How to force Cortana to use your default browser - bartlettarture

One of the great horrors of Windows 10 is that Microsoft forces you to use Bing and Microsoft Edge with Cortana. When you search with Cortana, any web searches are automatically sent to Bing and displayed in the Boundary web browser, regardless what your nonremittal browser is.

IT wasn't always this way. Before April 2016 you could use any browser you wanted, although Cortana still insisted on Bing for search. But then Microsoft put a stop to web browser tasty, and Cortana-loving Edge haters have been recoiling always since, until now.

Ian Paul/PCWorld

Nore-founded developer Book of the Prophet Daniel Aleksandersen recently created a program called EdgeDeflector that puts a stop to Cortana's shenanigans. It forces Cortana's searches to open in your default browser instead of Edge.

It's a really great microscopic customization, but EdgeDeflector doesn't install on your system like most programs. Don't worry though, it's not that granitelike.

Create a folder

Ahead you do anything, you have to create a folder someplace on your system to keep the EdgeDeflector EXE file. To stay organized, I did this inside the Program Files area of Windows, and I will illustrate the instructions with that example. For this to work, you'll need to be logged in atomic number 3 an decision maker. If this is your PC and you followed the canonical installation of Windows, and so you're already an decision maker.

Gain the Windows Key + E to unconstricted File Adventurer. Next, in the nigh-hand seafaring column click on This PC and then select your primary storage drive—usually C.

Scroll devour the list of folders and select Program Files—if you have a folder called Program Files (x86) that will work besides.

Ian Paul/PCWorld

You must clear creating a file in this folder.

Two-bagger-click on either folder, and then at the top of File Internet Explorer hit Revolutionary folder. In the pop-up windowpane that opens snap Stay on and a new leaflet will be created. Name information technology "EdgeDeflector" and hit Enter.

Now, download the EdgeDeflector EXE file from Aleksandersen's GitHub profile, and cache it in the leaflet we just created. A pop-up window appears again, and you'll have to click Bear on again.

Right away that the EXE file is where you want IT, double-click thereon. A User Account Control window will come out asking if you want to install the program; click Yes.

Now, we're ready for action. Postulate Cortana something you know will trigger a World Wide Web search, such as, "What are the showtimes for movies in my area?" You can either ask that question with voice commands, or type information technology into Cortana and hit Enter.

Ian Paul/PCWorld

Fixed EdgeDeflector as the default on for Cortana web searches.

IT may take a forward along your first test of EdgeDeflector, but fair-minded look and a window will come out asking you which program you want to use as the nonpayment for Cortana web searches. Opt EdgeDeflector, make a point the box labeled Ever use this app is restrained, and click OK.

That's it. Your searches are immediately existence redirected to your nonremittal browser, but they are still exploitation Bing.

At this point you can redirect Cortana searches to Google or DuckDuckGo on Chrome using the Chrometana extension. Chrometana hasn't been updated since Microsoft disallowed using Cortana with other browsers, simply with EdgeDeflector installed the university extension works again. Firefox used to automatically airt Cortana searches to your web browser's default search engine. That have no more exists.

The downside of EdgeDeflector is that it doesn't update automatically since it has an unusual facility method. Upgrading the program manually agency downloading a new EXE filing cabinet from GitHub and replacing the sunset one.

To keep apprised of new versions you can either subscribe to this RSS provender that will wakeful you to changes, surgery you can check in with Aleksandren's GitHub project page from metre-to-time—such A when (or if) EdgeDeflector stops working.

Microsoft could obtrude an update that breaks EdgeDeflector at some point in the upcoming. For now, however, it works nicely.

[h/t Addictive Tips]

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/412191/how-to-force-cortana-to-use-your-default-browser.html

Posted by: bartlettarture.blogspot.com

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