Change Default Browser in Windows - System Tray
Managing Multiple Browsers with BrowserTraySwitch
For both web developers and general internet users, utilizing several browsers can be a necessity. Different browsers offer unique features, prompting the need to switch between them to leverage specific functionalities.
While launching a browser directly from the desktop or Start menu is straightforward, opening files or links from other applications defaults to your currently selected browser. Typically, modifying the default browser requires navigating its settings.
Introducing BrowserTraySwitch
BrowserTraySwitch is a complimentary utility designed for all Windows versions, simplifying the process of quickly altering your default web browser. It resides discreetly in the system tray, enabling browser selection via a convenient popup menu.
Installation is initiated by double-clicking the downloaded .exe file. Follow the on-screen instructions within the setup wizard. Upon the program’s initial execution, a dialog box appears.
Because BrowserTraySwitch modifies the Windows registry to effect changes to the default browser, it proactively creates a backup of pertinent registry settings before proceeding.
Furthermore, a dedicated registry file is generated for each browser added to the menu. The first time the program runs, it identifies the existing default browser and prompts you to save its corresponding registry file.
The newly detected browser is then integrated into the program’s menu.
The BrowserTraySwitch icon in the system tray dynamically updates to reflect the icon of the current default browser.
Adding Browsers to the Menu
To incorporate a browser into the menu, first designate it as the default browser within its own settings. Let's demonstrate by adding Google Chrome to the BrowserTraySwitch menu.
Within Chrome, access the Settings menu located in the upper-left corner of the browser window.
On the Settings tab, locate and click the "Make Google Chrome my default browser" button under the Default browser section.
If prompted by User Account Control, click "Yes" to authorize the change.
NOTE: The User Account Control dialog may not appear, depending on your system’s security configuration.
A dialog box from BrowserTraySwitch will then appear, requesting you to save the registry file for the newly designated default browser. Select "Save".
Saving the registry file automatically updates the BrowserTraySwitch menu, and the newly added browser is immediately selected as the default.
Some browsers may prompt you to confirm their default status upon opening. For instance, when we launched Opera, we confirmed this prompt, and Opera was subsequently added to our BrowserTraySwitch menu.
Customizing the Menu
The names displayed for browsers on the menu are derived from the filenames of their respective registry files. You can modify these names to personalize your list.
To adjust a filename, right-click the BrowserTraySwitch icon and select "Manage browser config files" from the menu.
This action opens the folder containing the registry files in Windows Explorer. Rename the .btsregfile files as desired, then close the Explorer window.
A restart of BrowserTraySwitch is not required for these changes to take effect; the updated menu names will be visible upon the next menu access.
NOTE: You can also resave a browser’s registry file by selecting "Save current default browser as" from the menu. However, this may create duplicate entries until one is deleted.
Removing browsers from the menu is equally simple. Select "Manage browser config files" and delete the registry file associated with the browser you wish to remove.
You can download BrowserTraySwitch from http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/browsertray/index.html.