Windows 10: Set Firefox as default when it does not show up in Settings?

Question

I'm trying to set Firefox as the default browser on a Windows 10 PC and when I go to Settings => Default Apps the only options that appear are Edge & IE. Is there a way I can bypass this UI and simply manually select an .exe?

I did see this question and tried the solution listed there (create a .htm file, assign Firefox to open all .htm files) but Settings => Default Apps still does not list Firefox as an option.

Apologies if proper etiquette 'round here is to necro an old question instead of re-asking.

EDIT: I am trying to make set Windows' default web browser to Firefox. This is normally done via Settings => Apps => Default Apps but for some reason Windows is not listing Firefox as an option.

Solution 1

I have the same issue on my PC, with Firefox not being listed in the Web browser section of the Default Apps part of Settings. However, you can still change Firefox to the default web handler from this screen; it just takes a few extra steps.

1. From the Choose Default Apps screen, scroll all the way down to the bottom and click on Set defaults by app.
2. In the following window (located at Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Default Programs) choose Firefox from the list of programs.
3. At the bottom of the window, click on Set this program as default. This will select all options that Firefox would normally set if you clicked the Make Default button in FF before Windows 10.
4. Alternatively, you can click Choose defaults for this program and select only the files/protocols you want Firefox to respond to.

For me, this sets Firefox as the default web browser for everything I want, though for some weird reason it still won't list it as an available option in the Web browser section.

Solution 2

Using the portable version of Firefox, I was able to make it appear in the list of web browser choices found at Settings -> Apps -> Default apps.

Within Firefox itself, navigate to Tools -> Options -> General press Make Default...:

I found the same behaviour with an installed version of the Firefox-based PaleMoon browser, so I doubt if my use of portable Firefox has any effect on the solution, but Run5k was right to point out that I should have noted this.

Earlier versions of Firefox may have this setting elswhere (eg Options -> Advanced -> General).

Solution 3

I just logged in to add my answer too.

I tried the most voted answer and it the result was still same. I tried Uninstall and install and still no default browser. I even turned off computer and turned it back on and still no luck!

Firefox wasn't listed in control panel default apps, every time I open Firefox it would prompt to make it default but nothing would happen. Clicking make default wouldn't do anything.

I couldn't find this answer anywhere even in Mozilla help, so I'm going to leave it here hoping it will help someone.

First, the button "make default" doesn't actually do anything other than ticking the "Always check if Firefox ... " When the check box is ticked, every time Firefox starts, will check if it is default browser, and if not will show a prompt asking user to make it default. At this point, it will try to run an external executable.

Here comes the problem. The external executable is [firefox installation folder]\uninstall\helper.exe and for some reason it would fail to run.

You would say why firefox runs uninstall to install? that is what I said!

running this file without parameters will remove your firefox. But running it with parameter like

helper.exe /SetAsDefaultAppGlobal

will install browser as default.

I had to run it in command line with administrator permission to actually do its work.

Alternatively you can create a batch file (.bat) in same folder as helper.exe and copy and save command above in it and right-click bat file and run as administrator.

I didn't need this next step but you might need to open default apps from control panel and select Firefox as default browser too.

Comments

[G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica']

What, exactly, do you mean by “set Firefox as the default browser”?  Do you mean that you want Firefox to open when you double-click on an HTML file in Explorer?  Does that work?  What behavior that you want are you not getting?   Please do not respond in comments; edit your question to make it clearer and more complete.

[Ramhound]

Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer.

[wizzwizz4]

I think it's time for a second 'suit - Microsoft browser v.s. Microsoft browser is no choice at all. :-)

[Fabio says Reinstate Monica]

Did you install Firefox as an administrator or as a normal, limited user? I'm asking because I had the same problem with Chrome on Windows 7, and the solution, as I posted here, was to reinstall Chrome as an administrator. Could it be that it's the same problem?

[ganesh]

Just to add a tidbit, this also seems to happen on PCs at work after the 2017 fall edition update. Firefox works perfectly, but is not settable as the default browser until it is deinstalled and reinstalled.

[DxTx]

Try this: tenforums.com/tutorials/…

[techturtle]

When I do this in Win10 and FF 52.4 ESR it does not set Firefox as the default. It just takes me to the place where you are supposed to change all your main default apps, but as with OP, I don't have FF in my list under the web browser section.

[gohanman]

Yeah I get the same thing as techturtle. That opens Windows' Settings => Default Apps but the dropdown for Web Browser still just lists IE and Edge

[AFH]

Very odd. When I use this option I go to the same place, but Firefox has been added to the list of available programs. I found the same with PaleMoon and Chrome. Have you got a security setting which is preventing this?

[Run5k]

AFH, I know that you had the best of intentions with your answer, but the bottom line is that you can't really "make the setting from within Firefox itself." Utilizing that method merely opens the same Settings > Default Apps interface, rather than actually changing anything.

[AFH]

@Run5k - What it changes for me is the list of available apps.

[Run5k]

I have never seen that happen. In my experience, utilizing the button within Firefox merely takes you to the same interface that the OP mentioned in their question, but doesn't do anything... including not adding Firefox to the list of available web browsers. However, I have seen the method that Techturtle described work consistently.

[AFH]

For the record, this was FF 56.0 Portable and Chrome 62.0 Portable on Win10/1607, but I'm happy that the questioner has a solution that works for him. For what it's worth, Opera doesn't have this button, and I can't find a way to add it to either list.

[Run5k]

We always appreciate contributions from the community, including this answer! That being said, it might have been wise to emphasize that you were using the portable versions of the web browsers within your proposed solution. Besides being rather uncommon, using the portable versions could potentially make a big difference in the functionality.

[AFH]

@Run5k - I agree that using portable apps may be unusual, but I instinctively assumed that portable apps would if anything be less amenable to inclusion in system settings. In practice I've never found a difference between portable and installed versions of apps in things like choosing the association in the Open with dialogue or changing the program in the Opens with: field of file properties, which leads me to think that it is unlikely to be a significant factor here.

[Run5k]

But since we both agree that using portable apps would be unusual for a typical end-user, it probably would have been prudent to tell us that you were utilizing them within your answer rather that assuming that their capabilities would be the same.

[AFH]

@Run5k - If I'd thought it relevant, I would have. But I think we have now said all there is to say on the subject.

[AFH]

@Run5k - I hope you don't mind that I have updated your edit to give more detail on the results I found, though I hadn't noted them all in detail in my comments, and it changes the emphasis a little.

[JiK]

For me, Firefox doesn't show up in that list either.

[somebadhat]

@JiK I'm sure you've solved "How to add Firefox to the Settings - Default Apps - Web Browser - Choose an App window" by now but if not Uninstall / Install Firefox.

[cowlinator]

@somebadhat Uninstall / Install Firefox did not work.