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Microsoft makes it impossible to use Firefox instead of Edge !

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by John99

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I've been trying for days to make Firefox my default browser instead of Edge.
Explored all options; followed every bit of advice  (and I got a lot of real good advice from John99;  thank you for that),  and just when I thought:  DONE  !   I found out that I was merely  let to believe  that now FF was the new default browser   .........
Apparantly Microsoft is using some kind of  API-functions   (and what else,  I wonder)   .......
For most of you  (computer-experts)  it'll probably be a piece of cake,  but for an internet-novice   ......   forget it   !
Mozilla-engineer Jared Wein is not too pleased about this and Mozilla-boss Chris Beard even wrote an open letter to Microsoft  so, I'm glad that it's not just me.
If any of you can come up with a solution   ..........    ?
For now:   I'll be using Bing/Edge to use the snipping tool,  Notepad  and  Word  and for everything else I'll use  Google/Firefox and just send Microsoft to Coventry   !
Keep up the good work everybody,   and thank you so much   we really need you guys   !
Greetings from   Happy112.

I've been trying for days to make Firefox my default browser instead of Edge.<BR> Explored all options; followed every bit of advice &nbsp;(and I got a lot of real good advice from John99;&nbsp; thank you for that),&nbsp; and just when I thought:&nbsp; '''DONE&nbsp; ! '''&nbsp; I found out that I was merely &nbsp;''let to believe''&nbsp; that now FF was the new default browser &nbsp; .........<BR> Apparantly Microsoft is using some kind of &nbsp;API-functions &nbsp; (and what else,&nbsp; I wonder) &nbsp; .......<BR> For most of you &nbsp;(computer-experts)&nbsp; it'll probably be a piece of cake,&nbsp; but for an internet-novice &nbsp; ...... &nbsp; forget it &nbsp; !<BR> Mozilla-engineer Jared Wein is not too pleased about this and Mozilla-boss Chris Beard even wrote an open letter to Microsoft&nbsp; so, I'm glad that it's not just me.<BR> If any of you can come up with a solution &nbsp; .......... &nbsp; ?<BR> For now: &nbsp; I'll be using Bing/Edge to use the snipping tool,&nbsp; Notepad &nbsp;and &nbsp;Word&nbsp; and for everything else I'll use &nbsp;Google/Firefox and just send Microsoft to Coventry &nbsp; !<BR> Keep up the good work everybody, &nbsp; and thank you so much &nbsp; we really need you guys &nbsp; !<BR> Greetings from &nbsp; Happy112.

Modified by Happy112

All Replies (4)

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I had this problem, too, after upgrading to Windows 10. plus a TON of other problems. The solution is to go back to Windows7. Fortunately, I still had the install CDs. There were only 2 small features of Windows 10 that were useful, but they weren't enough to create any loyalty. Windows 10 was REALLY annoying!

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You are  so  right   !!!
I can't go back to an earlier Windows edition;  I bought my laptop only four months ago  (it's my first laptop)  and Windows 10 is it's operating system.
If only I had known   ............
I was hoping that maybe some day soon there would be a Firefox Os + FF search engine + browser , but I was told yesterday that that's not going to happen     -     bummer   !
Have a lovely day;   or:   pleasant dreams   (whichever the case may be).
Greetings from   Happy112.

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Hi again Happy 112, Microsoft does not always make things easy. The Windows 7 to Win10 update gets near enough forced on users right now, but that will stop soon when the free offer expires. Most of my Systems if they have Windows at all multi boot, but that gets broken on Windows updates.

As for MS pushing Edge I guess it is not surprising. Historically there was a lot of trouble over Internet Explorer. That's why we need two separate articles now on how to make Firefox a default browser

General computer use and comments comparing Operating Systems are not really on topic here, other than of course if it is directly related to a Firefox problem.

I had hoped you had sorted out the issue of Firefox being your default browser. You did post a screenshot of the Win10 File Explorer: showing your Desktop location with a YouTube shortcut highlighted displaying a Firefox logo on its opening option suggesting you had at least set that to open in Firefox by default.

Prior thread What does 'default' mean ?

Please continue posting in that thread if you are again having difficulty setting or keeping Firefox as the default browser.

Note there is no need to use Bing/Edge to use the Snipping tool or Notepad Bing is the search engine used by default in Edge, although you may use any other search engine in Edge including Google, and Notepad and Snipping tool are standalone apps that do not need Edge, - but that is straying out of this forums scope.

The open letter. last year, for those interested see this blog

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JJJoseph said

I had this problem, too, after upgrading to Windows 10. plus a TON of other problems. The solution is to go back to Windows7. Fortunately, I still had the install CDs. There were only 2 small features of Windows 10 that were useful, but they weren't enough to create any loyalty. Windows 10 was REALLY annoying!

If you used the free Windows 10 upgrade it does allow you the choice of downgrading again within the first 30 days. There may be some difficulties doing that though with multiple accounts.

I will close this thread. The pros & cons of Windows 10 and Microsoft policy may be a subject of interest, but this is not the place to discuss it so I will close this thread as it is off topic for the Firefox support forum.

If you have any specific Firefox etc. problem please open a new thread using /questions/new