Can't open magnet URL with Google Chrome anymore

Question

As the title says I'm not able to make Chrome open magnet URL in uTorrent anymore. I'm on Windows 10 and using the latest uTorrent and Chrome version. The problem started when I first visited https://instant.io/ and accidentally click on "Accept" when it asked if I wanted to let him manage magnet.

What I already tried after searching for fixes:

• all solutions on this page: https://www.guidingtech.com/chrome-magnet-links-not-working/
• all solutions on these pages:
  • How to change default program to open magnet link in windows?
  • How to make uTorrent open magnet links from Google Chrome?
  • How to change default program to open magnet link in windows?
  • Chrome doesn't open automatically magnet links anymore
• all solutions on these pages:
  • https://github.com/webtorrent/instant.io/issues/185
  • https://github.com/webtorrent/instant.io/issues/195
  • https://github.com/webtorrent/instant.io/issues/214
• following one suggestion, I tried to change the app for "Magnet" protocol in Windows settings ("Choose default apps by protocol") but I can't find magnet protocol in the list (any way to force-add it?)
• uninstalling and reinstalling Chrome and uTorrent
• install qBitorrent so that uTorrent asked me if I wanted to associate torrent files with it after setting qBit to be the default one

without success. I downloaded Firefox and it asked me to choose an application when I clicked on a magnet, selected uTorrent and it works. So I'm sure it's a Chrome problem.

EDIT:

NOTE1: the magnet doesn't open in instant.io website, it doesn't open at all, nothing happens when I click it

NOTE2: James Carlyle-Clarke's solution (last superuser link provided) makes the browser open a new window when I click on the magnet, but nothing happens anyway

Solution

This question had the same issue except with qbittorrent caused by trying to associate magnet links with a remote client in Chrome. Chrome has set itself as the only program capable of opening magnet links. You can see this by opening Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Default Apps > "Choose default apps by protocol". There is an entry for magnet links, that only has Chrome as an option.

Instead of associating with magnet links via HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/magnet entry Chrome uses the newer URLAssociations. I don't know about µtorrent, but qbittorrent does not have a URLAssociations entry. Windows seems to prioritize applications with a valid URLAssociations entry over the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT entry for said protocol.

tl;dr:

To fix it, open regedit, navigate to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\Google Chrome\Capabilities\URLAssociations and delete the "magnet" entry.

Comments

[fred]

I have exactly the same problem as OP caused by visiting instant.io. None of the fixes worked, same as OP. It's not the user profile because I tried with another user profile and it still did not work.

[n00bCod3r]

Ok I'll try one of these solutions asap

[n00bCod3r]

Unfortunately this doesn't work :c

[fred]

Didn't work for me either. I don't have that choose open link with option.

[Saksham Khurana]

that worked like charm... thanks :)