Set Edge as Default Browser per User

Iron Contributor

I have two questions:

 

  1. How can make Edge the default browser for a user? I see there is a GPO to set the file type associations as per here but this is per computer. Also, Edge has a button in edge://settings to make it default. is there an API call, CLI tool, registry or the like to do this per user? Maybe even start Edge with a flag to make it default?
  2. I wish to simulate the experience users will have when IE11 is retired. Is this GPO the way to do this Disable Internet Explorer 11 | Microsoft Docs ?
6 Replies
Anyone?
Like you mentioned, the policy is for computer, and you couldn't do it per user.
In the site you posted for the second question there is the following

Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Internet Explorer

where you select "Disable Internet Explorer 11 as a standalone browser"
But disabling IE11 is not the same thing as making Edge the default browser. There is no GP for this. It seems there is some freeware that manipulates the registry but I don't wish to go that route.

You may navigate to the following policy:
Computer Configuration->Administrative Templates->Windows Components->File Explorer->Set a default associations configuration file
You may create default file association, have a look at Export or Import Default Application Associations | Microsoft Docs

That is per machine not per user.
I advise you to open start and search for feedback and open Feedback Hub app and suggest this feature.
The policy is based on Computer and not available per user, but you may share this suggestion.