topic Re: Firefox settings launch in Discussions

Firefox settings launch

karolek8764 — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 07:48:14 GMT

I want to check or uncheck "Check if Firefox is the default browser" but I can't check or uncheck anything.
I turned on autostart, etc., uninstalled and re-downloaded Firefox and it's still the same and I can't do anything to stop it from appearing, just like in the screenshot.

Re: Firefox settings launch

dftf — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:07:08 GMT

@karolek8764
close all Firefox windows currently open
go into your Start Menu then into the ⚙ Settings app, then click Apps, then Startup
Set Firefox there to "on"
Go back into Firefox, and see if both options are now active.
If so, make the change, then return to Start -> Settings -> Apps -> Startup and turn Firefox off again.

Alternatively, type about:config in the URL bar, then press ENTER.
Search for DefaultBrowser
Double-click on "browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser" and set it to "false"

Re: Firefox settings launch

karolek8764 — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:38:29 GMT

close all Firefox windows currently open
go into your Start Menu then into the ⚙ Settings app, then click Apps, then Startup
Set Firefox there to "on"
Go back into Firefox, and see if both options are now active.
If so, make the change, then return to Start -> Settings -> Apps -> Startup and turn Firefox off again.

@dftf I did it, and still the same 😞 What I added in the screenshot. Now what?

Re: Firefox settings launch

dftf — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:44:17 GMT

@karolek8764 : maybe try the other option I provided you earlier?

Alternatively, type about:config in the URL bar, then press ENTER.
Search for DefaultBrowser
Double-click on "browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser" and set it to "false"

Re: Firefox settings launch

karolek8764 — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:48:15 GMT

@dftf I did it and still the same.... I don't know what's going on...

Re: Firefox settings launch

dftf — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:52:10 GMT

Is this a personal device, or one a company issued to you?

If you type about:policies#active in the URL bar, then press ENTER, do you have policies in force on that machine that stop you changing certain settings?

Re: Firefox settings launch

karolek8764 — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:55:27 GMT

Active
The Organization Policy Service is inactive.

This is what it says

Re: Firefox settings launch

dftf — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:12:45 GMT

Okay, if you've made the second change I suggested (about:config -> set "browser.shell.checkDefaultBrowser" to "false"), then that does the same thing as the "Always check if Firefox is your default browser"

Close all Firefox windows, then go to Start -> ⚙ Settings -> Apps -> Default apps
Then:
Windows 11: search for the browser you want to be your default (e.g. Google Chrome), click on that result, then look for "Set as default browser"
Windows 10: click the current browser under the "Web browser" heading, then click the new one you want to be your default in the pop-up list

Once done, open Firefox and see if it's still asking you to get set as the default

Re: Firefox settings launch

karolek8764 — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:29:32 GMT

@dftf It worked 🙂 The message now appears, asking me to set it as the default browser.

I had to set it as the default browser (e.g., Google Chrome), click the result, and then look for the "Set as default browser" option.

Just one last step: how do I prevent this from happening? I've attached a screenshot.

Re: Firefox settings launch

dftf — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:35:27 GMT

@karolek8764 : have you actually clicked the Startup Apps link in that screenshot? That should take you into the Windows Settings app to where you can turn Firefox on.

You can also bring-up Task Manager, then go to the Startup section there, and see if Firefox is listed as "disabled" and set it to "enabled". Once both places say it is enabled, restart your PC and see if "Open Firefox automatically when your computer starts up" is then able to be selected (not greyed out).

The option for Firefox to ask to be your default is probably linked to that setting, and it is disabled at the same time.

But what are you trying to achieve here overall: do you want Firefox as your browser at-all times, or a different browser?

Re: Firefox settings launch

karolek8764 — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:46:01 GMT

@dftf

Does it appear in this screenshot for you too? Does everyone have this?

Because I had Firefox on my previous computer and I never had this information in the attached screenshot. When Firefox didn't automatically open after starting the computer, I also checked the startup settings, which are shown in the screenshot, and I never had this. So why not have it in this case?

I want Firefox and Google Chrome.

Re: Firefox settings launch

dftf — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:51:51 GMT

Okay, so do you have both Google Chrome and Firefox installed on that PC currently?

If yes, which of the two do you want to be your default browser: so when you click on a link in an e-mail, for example, or a link in Windows itself (example: "Get help with this online..."), which of those two do you want to open up?

And are you looking for Chrome and Firefox to both come up on screen when you first start your PC each day, or stay closed until you decide to click on them?

Re: Firefox settings launch

karolek8764 — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 11:46:02 GMT

@dftf

Do you currently have the Google Chrome and Firefox browsers installed on this computer?
Yes.

Which of the two browsers would you like to be your default? In other words, when you click a link in an email or within the Windows system itself (for example, "Get help with this topic online..."), which of these two browsers should open?
Chrome

Would you like Chrome and Firefox to appear on your screen each day when you first start your computer, or should they remain closed until you choose to open them?
They should remain closed; I do not want any browser to open automatically when the computer starts.

Re: Firefox settings launch

dftf — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 15:45:00 GMT

@karolek8764 : okay, so both browsers are already installed

To change your default app:
Go to the Start Menu -> Settings -> Apps -> Default apps
If your PC has Windows 11 on it, search for Chrome then click Google Chrome
On the next page, click the "Set default" button at the top

To prevent Chrome or Firefox opening when you start your PC:
• Bring up the Start Menu then go Settings -> Apps -> Startup
• Set both Firefox and Google Chrome to "off" in that screen
• Right-click an empty area of the Taskbar, then click "Task Manager"
• Click "Startup apps" (the icon looks like a speedometer dial in a car)
• Check Firefox and Google Chrome are disabled there (if not, right-click, then "Disable")