How to Change Your Default Internet Browser in Windows 11

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Plus, some troubleshooting tips when changing your default browser

Written by Stan Kats | Edited by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: October 27, 2025 Fact Checked

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Changing Your Default Browser

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Troubleshooting

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Windows 11 automatically has Microsoft Edge set as your computer's default browser app. But what do you do if you want to change your computer's browser to something else? Thankfully, it's not too difficult to change your default browser app in Windows 11, though it is a few more steps than it was to change it in Windows 10. In this article we'll teach you how to change your default browser in Windows 11, plus we go over some troubleshooting tips if you're struggling to change the default browser app.

Quick Steps

Open your Windows Settings app.
Click Apps in the sidebar.
Click Default Apps.
Search for your desired browser under "Set defaults for applications."
Click on your browser.
Click Set default at the top of the window.

Section 1 of 2:

Changing Your Default Browser

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1
Open the Settings app. There are a few ways you can do this:
- Search for "settings" in the taskbar search bar and click on Settings in the Start menu that opens.
- Right-click the Windows icon in the taskbar and click Settings.
- Press ⊞ Win+I.
- Click the Windows icon in the taskbar and click on the Settings option.
The Apps option is in the lefthand sidebar, and the Default Apps option will be in the main pane once you click on "Apps."

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It's a heading in about the middle part of the Settings window, and it's got a search bar as well as a list of applications below it.
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Search for your desired default browser. You will see a list of installed applications on your computer. Look for the browser that you want to make your default. You can either search for the browser using the search bar, or you can scroll to find the application in the application list.
- If the browser is not installed, make sure to install it before continuing. You can use any other browser on your computer to download your desired browser's installation file. Here are links to some of the most common alternative browsers:
This will open a new menu.^{[1]
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You'll see a phrase that says "Make [browser] your default browser," and a button that says Set default next to it. Click that button to change your default browser.^{[2]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

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Section 2 of 2:

Troubleshooting When Your Default Won't Change

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Sometimes, random glitches will cause your computer to not work properly. This could include the ability to change your default browser. To restart your computer, click the Windows icon in your taskbar, then open the power menu and click Restart. Try not to restart your computer by pressing and holding the power button unless you have to, as this could lead to data corruption or loss.
Some users have found that updating their browser fixes issues with changing their Windows 11 default browser, especially if they had just recently updated to Windows 11 from Windows 10. To update your browser, click File and see if there is a pending update. You may have to open the browser's settings to see if there's a pending update.^{[3]
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If your browser is up to date and you still can't change the default browser on your computer, you may need to check for a Windows 11 update. Sometimes there are bugs within Windows 11 that can only be fixed by updating the system. To check for a Windows update, type "windows update" into the taskbar search bar and click Windows Update in the Start menu. If there's a pending update, install it before trying again.
Sometimes, uninstalling and reinstalling the browser app will refresh it and fix issues with setting it as your default. To do this, right-click on the Windows icon in the taskbar and click Installed apps. Then, locate the browser and uninstall it. Once it's uninstalled (restart your computer if prompted), reinstall it by opening the installation file in your Downloads folder, or by re-downloading the browser's installation file and running it.
Other users have found that setting their default browser app to Microsoft Edge (the default browser that was originally set in your Windows 11 installation) allowed them to change their default browser to something else afterwards. To do this, follow the steps to change your default browser app and choose Microsoft Edge as your default browser. Then, restart your computer. Once your computer restarts, go back and change your default browser app to the browser of your choice.^{[4]
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