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
    2023-11-09T17:18:17+00:00

    Agreed. What shady morals. They need to listen to the customer instead of being so hard to trust.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-11-09T15:50:09+00:00

    I made the browser preference change months ago, but today, my Outlook opened links in Edge again. Upon checking the settings, I discovered that my preference had been changed to Edge.

    It opened in Chrome just yesterday, and I didn't close Outlook overnight. When I unlocked the computer, the desktop environment was still the same as when I left yesterday. Additionally, my computer is secured by two-factor login (LoginTC). Unless our admins used remote registry editing or published policies overnight, it seems Microsoft blatantly overrode my preferences to force me into using Edge. What the heck, Microsoft? Instead of resorting to dirty tricks, could you invest more in improving Edge to make people actually like it?

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-11-07T14:22:42+00:00

    For those with Office Perpetual that are not able to manage the browser hyperlink preferences in Outlook at File, Options, Advanced, File and Browser Preferences, Open hyperlinks from Outlook in:, the fix is now in the Current Channel production with build 16924.20150.

    After the fix is out:

    If you have Office 2021 then you will have the setting in File, Options, Advanced, File and Browser Preferences.

    If you have Office 2019 and earlier Outlook will use the Windows OS default browser setting.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-11-07T01:27:53+00:00

    Seriously, now you want people to hack the registry?

    That's the most **** answer yet! The vast majority of people wouldn't have a clue how to do that - which clearly is MS' vile plan to simply force people onto Edge whether they like it our not.

    FYI - I was hacking back in the CP/M days and have no desire to have to start doing that again.

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