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
    2023-10-23T08:20:06+00:00

    This is getting ridiculous now. I've just searched and also can't find link or browser settings in Outlook but when I follow links this still opens in Edge and Bing search.

    To add insult to injury, when I have Outlook installed on my Android tablet, a long press (context menu) now shows 'Bing Search' as one of the options, even when browsing in Chrome. The only way I can find to stop this is to uninstall Outlook. I will be looking for an alternative email client.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-10-20T20:26:29+00:00

    For those of you that have Office perpetual such as Office Home and Business 2021 it appears there is a bug that the setting is appearing under File, Options, Advanced, File and Browser preferences, but the picker is missing. I am going to submit a bug for this issue.

    From my testing if you want to change the browser that opens links you could do these steps that will make Outlook use the Windows default browser setting. If you get a chance to test this and confirm if it worked, please let me know.

    1. In Windows set the default browser that you want to use (Settings, Default Apps).
    2. In the registry check if you have any of these registry keys under this Links registry path below and if so delete them.
    3. Restart Outlook

    Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\Links

    BrowserChoice

    BrowserChoiceTime

    DecisionComplete

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-10-20T13:23:16+00:00

    That setting is for the OS, not Outlook. Unfortunately, It doesn't solve this problem. I tried.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-10-12T18:27:56+00:00

    Amazing, thank you!!!!!!

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