Happy Friday From Microsoft! Get Your Browser Back And A Better Start Menu

Microsoft Returns Control Of Your Default Browser

In the current version of Windows 11, if you want to reset your default browser to something other than Edge, after ignoring the message you get when downloading it, you need to change all of the protocols by hand.  Instead of a simple click as it has been in previous versions of Windows you need to delve into your default apps and change HTTP, HTTPS, HTML, and HTM to use the browser you prefer … and reset them whenever Edge accidentally takes over as the default browser again.

As of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22509 you can once again set your default browser with a single click.  This is perhaps a minor thing, but it really does help those who happen to use a variety of computers and prefer a different browser than Edge.  That will not apply to PDFs, which you will still have to change all PDF related extensions to use the PDF program of your choice; as it is currently in Windows 10 as well.

There is even more good news in this Insider Preview Build as Microsoft have relented somewhat on their lock down of the Start Menu.  While it still doesn’t look like the Start Menu in Windows 10 you can now make changes to the layout to make it closer to the design you would like.  You are now able to modify the amount of pinned applications and recommendations to a far greater extent, though not quite to the level you could on previous Windows versions it is a vast improvement.  As well you can chose the number of columns the apps and recommendations display on, either slimming it down or making it even larger. depending on your preference.

There are a few other changes which The Register covers here.