What Outlook does with links and why you might want to change it

When you click a link inside an Outlook email, the message opens in whatever browser Outlook has been told is your default. For most people, that is whatever browser came with their computer or the one they installed first. If you use a different browser now — Chrome instead of Edge, Firefox instead of Safari — Outlook will still open links in the old one unless you change the setting.

Changing this setting is straightforward and takes about two minutes. The exact steps depend on whether you use Outlook on Windows, Mac, or the web version, because each one stores this preference in a different place. The good news is that once you change it, the change sticks: Outlook will remember your choice the next time you click a link.

Key Takeaways

  • Outlook uses your computer's default browser setting, which you change in Windows Settings, Mac System Settings, or your browser itself — not inside Outlook.
  • On Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps and set your preferred browser as the default for HTTP and HTTPS links.
  • On Mac, open System Settings > General > Default Web Browser and choose your browser from the dropdown menu.
  • In Outlook on the web, you cannot change the browser setting because the web version runs inside whatever browser you are already using.
  • After you change the default, test it by clicking a link in an email to confirm Outlook opens it in the correct browser.

Changing the default browser on Windows

Windows 10 and Windows 11 both let you set a default browser through the Settings app. Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "settings," then click the Settings app when it appears. Once Settings opens, click Apps in the left sidebar, then click Default Apps.

Scroll down until you see HTTP and HTTPS — these are the two link types that web browsers handle. Click the current default next to HTTP. A menu will pop up showing all the browsers installed on your computer. Click the one you want to use. Windows will automatically set HTTPS to the same browser, so you only need to change one.

Close Settings and go back to Outlook. The next time you click a link in an email, it should open in your new default browser. If it does not, restart Outlook completely — close it and open it again — because Outlook sometimes caches the old setting until it restarts.

Changing the default browser on Mac

Mac stores the default browser setting in System Settings rather than in individual apps. Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences if you are on an older Mac). Click General in the left sidebar, then look for Default Web Browser near the bottom of the window.

Click the dropdown menu next to "Default Web Browser" and select the browser you want to use. The list shows every browser you have installed. Once you select one, close System Settings. The change takes effect when ready, and the next link you click in Outlook will open in your chosen browser.

If you do not see the Default Web Browser option, you are on an older version of macOS. In that case, open System Preferences, click General, and look for Default Web Browser in the main panel. The process is the same.

Why Outlook on the web works differently

If you use Outlook through a web browser — the version at outlook.com or outlook.office.com — you cannot change the default browser inside Outlook because Outlook is already running inside your browser. When you click a link in web Outlook, it opens in the same browser you are currently using, and there is no setting to change this behavior.

If you want links to open in a different browser, you have two options: switch to the desktop version of Outlook (the app you install on your computer), or manually right-click links in web Outlook and select "Open in New Tab" or "Open in New Window" to choose where they go. The desktop version gives you the full default browser control described above.

Testing your change and troubleshooting

After you change the default browser, test it by opening an email with a link and clicking it. The link should open in your new default browser. If it opens in the old browser instead, the most common reason is that Outlook has not restarted since you made the change. Close Outlook completely — not just minimize it — and open it again.

If the link still opens in the wrong browser after you restart Outlook, go back to your system settings and confirm the change was saved. On Windows, open Settings > Apps > Default Apps again and check that HTTP and HTTPS both show your chosen browser. On Mac, open System Settings > General and verify the Default Web Browser dropdown shows the correct browser. If the setting reverted, click it again and make sure to complete the selection.

One other possibility: if you have multiple user accounts on your computer, the default browser setting is per-account. If you changed it in one account but use Outlook in a different account, you will need to change the default in that account too.

Why some links might still open in the wrong browser

Occasionally a link will open in a browser other than your default. This usually happens when a program or browser extension has overridden the system default for that specific link type. For example, some password managers or email security tools insert their own browser handling. If this happens, check what programs you have installed recently and look for settings inside them that control how links open.

Another cause is that the link itself might be formatted to open in a specific browser. This is rare in regular emails, but it can happen in emails from companies that use special email templates. In these cases, there is no system setting that will override it — the link is hardcoded to use a particular browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to change the default browser separately for Outlook and other programs?

No. When you set a default browser in Windows Settings or Mac System Settings, that becomes the default for your entire computer — Outlook, web browsers, documents, and every other program that opens links. You only need to change it once.

Will changing the default browser affect my email security or passwords?

No. Changing which browser opens links from Outlook does not affect your email account, passwords, or security settings. Your Outlook login and email data stay exactly the same. The change only controls which program launches when you click a link.

What if I want different links to open in different browsers?

The system default setting applies to all links. If you want specific control over individual links, you can right-click any link in Outlook and select "Open in New Window" or "Open in New Tab," which usually gives you a choice of browsers. Some third-party tools can also route links based on rules, but the built-in system only supports one default.

Can I change the default browser just for Outlook, not for my whole computer?

No. Outlook uses the system-wide default browser setting and does not have its own separate browser preference. If you want Outlook to use a different browser than the rest of your computer, you would need to change your system default back and forth, which is not practical.

Does this work the same way in Outlook 2019, Outlook 2021, and Microsoft 365?

Yes. All desktop versions of Outlook on Windows and Mac use the system default browser setting. The steps are identical whether you have an older version or the latest Microsoft 365 subscription. The only exception is Outlook on the web, which always uses the browser you are currently in.