Open Outlook links in Chrome or Firefox instead of Edge
Outlook on the desktop keeps its own preference for opening links, separate from the Windows default. If your emails keep opening Edge, that setting is almost always the reason.
First, the setting Outlook already has
- 1
Open File, then Options
This is the classic Outlook desktop application. The new Outlook and the web version do not carry the same setting.
- 2
Go to Advanced
Scroll to the section about link handling.
- 3
Set Open hyperlinks from Outlook in
Choose Default Browser rather than Microsoft Edge.
What that does not fix
- It sends every link to the same browser. A newsletter and a work ticket end up in the same window.
- Links rewritten as SafeLinks still arrive as a Microsoft redirect.
- If you keep separate browser profiles for work and personal use, the setting knows nothing about them.
Deciding per link
- LinkUnbound can ask every time, or route by the site, by the profile, or by the application the link came from.
- A rule can point at a particular Chrome or Edge profile, not just at the browser.
- Free and open source, Windows and macOS, no account and no telemetry.
Carry on with
Questions
Why do Outlook links ignore my default browser?
Classic Outlook carries its own preference under File, Options, Advanced. Until it is set to the default browser, it overrides what Windows says.
Does the new Outlook have the same setting?
No. The setting described here belongs to the classic desktop application. The new Outlook and the web version behave differently.