How to Force Open Links in Google Chrome and Not Microsoft Edge

Use this third-party tool to easily open links in Google Chrome

How to

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by Sagar Naresh 

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Key notes

  • Windows 11 made users use their Microsoft Edge browser as default.
  • While you can change it, many instances still don't open links in your select browser.
  • You have to use a third-party tool to help you get away from this annoying situation.
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While Windows 11 is all great in terms of efficiency and performance, Microsoft has gone one step ahead in forcing users to use its Edge browser for almost everything. They have buried the option to change the default browser under different settings. We have a guide to help you change the browser in Windows 11.

Even if you change the default browser, certain aspects of the OS will force open the link in Microsoft Edge. This guide will guide you on how to open links in Google Chrome and not Microsoft Edge. So let us get right into it.

1. Use MSEdgeRedirect

  1. Download and install MSEdgeRedirect from GitHub.
  2. Open the installer and accept the agreement.
  3. Click on Next.
  4. Choose between Service mode or Active mode to continue.
    • Service mode: Runs without admin rights.
    • Active mode: Requires admin rights to run.
  5. If you decide to go ahead with the Service mode, select the below options:
    • Redirect PDFs to Choose your favorite PDF reader
    • Replace Bing Search Results with: Choose your browser
    • Replace Weather Results with: Choose your browser
  6. If you choose to go ahead with Active mode, select your favorite browser for the below options:
    • Bing Search
    • Bing Images
    • MSN News
    • MSN Weather
    • PDF Viewer
    • Windows Store ‘Apps’: Check the box
  7. Click on Install.
  8. Press the Win + I keys to open Settings.
  9. Click on Apps.
  10. Select Default apps.
  11. Locate your favorite browser and click on it.
  12. Select the option Set default.

Following the above steps, you can redirect any link to your favorite browser without interference from Microsoft Edge.

Do note that you need to select your favorite browser, in our case, Google Chrome, as your default browser to redirect all links to Chrome successfully.

If you are confused about which browser to choose from, you should definitely check out our guide, which lists some of the best browsers you can use on your Windows PC.

2. Use Chrometana Pro extension

  1. Launch Google Chrome.
  2. Head to the Chrome Web Store.
  3. Search for Chrometana Pro extension.
  4. Click on Add to Chrome.
  5. Select Add extension.
  6. Click on the extension icon to configure it.
  7. You can redirect Bing search queries to Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, or Baidu, or even set a custom one.

Microsoft forces users to use Bing to browse the search results when using Windows search. The best part is that you can use the Chrometana Pro extension to redirect the search queries from Bing to Google or any other browser.

These two ways will help you open links in Google Chrome and not Microsoft Edge. Do note that you can choose other browsers as well; it is just that we have chosen Google Chrome as the matter of this discussion.

If you are using a low-end or an old PC and looking for browsers that will eat up less RAM, we suggest you check out our guide that lists some of the tested browsers that are light on resources.

We also have a guide that will give you two ways to set Google Chrome as your default browser on your Windows 11 PC.

Feel free to let us know in the comments below if you face any issues while following the above steps to open links in Google Chrome, not Microsoft Edge.

More about the topics: Google Chrome, microsoft edge browser

Sagar Naresh

Sagar Naresh Shield

Sagar is a web developer and technology journalist. Currently associated with WindowsReport and SamMobile. When not writing, he is either at the gym sweating it out or playing country music on his guitar. He is an avid traveler and has been to 15 countries, going to more places soon. TRAVEL and WORK is his mantra for a peaceful life.

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