How to Set Chrome as Default Browser on Windows 11

Windows 11 comes with Microsoft Edge as its default browser, and many users prefer Google Chrome instead.

The issue is, changing your default browser on Windows 11 is different, harder, and must be done based on file extension.

Change Your Default Browser to Chrome in Windows 11

Microsoft went out of its way to make switching away from Edge as troublesome as possible on Windows 11.

Currently, the way to change the default browser is hidden behind the app you want to be your default and needs to be repeated for different file associations.

1. Click on the Start button in the middle of your taskbar.
2. Search for Default apps.
3. Click on Default apps.
4. Click on Google Chrome towards the bottom of the list.
5. Click on HTTPS towards the bottom of the list.
6. Choose Google Chrome from the list.
7. Press OK to change the default browser.
8. Repeat steps 5, 6, and 7 for all necessary file associations.

We recommend changing the default settings for .htm, .html, and .pdf extensions.

Change Your Default Browser to Chrome for Widgets and Search

The steps above change your default browser in most cases but not for Windows widgets or Windows search. Links from these Windows systems always open on Microsoft Edge even after changing the default browser.

To change the default browser for widgets, we need to use EdgeDeflector, a free app that redirects the links to your default browser.

1. Download EdgeDeflector.
2. Open it.
3. Click on the Start button in the middle of your taskbar.
4. Search for Default apps.
5. Click on the Default apps.
6. Click on EdgeDeflector towards the bottom of the list.
7. Click on Microsoft Edge.
8. Select EdgeDeflector on the new menu.
9. Click OK.

Links from the search and widgets should now open on your default browser. If EdgeDeflector stops working after a Windows 11 update, check the app’s page for new updates.