested to bring up a prompt and redirect for me, but it refused to launch it (maybe I had it recorded incorrectly in the registry, not sure). Thanks again. Apr 5, 2013 at 12:40
  • 1
    Seems working for Win10
    – tm-
    Jan 16, 2018 at 14:24
  • 1
    Removing permissions causes Continious explorer refreshing/restarting. Icons on task bar blinks for ever. Very annoing
    – kyb
    Apr 23, 2018 at 6:48
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    I had to disable permission inheritance on the two UserChoice folders so that I could explicitly delete my local admin account from the ACL. So far, all is working well. If something breaks in the future, could I just reenable inheritance to "reset" the permissions? Feb 6, 2019 at 15:18
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Codeplex (an open source site from Microsoft) has a tool for doing this: Browser chooser (previous website)

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  • 1
    Too bad there are no maintainers :-(
    – SandRock
    Sep 2, 2019 at 14:20
  • BrowserChooser didn't work on my system today. Jan 24, 2021 at 0:22
  • Did not work for me neither. Great idea but does not work Sep 24, 2021 at 10:25
  • Update: It did work and it's actually great. But has many issues and need to play around it, which I am happy to ignore Oct 22, 2021 at 9:04
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I installed Opera and set that as default. After setting it as default I uninstalled it. That way I set no default browser in Windows 10.

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I found that I did not have to change permissions for this to work. I got away with obfuscating just the http for the offending program. https links still work. I can open http shortcut URLs by sending my browser's executable (Pale Moon) to the right-click 'Send to' menu, and these URLs sent to it is a simple workaround.

0

I use this application, which will also save settings per website:

https://github.com/zumoshi/BrowserSelect

It's pretty handy, and it keeps apps from spontaneously sending data through my default browser (Like right after I install a program and it "thanks" me by opening a link in my default browser, or when I uninstall a program and it asks why in the browser)

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Recently Microsoft has developed an app for it, open Microsoft Store and find "Browser Selector". After installing and a few simple setup, it will solve your issue.

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  • 1
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    – Community Bot
    May 16, 2023 at 16:03
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Andrew Vogel's answer works but on the latest edition of Windows 10 you may have an issue changing the ProgId to a nonsensical value. Windows will not save the ProgId if it detects it as invalid.

As a workaround, you can achieve the same effect by installing a different browser that you don't want to use in the future. Then, set that new browser as the default browser. After that, uninstall that browser. The ProgId will not change and is, now, nonsensical. Continue with the rest of the steps in Andrew Vogel's answer.

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  • I wish I could comment on Andrew Vogel's answer but unfortunately I do not have enough reputation to do that. My edits to his answer were also rejected. However, without this workaround, the registry hack will not work on the latest version of Windows 10. Sep 17, 2020 at 2:40
  • Today I discovered that setting a nonsensical ProdID now simply reverts to Microsoft Edge. Jan 24, 2021 at 0:24
  • Precisely why I posted my workaround here! You'll have to use my workaround - 1. Install a new browser 2. Set it as default 3. Uninstall that browser Jan 26, 2021 at 16:33
  • And precisely why I upvoted you yesterday! Thanks again Jan 26, 2021 at 21:28

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