Microsoft blocks other browsers from opening Edge links

[plat]

I'm using the extension Skip Redirect in Firefox and I refuse to reinstall Edge at the moment. Would be an interesting experiment if Skip Redirect was able to bypass. Looks like Microsoft is crazy-obsessed with this browser thing so hopefully Sir Newton's Law holds true here: for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction.

 

[wat0114]

Instead of installing a utility or extension to workaround this MS nonsense when using Windows Search for finding web content, why not just conduct all searches for web content through your preferred browser instead? This way you'd avoid the redirects. Or am I missing something?

 

[silversurfer]

Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox's Default Browser Workaround

The browser wars are raging between Microsoft and everyone else.

www.howtogeek.com

"A Recent Windows Update prevents Mozilla's workaround to set Firefox as the default browser"

Mozilla's workaround to set Firefox as the default browser in Windows 11 no longer works - gHacks Tech News

Microsoft has put an end to Mozilla's workaround to set Firefox as the default browser. The change arrived in last week's Windows Update.

www.ghacks.net

 

[silversurfer]

MSEdgeRedirect tool to redirect Microsoft Edge links has been updated​

The new version improves several core features, including performance, installation and the detection of the default browser on the system.
The latest version of MSEdge Redirect, version 0.6.0.0, introduces the following changes:

• Added Install Success screen
• Added Install Settings screen
• Improved Installer screen layouts
• Added ability to update dev builds
• Improved Default Browser detection
• Improved Service Mode Performance
• Improved Installer Admin Rights handling
• Fixed 32-bit version failing Edge location checks
• Fixed Tray Icon not hiding when selected in installer
• Added additional Security Safeguards for URI handling
• Fixed Update Checker not running due to inverted logic
• Added ability for installer to detect and show existing settings values when updating
• Added ability to redirect weather results to one of two available alternative providers
• Added ability to semi-automatically repair IFEO Exclusion issues caused by Edge Updates

MSEdgeRedirect tool to redirect Microsoft Edge links has been updated - gHacks Tech News

MSEdgeRedirect 0.6.0.0 is an open source tool to redirect Microsoft Edge specific links on Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices to other browsers. ADVERTISEMENT Microsoft decided to lock certain web links in […]

www.ghacks.net

 

[silversurfer]

Force widgets in Windows 11 or 10 to use default browser instead of Edge​

Thanks to Microsoft's weird ongoing battle to force people to use its own browser, ignoring the default browser choice by instead opening Edge browser in several widgets and links throughout Windows 10 and 11, this means we have to resort to third party apps to get around this behavior and get Windows to behave.

Thankfully we can install MSEdgeRedirect to correct this, and I am happy to report it even works with the new Windows 11 Dev Channel build 25120 Search widget on the desktop.

As pointed out above, this app even opens the default browser choice when using the new Desktop Search widget on Windows 11 build 25120, as well as all widgets and search terms from the Start menu are properly redirected to your default browser.

Force widgets in Windows 11 or 10 to use default browser instead of Edge

Microsoft keeps making it harder to use the default browser choice in Windows 10 or 11, even when you select something else, Edge opens from widgets, and Start menu links. Let's stop that.

www.neowin.net

 

[Templarware]

This isn't such a problem since Edge is now the best browser you can use, for most people. I love Edge, but I keep switching back to Opera GX, because I really like the sidebar for Instagram, Edge bar is trash. If it wasn't for the sidebar, Edge would be my favorite browser for sure.

 

[silversurfer]

MSEdgeRedirect update adds image search redirect and other improvements​

Here is what is new in MSEdgeRedirect 0.7.0.0:

• Fixed Apps (again).
• Cleaned up Search Data.
• Added Image Search Redirections.
• Added News De-Embedding (Beta) - Uses I'm Feeling Lucky from Google or DuckDuckGo.
• Added support for @AveYo's Edge Removal Script.
• Removed leftover dialog boxes used for debugging.
• Fixed IEFO Settings not detecting existing IEFO Selections.

Before you download and install MSEdgeRedirect, it is worth noting that the app is still in Beta, and you may encounter some bugs or weird behavior. Proceed at your own risk when using such third-party software.

The developer says the latest release has the following known issues:

• Outlook Previews Inop (#63). - Will be fixed in 0.7.1.0.
• Weird Setup and Setting Menu Edge cases. Will be fixed in 0.8.0.0.
• Debug Dialog left in for using News De-Embedding, Fixed in latest dev build.

You can download MSEdgeRedirect 0.7.0.0 from its repository on GitHub.

MSEdgeRedirect update adds image search redirect and other improvements

The latest MSEdgeRedirect 0.7.0.0 update adds the option to use preferred search engines for image search, uninstall Edge with a script, plus several other improvements and bugfixes.

www.neowin.net

 

[silversurfer]

Google will soon make it easier to set Chrome as the default browser in Windows​

Google is working on an easier way to set Chrome as the default browser in modern Windows versions. As spotted by Leopeva64-2 on Reddit, a commit on Chromium Gerrit describes a new control that will let Chrome users set the browser as the default one with a single click.

The current version of Chrome allows changing the default browser within its settings, but the implementation requires switching to the Windows Settings app. On the other hand, Firefox has a much more convenient single-click solution Mozilla introduced in 2021. The same implementation will soon make it to Chrome.

Here is how Google describes the code change on Chromium Gerrit:

Make Chrome the default browser. This function works by going through the url protocols and file associations that are related to general browsing, e.g. http, https, .html etc., and directly setting the relevant registry entries for each.

There is no information on when the updated behavior will be available, but you can expect it to appear in preview channels for testing ahead of public release.

Google will soon make it easier to set Chrome as the default browser in Windows

Future Google Chrome updates will make setting the browser as the default one much easier. Google is working on allowing Chrome users to change the default browser with a single click.

www.neowin.net

 

[silversurfer]

MSEdgeRedirect gets several fixes and improvements in latest update​

Here is what is new in MSEdgeRedirect 0.7.0.2:

• Improved IFEO failure messages for easier debugging
• Fixed existing Service Mode options not being detected
• Added not yet active code for a potential WebDriver mode
• Improved Cleanup done by Uninstaller to remove a missed Registry Key
• Fixed Start Menu Shortcuts occasionally not being created when selected
• Added a Delay to Service Mode after redirecting to help prevent redirect loops
• Improved the Update Checker, now loads latest release page instead of all releases page
• Fixed Edge Removal Detection blocking selection of Edge Builds for those who reinstalled Edge
• Added Exception for Redirections of localhost sites, fixes Rog Armoury Crate incompatibility, among others

Known issues include the following:

• Outlook Previews Inop - Will be fixed in 0.7.1.0
• Weird Setup and Setting Menu Edge cases. Will be fixed in 0.8.0.0

You can download MSEdgeRedirect from GitHub via this link. Keep in mind that the app is still in beta, so expect changes and performance improvements in future releases. If you are not familiar with MSEdgeRedirect, our handy guide will help you figure out the basics and learn how to force widgets in Windows 11 or 10 to use the default browser instead of Edge.

MSEdgeRedirect gets several fixes and improvements in latest update

MSEdgeRedirect, a popular application for making Windows 10 and 11 respect your default browser choice, has received an update to version 0.7.0.2 with several fixes and improvements.

www.neowin.net

 

[silversurfer]

MSEdgeRedirect 0.7.3.0 is now available for download from GitHub. This popular third-party tool can fix Microsoft's stubborn unwillingness to unpair Edge from various parts of Windows 10 and 11, such as Windows Widgets or Search. The latest release resolves the situation when the app requires updating the IFEO file after every Microsoft Edge update. In addition, there are several other improvements and fixes.

Here is what is new in MSEdgeRedirect 0.7.3.0:

• Fixed PDF handling
• Updated Submodule code
• Fixed issues with Regex case-sensitivity
• Added "Default" option for PDF handler
• Fixes issues with NoMoreEdge detection
• Add Warning if Installer fails to copy files
• Fixed Windows Notifications not being handled
• Fixes issues for users with non-C: Windows Installs
• Fixed Edge Case in which MSEdgeRedirect might infinitely loop
• Temporarily removed /update command line option. This will be improved in 0.8.0.0
• Swapped to a directory junction for IFEO passthrough. Permanently fixes asking to update IFEO file!

You can download MSEdgeRedirect 0.7.3.0 from GitHub. If you are unfamiliar with the project, check out our guide describing how to use the MSEdgeRedirect app.

MSEdgeRedirect 0.7.3.0 brings improvements and a fix for one annoying bug

MSEdgeRedirect, a popular third-party tool for preventing Microsoft from imposing Edge, has received an update to version 0.7.3.0. It fixes one annoying bug and delivers a few other improvements.

www.neowin.net

 

[oldschool]

Microsoft decided to invent the microsoft-edge:// protocol and started to use it in some internal applications

I don't find this to be a nuisance, maybe because I don't use some or most of the affected apps, and I prefer to open PDF's in Edge. However, I understand why many others feel differently. I suppose it comes down to a case of individual usage and preferences.

I also can't justify using another extension to 'fix' this. Attack surface, attack surface ...

 

[SeriousHoax]

I don't find this to be a nuisance, maybe because I don't use some or most of the affected apps, and I prefer to open PDF's in Edge. However, I understand why many others feel differently. I suppose it comes down to a case of individual usage and preferences.

I also can't justify using another extension to 'fix' this. Attack surface, attack surface ...

The issue is that Windows doesn't respect the default browser in all situations. For example, clicking anything from the widget menu in Windows 11 opens Edge instead of the default browser. I have web search disabled in my windows search, but if I'm not wrong, any search result also opens in Edge. That's why programs like MSEdgeredirect exists. If MS just made Windows to open things like this in the default browser, then an app like this wouldn't need to exist.

 

[oldschool]

. For example, clicking anything from the widget menu in Windows 11 opens Edge instead of the default browser.

Very true. I simply don't click on this kind of stuff because you are certainly tracked. My style can be very cumbersome, and most others couldn't stand for it.

Now that I look at it, I see it's a standalone program and not an extension.

 

[Stopspying]

Going off on a slight tangent, 10 minutes after reading this thread I tried to open a .gif file on my Win 10 PC by double-clicking it, expecting it to open by default in XnView MP. Internet Explorer opened, with a pop-up saying that this had been replaced by the all seeing, all dancing Chromium Edge, or words to that effect and then Edge opened. This must be a change of my default settings that I'd not noticed from the last Windows updates.

 

[silversurfer]

Microsoft released a new Insider Build to the Dev Channel this week. Build 23531 is a rather uneventful build that does not introduce new features to the operating system. It is a bug fix release for the most part, one that still suffers from a list of known issues.

There is one sentence though, that changes Microsoft's entire narrative regarding the forced use of Microsoft Edge on Windows 11. Microsoft writes: "In the European Economic Area (EEA), Windows system components use the default browser to open links".

In other words: users from the European Economic Area, which includes the European Union countries as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway, will have activated links opened in their browser of choice. While this can be Microsoft Edge, it can also be any other browser that they choose.

The change landed in development builds and it will take some time before it lands in stable versions of Edge. The most likely scenario is a release in the 2023 Feature Update for the Windows 11 operating system, which will be released in the coming months.

Microsoft caves in: allows use of default browser in Windows 11 for some users - gHacks Tech News

Users from the European Economic Area may soon open Windows 11 links in their default browser and not Microsoft Edge.

www.ghacks.net