Outlook Links Don't Open in Chrome (Set as Default Browser)

Anonymous
2023-03-13T18:35:12+00:00

Hi, as of today, when I click a link in Outlook, it opens in Microsoft Edge even though Google Chrome is my default web application. I've verified that in Apps > Default Apps that Google Chrome is my default web browser. I've attempted to change my computer's registry default web app to Chrome as well, and Outlook links are still being opened in Edge. Can you please help me?

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For business

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Anonymous
2023-04-10T14:37:24+00:00

I finally found the option to change the default browser for outlook. The option is in Outlook.

Change the default browser for NEW Outlook:

  1. Open Outlook
  2. Go to settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right corner
  3. Click on the General tab
  4. Click on Links
  5. Choose Default browser instead of Microsoft Edge

Change the default browser for OLD Outlook:

  1. Open Outlook
  2. File
  3. Options
  4. Advanced
  5. File and browser preferences
  6. Open hyperlinks from Outlook in: Choose Default Browser
  7. Restart Outlook

Change the default browser for Windows 11:

  1. Click on the Wi-Fi or Speaker icon by the Clock, then click on the Gear icon to open Windows Settings.
  2. Once in Settings, go to Apps → Default Apps.
  3. Find your preferred browser in the list and click on it.
  4. Click the button 'Set default'.

Turn off Outlook Side bar:

If you do use Edge but only want to turn off the Outlook Side bar that pops up in edge when you click a link in your email, follow these steps:

  1. Open Edge
  2. Click ...
  3. Settings
  4. Sidebar
  5. Under App and notification settings, Click Outlook
  6. Automatically open Outlook email context in the side pane: Toggle Off.

Edit 5/12/2025

-Added instructions for the new Outlook.

Edit 10/5/2023

-Added instructions on how to set the default browser in Windows as well.

Edit 9/12/2023:

  • Glad to have helped so many people with this post.
  • Updated the wording on step 5 to match the wording in the latest version of Outlook.

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-04-01T10:49:06+00:00

    This also didn't work for me.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-04-01T10:21:38+00:00

    Didn't work for me. I can't get email links to default to Chrome no matter what I try! I think it's because I'm in a 2016 version of Outlook but I'm not 100% sure. I'm not tech savvy and I've tried everything I know to try including Googling and creating a new Microsoft Community thread :(

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T18:59:20+00:00

    So, basically there's no actual solution. I can cut and paste hyperlinks into any browser -- a work-around isn't a fix for software that's broken. Hopefully Microsoft will notice and fix this at some point. Thanks for providing more detail and technical items for Microsoft to examine.

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-03-25T15:32:13+00:00

    Outlook> File> Options> Advanced>

    WHERE IS:

    File and browser preferences

    tens of posts across the web reference this File and Browser Preferences,

    but it is profoundly missing in

    Outlook 2021 office pro 2502 build 16.0.18526

    When i set in windows-11 pro 23H2 (22631.4890) to default to Edge, Outlook message links open fine in edge.

    When changed back to Chrome (with restarting everything), nothing happens, EVEN right-click Open Hyperlink.

    (Copy hyperlink does copy, and then pasting manually into Chrome URL bar works)

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