Windows appears to be controlling my PC in way I do not like.

 

I normally use Firefox – up to date – but cannot set it as the MS Default prog in the Settings Menu – the menu just sits there asking me to set a default even though Firefox is on the list and I click it.

 

If I have Firefox open then the links in some Emails open in Firefox, others insist on opening in Chrome, which I also have installed.  If I remove Chrome then these links open in Edge – they refuse to open in Firefox.

 

Does anyone know how to make all Email links open in Firefox

Which version of Windows?

 

On 8 it's in Control Panel ... Default Programs ... Set Your Default Programs. Click on Firefox in the list, then on Choose defaults for this program. It will list the extension types and protocols it can deal with, and which ones it is the default program for. It sounds like it's probably the default for protocol HTTP but not HTTPS (secure pages) or vice versa. Make sure both are ticked.

I have Windows 10 but there are no entries for HTTP or HTTPs in the File Types list, Firefox is set for htm and html

There is a suffix for .htt but I have no idea what that is and there are no program options for it.

 

I can not set a default program for Web Browser as although Firefox is on the list if I select it nothing happens and no default has been set

Edited 29 December, 20169 yr by octavia5

You have to do it via "settings>apps>default apps". It wibbles on about edge browser so make sure you select the right options.

Done this and it makes no difference, select Firefox but it does not seem to register, just keeps saying select default browser

In prior versions of Windows, various people managed to create a hack that deleted system references to IE, but I think MS have it pretty well tied down now "YOU WILL USE OUR BROWSERS!!!" is the message Win10 gives out. There may be a registry hack to sort this, but I wont use Win10, so havent bothered looking for it.

Likewise GG-although on my copy of 10 when I installed it, I set about deleting/ disabling things like Edge /Cortana and anything else, I didn't like. Then I set up W7 as my default OS, nad left 10 alone, except for the games.

 

ETA- gOOGLE "how to stop Edge on W10" - PLENTY OF IDEAS ON THERE

Edited 30 December, 20169 yr by VWD

Go into Firefox settings untick then retick the check if default browser/make default.

There was a bug in the October update which stopped changes taking effect. Also check windows has been updating. Of not download the update repair tool

Seem to have found an odd solution - I fired up Chrome, which asked to be made the default so I clicked the yes box and it took me to the Windows settings menu which showed Firefox as the default browser - which it never did if I went into settings directly so I exited the settings, not changing to Chrome.

 

Closed Chrome and went back into the settings menu and lo and behold it still showed Firefox as the default - which it has never done before.  I have clicked many Email links (safe ones) and so far they have all opened in Firefox so fingers crossed it will always be so.  But have no idea why clicking the Make Default button in Chrome should make Windows finally set/show Firefox as the default browser.

As I posted there was an update which decided to change everything back to Microsoft, then borked when you tried to change them back. It was fixed in a later revised update (iirc it was October).

Sounds like you have the borked update. Run Windows update and make sure you're on the latest December updates. If not you can manually install it from https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4000825/windows-10-update-history

Also if you find you're on an older update and Windows hasn't been updating, run this tool as well. Although the December update fixes most of the update errors anyway

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/10164/fix-windows-update-errors

System is fully up to date but ran the support check which says it resolved some issues so hopefully everything will continue to work fine