The default setting for Firefox browser
I have now been prompted 10 times today to make firefox by default browser - it has been my default browser for years. Each time I go to windows settings to check - it does not show me that firefox is the default. I select default for firefox but still is doesn't follow the command. I did manage to get it to accept the default command ONCE today but when I rebooted the laptop it went back to prompting me to make it the default all over again - must be 10 times now. This is infuriating. Could this issue be due to a VPN I have (NORD)? Having said that, I have tried 8 times to set the default while NOT connected to the VPN. What can I do?
All Replies (3)
Hi Manducci1, Your problem could be related to the version of Windows you’re running.
Recently, Microsoft has released a Windows 11 update that contains a special item that -amongst other things- reinstalls Edge as the default driver. This feature is called User Choice Protection Driver, or UCPD.sys.
More on what this driver does, and how it re-activates itself (and how to stop that) is explained in this youtube video: https://youtu.be/xQUYh4iKsB0?is=Rlu_9WdEVtwPgA9H
I hope this helps you in finding a solution to your problem. If so, please let us know.
Kind regards, Dick
Hi Manducci1,
Are you able and willing to share any follow-up? We would love to hear from you if you succeeded in setting Firefox as your default browser using the provided video. Your feedback/confirmation on this solution could help us refine it into a knowledge base item to help other users with similar problems.
Hope to hear from you, Kind regards, Dick
Hi Manducci1,
I was wrong in my answer to you, for which I’m truly sorry. UCPD is part of your window’s defence against changes to critical components in your operating system, so it should be left on.
I was kindly guided by George Kitsoukakis, a seasoned contributor to these forums (and a system administrator as well). He explained to me that a normal change of the default settings through the Windows settings menu shouldn’t be stopped by UCPD:
From Windows Settings. Go to Applications -> Default applications. Search for Firefox in the list. Click on the "Set default" button.
He also provided me with information what could still prevent you from successfully changing your default settings, so let’s test these one by one:
First check: Can you use the above procedure to set the default browser to a browser, not being Edge or Firefox (take I.e, Opera)? If this is possible, you have enough administrative permissions that are not blocked.
Second check: Are you administrator of the computer? If you’re using a computer from your office, its safety management would probably be taken over by your IT-department. You can recognise this during startup: whenever you see something that mentions “policy” or “group policy”, you are not completely in control. The power to change the default settings might’ve been revoked by your IT-department.
Third check: Similar to the policies above, firewall software could also have a feature that could block you from editing the default browser settings. So please check if you’re using such software.
I hope you can use this shortlist to get more grip on your browser settings. It would be nice to hear from you.
Kind regards, Dick
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