[SOLVED] How to stop Windows 10 defaulting to Microsft Edge for things like "Windows Help" ?

[staney]

Hi this is probably a common question but I couldn't find the answer,

How do I stop windows using Edge to open the internet for help etc.

Example: when I accidently click on the little 'help' question mark at the top right of an explorer window (see pic) it will open the relevent webpage in Edge, although it doesn't because I've never set it up so it tries to log in, asks about cookies, wants to sync etc etc etc before I can shut the window again.

Is there a way to make my default browser the one that opens this "feature"? I've tried the ways to disable/uninstall edge but this keeps bringing it back

Help much appreciated

https://flic.kr/p/2nByvRE

 

[Groveling_Wyrm]

Go into Windows 10 Settings - Apps - Default Apps tab on left side - Select your browser as default.

 

[Colif]

I think he has set a default browser, its just that help button uses edge anyway.

Setting default browser is meant to change that - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10-020c58c6-7d77-797a-b74e-8f07946c5db6

But it doesn't.

I can see ways to remove edge but I wonder what happens to button after that. Might not work at all.
Its possible it uses html, although this source might not be accurate - https://www.drexplain.com/press/articles/windows_software_help_files_formats/
i think it uses this now - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Compiled_HTML_Help

could try changing it, see what happens

 

[staney]

I think he has set a default browser, its just that help button uses edge anyway.

Setting default browser is meant to change that - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10-020c58c6-7d77-797a-b74e-8f07946c5db6

But it doesn't.

I can see ways to remove edge but I wonder what happens to button after that. Might not work at all.
Its possible it uses html, although this source might not be accurate - https://www.drexplain.com/press/articles/windows_software_help_files_formats/
i think it uses this now - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Compiled_HTML_Help

could try changing it, see what happens

Yes, I have firefox set as default for everything I could find. The problem is when I click the help button it wakes Edge up and it then acts like its a fresh install, taking everything over as default and asking for settings.

Interesting to see its broken, makes sense by its behaviour

I'm not sure how to change the setting you indicate, the only option is to go to the microsoft store, which I haven't set up either, so I can't just point it at firefox on the local machine.

Hmm I might have solved this by breaking it. When I clicked the help button on purpose nothing happened. Haha

 

[Colif]

it seems it doesn't use that file type any more, only some files might exist

You can't change it. I suspect all the help files are online. Probably makes it easier to update them too.
The help function calls edge, its hard coded.

Windows 10 Chromium Edge cannot be uninstalled and one main reason is that it is the built-in viewer for all Help System displays.
So no, you cannot change this or use Firefox for the help browser. Edge is built right in.

Edge will continue to be used for extensions of Help (because Help will be calling the extensions). By extensions I mean Web help called by Help.
I will look for an article, but it falls in the realm of common knowledge as Microsoft issues its updates.

https://superuser.com/questions/1612243/windows-help-opens-in-edge-instead-of-default-browser

 

[Colif]

I'm not sure how to change the setting you indicate, the only option is to go to the microsoft store, which I haven't set up either, so I can't just point it at firefox on the local machine.

i see the problem. I hadn't tried it myself. I don't have my VM attached to store either so I can't tell if you could download perhaps Chrome and use it. Might be they don't support chtml

there are only 3 programs that do read those files - https://fileinfo.com/extension/chm

Breaking it is not the best fix really. It is an option I guess.
You just have to remember what you changed as it could have unforseen results.

how did you break it??

I hardly ever use help anyway. That button doesn't exist on Win 11 in same spot anyway, I had to use a win 10 VM to see what it was.

 

[staney]

I don't know how i broke it, other than re-disable edge I haven't done anything. Its entirely possible it will come back after a reboot.

I don't think I've ever clicked help to actually get help either, its sloppy mouse handling that causes it to open, i open and shut the ribbon a lot so sometimes I miss.

Anyway, thanks for all your help, it looks like there is no way to change the option.
Cheers.