Can’t Set Firefox as My Windows 10 Default Browser [Solved]

System settings can prevent you to make Firefox the default browser for Windows 10.
If your Windows 10 system can't set Firefox as the default browser, check the program associations settings.
You can set Firefox as the default browser from its internal options.
If nothing works, consider changing to another browser with plenty of additional features.

Instead of fixing issues with Firefox, upgrade to a better browser: Opera
You deserve a better browser ! 350 million people use Opera daily, a fully-fledged navigation experience that comes with various built-in packages, enhanced resource consumption and great design.Here's what Opera can do:

Easy migration: use the Opera assistant to transfer exiting Firefox data, in just a few steps
Optimize resource usage: your RAM memory is used more efficiently than Firefox does
Enhanced privacy: free and unlimited VPN integrated
No ads: built-in Ad Blocker speeds up loading of pages and protects against data-mining
Download Opera

Even though Microsoft is doing its best to enforce Edge, the majority of users is quite satisfied with what the likes of Chrome and Firefox have to offer.

You should be able to choose an alternative browser such as Mozilla Firefox, depending on your preferences, and set it as your default internet surfing tool.

However, some users reported after multiple attempts that they can’t set Firefox as default browser in Windows 10.

For example, if your computer has multiple browsers installed, you may end up with a different default browser than Firefox.

When you make Firefox default browser in Windows 10, you’ll be automatically guarded against invasive tracking methods like fingerprinting and crypto mining.

Making the simplest of steps is quite a chore. Not to worry, we will show you how to make Firefox default browser in the steps provided below, to make sure it won’t change overnight.

How do I set Firefox as the default browser?

1. Consider using a different browser

If nothing worked, maybe you should give up setting Firefox as your default browser altogether. Instead, try installing Opera

While not as popular as Firefox, Edge, or Chrome, those who installed it said they don’t need any other browser.

Opera is fast, lightweight, and secure. You will definitely notice a significant difference in terms of speed and responsiveness compared to other browsers you’ve used.

So, if all the other browsers out there disappointed you badly due to technical glitches or privacy issues, switch to Opera.

Why not use a better alternative if it’s already available for free?

Opera

Enjoy a fast and error-free browsing experience with Opera, and never go back to a different browser again.

2. Change the default browser in Settings

Press Windows key + I to open the Settings app.

Choose Apps.

Select Default apps from the left pane.

Scroll down and click on Web browser.

windows 10 won't allow firefox as default browser

Choose Firefox from the list.

First things first. Even though the default browser can be set within the browser settings, it might fail. It works most of the time, but a safer route is to navigate to Settings.

There, you can select Firefox as the default browser. After that, you should be able to open all web links and associated files with Firefox.

3. Reset Settings and assign default programs again

Press Windows key + I to open the Settings app.

Open Apps.

Select Default apps from the left pane.

Scroll down and click on the Reset button.

Assign all main programs and choose Firefox from the list of available browsers.

Is the issue persisting? Don’t worry, there are still a few ways to resolve it. Let’s get back to Settings and reset all default programs to default values. After that, restart your PC.

Make sure that you’re using the full Mozilla Firefox version which is installed. If it’s some kind of portable Firefox, it won’t create the registry entry. Which means that it can’t be recognized by Windows 10.

4. Set Program associations individually

Open the Settings app.

Open Apps.

Select Default apps from the left pane.

Click on the Choose default apps by file type.

Replace all Edge/Internet Explorer/Chrome associated files with Firefox and confirm changes.

Besides the global settings for the most common system use (default browser, email client, calendar etc.), there are file associations, as well.

You can associate certain programs with certain file extensions and they’ll be, by default, accessed with that program solely. In this case, you can assign all relevant extensions to Firefox.

5. Reinstall Firefox

And, finally, reinstallation might help as well. As we already explained, the system creates the registry input when Firefox is installed.

However, if the installation gets corrupt or incomplete, it might skip on listing Firefox as a relevant browser.

That’s why you should reinstall it and, after you set it up, check the Default apps section again. We suggest installing Firefox in architecture that corresponds to your system architecture.

With that said, we can conclude this article. Hopefully, you were able to assign Firefox as the default browser after these steps.

In case you have an alternative solution or something you would add or subtract, feel free to tell us in the comments section below.

ncG1vNJzZmivmaOxsMPSq5ypp6Kpe6S7zGiuoqaUpMS0eZBpZLCnnql6orjLqK5mnpmnsqe712abnp6Rqrm1ecGrprCrlad8