We recieved an email the other day from a user with a problem they where having with Microsoft Windows Vista. They wanted to use Firefox as there default browser yet Windows Vista would still use Internet Explorer when the user clicked a link?

Here is how to fix this annoying error.

By default, when you click on a link to a web page, Microsoft Windows Vista will automatically use the Internet Explorer.

If you want it to use some other browser like Firefox, Opera or Netscape, try the following.

  1. Go to the Control Panel \ Programs \ Default Programs
  2. Click on Set your default programs
  3. Select the Web Browser you want to use
  4. Click on Choose defaults for this program
  5. Under Protocols, check HTTP
  6. Click on Save
  7. You may want to check .htm and .html as well

Now when you click on links in an email or select a link from a web page for example, your default web browser will launch.

If your other browser does not show in the program default screen, then you can make a small change to the registry.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice 

Change it from IE.HTTP to Firefox.Url (if you are using Firefox as your default browser for example). Be sure to make the appropriate changes for the browser you wish to use.

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