<![CDATA[Opera setting itself as default browser?]]>Twice in the past week I've had to reset the default browser on my work machine.
Opera had somehow become the default browser both times.

These events coincide with the release dates on the 102 change log.
https://blogs.opera.com/desktop/changelog-for-102/

Is this just me or have others experienced this as well?

]]>https://forums.opera.com/topic/66706/opera-setting-itself-as-default-browserRSS for NodeSun, 07 Jun 2026 18:23:28 GMTMon, 02 Oct 2023 20:28:37 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:00:23 GMT]]>Exactly same behavior happening with me as of Feb 2024.
I explicitly unchecked the option to not make Opera my default browser. I'd really like to have it for occasional use. But Opera keeps becoming the default browser somehow.

It happened a week ago and I uninstalled and re-installed. For a few days after installing, Chrome was the default browser and everything worked fine. I just realized that my web links suddenly started opening in Opera. Default browser in Windows settings has changed somehow. I did not click anything in Opera or in Windows to make it the default. Spooky!

So uninstalling it for the third time and may be for good now.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/342868https://forums.opera.com/post/342868Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:00:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Sat, 07 Oct 2023 04:15:11 GMT]]>@balloonhandler Ok, sounds good. Have a good one.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329370https://forums.opera.com/post/329370Sat, 07 Oct 2023 04:15:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Fri, 06 Oct 2023 19:18:32 GMT]]>@burnout426 Thank you for your time, your suggestions, and your willingness to help.

But ultimately I just have to ask why bother? Why go through a bunch of trial and error in this arcane s*** to try to get Opera back to some level of "acceptable"? There are other browsers that are already acceptable.

I've uninstalled Opera from my work machine and have moved on.

Best of luck to all.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329337https://forums.opera.com/post/329337Fri, 06 Oct 2023 19:18:32 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Fri, 06 Oct 2023 08:35:45 GMT]]>@burnout426 said in Opera setting itself as default browser?:

You can do what Leo said and see if unchecking the option in the installer adds anything to installer_prefs.json.

It doesn't seem to add anything in my testing.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329237https://forums.opera.com/post/329237Fri, 06 Oct 2023 08:35:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:26:45 GMT]]>@balloonhandler said in Opera setting itself as default browser?:

@burnout426 Nope, no such entry in the latest installer_prefs.json file.

Okay. Not sure if the absence of the entry means "true". You can do what Leo said and see if unchecking the option in the installer adds anything to installer_prefs.json.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329226https://forums.opera.com/post/329226Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:26:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:24:48 GMT]]>@balloonhandler said in Opera setting itself as default browser?:

{"data":""C:\Users********\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\Launcher.exe" --makedefaultbrowser",
"name":"ReinstallCommand",
"type":"REG_SZ"},

That's just the entry at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\OperaStable\InstallInfo" or "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\OperaStable\InstallInfo" in the registry and is normal. That shouldn't affect things. But, you can play with things to test if it does.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329225https://forums.opera.com/post/329225Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:24:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Thu, 05 Oct 2023 17:00:04 GMT]]>@burnout426 Nope, no such entry in the latest installer_prefs.json file.
(I do see this, which is clearly not respected by the program: "autoupdate":false)

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction though. In the installation_status.json I found a very suspicious flag. It certainly looks like Opera is setting itself as the default browser every time it updates without my permission.

{"data":""C:\Users\********\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\Launcher.exe" --makedefaultbrowser",
"name":"ReinstallCommand",
"type":"REG_SZ"},

Thanks for the help.

Posting this using Brave.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329138https://forums.opera.com/post/329138Thu, 05 Oct 2023 17:00:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Thu, 05 Oct 2023 09:57:51 GMT]]>In installer_prefs.json in the install folder, do you see anything like "setdefaultbrowser":true?

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329107https://forums.opera.com/post/329107Thu, 05 Oct 2023 09:57:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Thu, 05 Oct 2023 05:56:56 GMT]]>@balloonhandler Strange, Opera doesn't set itself as default browser here on updates.

Just in case, run the installer and disable the option to set Opera as default browser, maybe it helps.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329072https://forums.opera.com/post/329072Thu, 05 Oct 2023 05:56:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Thu, 05 Oct 2023 03:06:25 GMT]]>@leocg It updates itself because there's no setting to turn that off.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329068https://forums.opera.com/post/329068Thu, 05 Oct 2023 03:06:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Thu, 05 Oct 2023 01:57:45 GMT]]>@balloonhandler How are you updating Opera?

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329062https://forums.opera.com/post/329062Thu, 05 Oct 2023 01:57:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Opera setting itself as default browser? on Wed, 04 Oct 2023 18:17:05 GMT]]>It happened again this morning coinciding with the 103.0.4928.16 update.

On my machine Opera is setting itself as the default browser without my permission.

Is there any way to disable this?

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/329014https://forums.opera.com/post/329014Wed, 04 Oct 2023 18:17:05 GMT