How do I make my React app to open in Chrome browser by default?

Question

I am using create-react-app tool to develop React apps. The problem is that when I run the application using "npm start" command, it will open in Firefox browser and I want it to open in Chrome browser by default.

I found many answers providing same solution which is about modifying "start" in scripts section in package.json file but I tried it over and over with different codes and it did not work. I have no idea why all answers I read did not solve my issue. I am working in Windows 7.

This is my package.json code:

{
  "name": "jsx",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "private": true,
  "dependencies": {
    "react": "^16.8.6",
    "react-dom": "^16.8.6",
    "react-scripts": "3.0.1"
  },
  "scripts": {
   "start": "cross-env PORT=8080 BROWSER='Chrome' react-scripts start",
    "build": "react-scripts build",
    "test": "react-scripts test",
    "eject": "react-scripts eject"
  },
  "eslintConfig": {
    "extends": "react-app"
  },
  "browserslist": {
    "production": [
      ">0.2%",
      "not dead",
      "not op_mini all"
    ],
    "development": [
      "last 1 chrome version",
      "last 1 firefox version",
      "last 1 safari version"
    ]
  }
}

If I update "start" in script section in package.json, like this:

"start": "BROWSER='Chrome' react-scripts start"

It will not work and I get this error:
'BROWSER' is not recognized as an internal or external command

and this is the log file:

0 info it worked if it ends with ok
1 verbose cli [ 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\nodejs\\node.exe',
1 verbose cli   'C:\\Program Files 
  (x86)\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\bin\\npm-cli.js',
1 verbose cli   'start' ]
2 info using [email protected]
3 info using [email protected]
4 verbose run-script [ 'prestart', 'start', 'poststart' ]
5 info lifecycle [email protected]~prestart: [email protected]
6 info lifecycle [email protected]~start: [email protected]
7 verbose lifecycle [email protected]~start: unsafe-perm in lifecycle true
8 verbose lifecycle [email protected]~start: PATH: C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\npm-lifecycle\node-gyp-bin;C:\Users\KA\react\jsx\node_modules\.bin;C:\Python27\;C:\Python27\Scripts;C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Python36\Scripts\;C:\Python36\;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Windows\System32\Windows System Resource Manager\bin;C:\Windows\idmu\common;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\Windows Performance Toolkit\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\TypeScript\1.0\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\120\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0\bin;C:\ProgramData\Anaconda2;C:\ProgramData\Anaconda2\Scripts;C:\ProgramData\Anaconda2\Library\bin;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Pandoc\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies\;C:\Users\KA\.dnx\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft DNX\Dnvm\;C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs\;C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin;;C:\Program Files (x86)\LINQPad5;C:\Ruby22\bin;C:\Python27;C:\Python27\Scripts;C:\Users\KA\AppData\Local\atom\bin;C:\Program Files\heroku\bin;C:\Python27\Scripts\pip.exe;C:\Users\KA\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Users\KA\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin;C:\Users\KA\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Users\KA\.dotnet\tools
9 verbose lifecycle [email protected]~start: CWD: C:\Users\KA\react\jsx
10 silly lifecycle [email protected]~start: Args: [ '/d /s /c', "BROWSER='Chrome' react-scripts start" ]
11 silly lifecycle [email protected]~start: Returned: code: 1  signal: null
12 info lifecycle [email protected]~start: Failed to exec start script
13 verbose stack Error: [email protected] start: `BROWSER='Chrome' react-scripts start`
13 verbose stack Exit status 1
13 verbose stack     at EventEmitter.<anonymous> (C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\npm-lifecycle\index.js:301:16)
13 verbose stack     at EventEmitter.emit (events.js:197:13)
13 verbose stack     at ChildProcess.<anonymous> (C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs\node_modules\npm\node_modules\npm-lifecycle\lib\spawn.js:55:14)
13 verbose stack     at ChildProcess.emit (events.js:197:13)
13 verbose stack     at maybeClose (internal/child_process.js:984:16)
13 verbose stack     at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (internal/child_process.js:265:5)
14 verbose pkgid [email protected]
15 verbose cwd C:\Users\KA\react\jsx
16 verbose Windows_NT 6.1.7601
17 verbose argv "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\nodejs\\node.exe" "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\bin\\npm-cli.js" "start"
18 verbose node v11.11.0
19 verbose npm  v6.7.0
20 error code ELIFECYCLE
21 error errno 1
22 error [email protected] start: `BROWSER='Chrome' react-scripts start`
22 error Exit status 1
23 error Failed at the [email protected] start script.
23 error This is probably not a problem with npm. There is likely additional logging output above.
24 verbose exit [ 1, true ]

Solution 1

Create a .env.development file in the project root directory, and include the following line:

BROWSER=chrome

Solution 2

In windows, set env variable:

set BROWSER=chrome

then just do npm start like normal

Comments

[Sterling Archer]

Looks like you're close "start": "BROWSER='Google Chrome' react-scripts start",

[Tanaka]

I did this but it does not work and I updated the post so you can I understand the error I get in log file. @SterlingArcher

[Tanaka]

I did this but it does not work and I updated the post so you can I understand the error I get in log file.

[Claeusdev]

"Google Chrome" not just "Chrome"

[Tanaka]

do you mean it should be like this "start": "BROWSER=chrome npm start" in package.json, in scripts seciton ?

[Tanaka]

I modified but still I get this error: 'BROWSER' is not recognized as an internal or external command

[Tanaka]

I tried but it says "Windows cannot find 'chrome'. Make sure you typed the name correctly". Then I tried "Google Chrome" , google chrome, "chrome", chrome.exe, and all these did not work.

[SergeySD]

without quotes? set BROWSER=chrome - this correct record of env. set BROWSER='chrome' - it's not work also for me.

[Tanaka]

Ah ok I tried again. It is working without quotes. I don't know what was the issue but before it worked, I found an option in Windows which gives you ability to set default programs.

[Claeusdev]

Change your default browser to chrome, that's the easiest way out

[Claeusdev]

@Tanaka I have edited the code. Add "cross-env" to your package.json and try again

[Tanaka]

I tried it but again this is the error: 'cross-env' is not recognized as an internal or external command - @Caleusdev

[Claeusdev]

can you change the default browser to chrome?

[Tanaka]

1- set BROWSER=chrome 2- npm start. These two commands work in cmd but not in script section.

[El Anonimo]

Worked for me thank you. How do I swap chrome for the system default browser so the system picks it up on itself?

[Alielson Piffer]

This opened on Chrome Canary for me, which was... exactly what I wanted! I only don't know why.