Making Outlook 2010 use the default browser in Windows 10 for web page links

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I’m not sure that this is a Windows 10 issue or and Outlook 2010 issue or a combination of the two.

Since Edge doesn’t have extensions for 3rd party apps, Norton Security recommended that I change my default browser in Windows 10 from Edge to Internet Explorer. I did that by clicking startsettingssystemdefault apps and then changing the value for the web browser from Edge to IE. If I open another app like CCleaner and click the link to “Check for Updates” that action opens up IE and takes me to the updates page. I can also cut and past a hyperlink into a Word 2010 document and when I execute a CTRL+click on the hyperlink, IE is also opened and I’m taken to the web page associated with that link. However, if I’m in Outlook 2010 and I’m viewing an email in HTML format and I click on a link in that email instead of IE opening and taking me to that page, I instead get a prompt (see below) asking me if I wish to continue using the selected program (Internet Explorer) or use Edge instead or to go to the App Store. Even if I check the checkbox on this prompt to use Internet Explorer every time, the next time I click on a link in an email the prompt reappears.

Note that I’ve checked the association for file types and the applications association and when IE is the default they’re all set to use IE if IE is set to be the default browser.

Now the weird part is that if I switch the default browser back from Internet Explorer to Edge then clicking on a link in an email correctly caused the Edge browser to be invoked and I don’t see the prompt.

Does anyone know how to make Outlook 2010 use IE as the default bowser when you click on a link in an email?

42112-cropped-prompt

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Also posted and solved at How-to Geek: Windows 10 Browser default issues – Computer Help – How-To Geek Discussion

Please see Rule 14.

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Also posted and solved at How-to Geek: Windows 10 Browser default issues – Computer Help – How-To Geek Discussion

Please see Rule 14.

Bruce,

Thanks for the reply.

The problem with Rule 14 is that many times the “most appropriate” forum to post on is impossible to determine and the only way to get input from a wider audience is to place the question on multiple forums as many times people are only members of 1 forum and that person may be the one that has your answer. For example when I first posted this problem on the Windows Secrets Forum it was my belief that this was a Windows 10 issue. In the end, however it turned out to be an Outlook problem that was limited to Office 2007 and 2010. In addition, there are many times conflicting solutions, misinformation or incomplete answer that one has to wade through to get the correct answer. For example, in regard to this problem it was initially reported on one forum that the fix would cause a new instance of IE each time a link was clicked in Outlook. Subsequently, Microsoft published a KB article on this issue that provided a second alternative that actually, in my opinion, should have been the only alternative offered. In this second alternative, Internet Explorer will open if it is closed at the time a link is clicked and open a new tab if IE is already open. Note also that there were some reports of this second alternative causing a command window to open and then close when it opens a new tab in IE however, at least in my experience and the experience of several others this is not the case. So, in summary, this problem, at least, benefited by having the problem posted on multiple forums where many people were able to participate finding a solution and weeding out misleading and/or inaccurate information.

Having stated the benefits of multiple postings I also wish to state that if you’re going to do multiple postings then it’s the forum members duty to follow up on those postings and provide other forum members as much accurate information about the problem and solution as they can so the thread just doesn’t hang out there. Unfortunately, in regard to this thread the most accurate information regarding the problem and solution was not known until after midnight central time and although I updated postings on the more active treads, I elected to wait on this post in order to get some sleep :blink: at 1:30 AM. Unfortunately, for me you just beat me to the punch on posting a solution……

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OK, thanks for the explanation. But ultimately Rule 14 only asks that you mention posting elsewhere if necessary and provide a link.

I was interested in the solution as I use Outlook 2007 and waver between Edge and IE11. I think it is primarily a Windows 10 issue.

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OK, thanks for the explanation. But ultimately Rule 14 only asks that you mention posting elsewhere if necessary and provide a link.

I was interested in the solution as I use Outlook 2007 and waver between Edge and IE11. I think it is primarily a Windows 10 issue.

I know the feeling. I really didn’t want to deploy this patch either but right now, Edge lacks the ability to have add-on’s since Norton Security provides an extra layer of “Safe Surfing” if you use IE with their Add-on hook, I decides that I would go ahead and make IE my default until Edge adds the add-on functionality that IE and Chrome have. After having to perform a reset of Windows 10 and having to reinstall all of my apps I’ve created a log of tweaks and other changes I’ve made to the system and to apps I have installed so that I know what’s been done so I can rip out the change later. Resetting Windows 10 and reinstalling everything was a pain but my Windows 7 system was so tweaked with undocumented changes that the upgrade to 10 made my system very unstable so this time I’m being more careful.

P.S. You stated that this is primarily a Windows 10 issue but be advised that the KB specifically states that it only applies to Outlook 2007 and 2010. I’m trying to get someone that running 2013 to say whether this is an issue for them or not. So far I have not received any feedback on my post on that issue. If I hear anything I’ll update this post as well.

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P.S. You stated that this is primarily a Windows 10 issue but be advised that the KB specifically states that it only applies to Outlook 2007 and 2010.

Yes, but only on Windows 10:

Cause

This problem occurs if your computer has the following configuration:

• Windows 10
• Internet Explorer 11 set as the default browser
• Either Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2007

This problem occurs because data is missing from the registry.

KB3094816

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Yes, but only on Windows 10:

Cause

This problem occurs if your computer has the following configuration:

• Windows 10
• Internet Explorer 11 set as the default browser
• Either Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2007

This problem occurs because data is missing from the registry.

KB3094816

You are correct. Because the problem title specifically stated that my concern was with Windows 10 I thought that that was a given but it’s good to get that point across. According to what I was told this problem does not affect anyone that might be using Chrome or Firefox as their default browser, only IE 11.

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Hello. I’ve finally found a “fix” (at least for me) when Outlook 2010 keeps asking which app you want to use to open a webpage or “link”. I found it on a MS Community Forum. Below is a link, plus instructions on how to make a simple registry tweak to stop this most annoying problem. Good luck! LeRoy
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3094186

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Hello. I’ve finally found a “fix” (at least for me) when Outlook 2010 keeps asking which app you want to use to open a webpage or “link”. I found it on a MS Community Forum. Below is a link, plus instructions on how to make a simple registry tweak to stop this most annoying problem. Good luck! LeRoy
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3094186

LeRoy,

Yes, that’s the KB that was mentioned in the How-to-Geek link that BruceR added to this thread on 9/22. I had posted this question on the How-to-Geek forum at the same time I posted the question on this forum and I was in the process of posting the solution here as well but unfortunately Bruce beat me to the punch with his reference to the How-to-Geek answer. As you can see from the thread there was some additional back and forth discussion about proper posting etiquette when posting the same question on multiple forum sites but the important thing is that the solution is available to those needing help regardless of whether they visit this forum or the How-to-Geek forum.

Regards.

MD

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Sorry I “broke the rules”. Some of these forums from what I’ve seen are a bit ambiguous. Cross-Threading? I guess same thread in different forums? Just trying to help, regardless… Again, Hope what I learned from other forums helped… Best, LeRoy

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Sorry I “broke the rules”. Some of these forums from what I’ve seen are a bit ambiguous. Cross-Threading? I guess same thread in different forums? Just trying to help, regardless… Again, Hope what I learned from other forums helped… Best, LeRoy

LeRoy,

You didn’t break any rules as far as I’m concerned. It was I that broke the rule by double posting on two forums without providing a reference on each forum that I had postings of the same question on the other forum. Personally, I see nothing wrong with multiple postings as the person that has an answer may not be posting on the same forum as you post on and you’d never get the answer you need. I understand Bruce’s point however that there are people that do answer questions on multiple sites and duplicate questions are a problem for those people trying to help others. In the end I agree that it’s a good idea to state in your questions that you have posted the same question on another forum and I intend to do so next time. Bruce and I also agree on the fact that if you post a question on one forum or multiple forums you are ultimately responsible for posting whether or not a solution or suggestion given to you worked or not and that you’re also responsible for following up to tell others that you didn’t get an answer if nobody responds. It’s all about common sense and etiquette. Anyway, I saw nothing wrong with what you did so don’t sweat the small stuff. 😉

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Moondoggy451 the reason you don’t get the option popup box when you switch back to Edge is when you opened Edge for the first time after installing Windows 10 you checked the popup that said “Always Use This App”.

To revert back to IE11 just check the same box in the popup option after selecting IE11 as your default. You can see it at the bottom of your example above.

Hope this helps.

brugah

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To revert back to IE11 just check the same box in the popup option after selecting IE11 as your default. You can see it at the bottom of your example above.

He said he’d done that:

Even if I check the checkbox on this prompt to use Internet Explorer every time, the next time I click on a link in an email the prompt reappears.

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Moondoggy451 the reason you don’t get the option popup box when you switch back to Edge is when you opened Edge for the first time after installing Windows 10 you checked the popup that said “Always Use This App”.

To revert back to IE11 just check the same box in the popup option after selecting IE11 as your default. You can see it at the bottom of your example above.

Hope this helps.

brugah

As BruceR noted in his post, I tried that but checking the checkbox does nothing as this is a definite bug that only impacts Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2010 when then being run in Windows 10 and the users wants to use IE as their default browser.

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