Outlook E-mail Links don't open in Default Browser

[tigerdg]

I know the title doesn't sound like it belongs in this forum, but I posted in another computer forum that links in my Outlook e-mails don't open in my default browser, but in MS Edge instead. A user there suggested that CCleaner is to blame. Has anyone else found credence for this assertion? Only links from Outlook have this issue; links in other apps (MS Word or Excel, e.g.) open in my default browser (Vivaldi). If CCleaner is to blame, how can this be reversed? I have been unable to find a solution. Thanks for any guidance or direction. 

[nukecad]

That's not something I've heard suggested before, I'm not sure just how that user thinks that CCleaner could change that behaviour for one single app anyway.

It's much simpler than that - Outlook itself is overriding your default browser setting and using Edge,
That's the kind of thing that Microsoft does, M$ want you to use their own apps and not others.

This particular one with Outlook always using Edge is known, and easily fixable,

There is a setting in Outlook to change whether it uses Edge or your default browser, you need to change the Outlook Link Handling settings.

See this: https://help.usa.edu/hc/en-us/articles/15972696177303-Guide-Change-Default-Browser-in-Outlook-Desktop-App

Note that on occasion an update to Outlook (or to Windows) can/will change that setting back to use Edge, that's another annoying thing that M$ does in some updates.
If/when that happens then you simply change it back to your default browser again.

EDIT- I've just seen your thread over on Bleeepingcomputer.
I see that JohnC_21 has made the same suggestion about simply changing the Outlook setting.
Pkshadow is an very experienced helper but for some reason seems to have (wrongly) jumped to the conclusion there that you had used CCleaner's Registry Cleaner, as you hadn't even mentioned CCleaner then why he jumped to that conclusion I have no Idea?
A broken registry would not show just the issues you described with outlook/browser, there would be bigger problems if you had broken the registry.
(TBH I don't think that he knows CCleaner very well but just doesn't like any registry cleaners, neither do I. Reg Cleaning is an advanced tool for trying to fix things, in general you should leave the Reg Cleaner in CCleaner alone it isn't a cleaning tool).

[tigerdg]

Thanks for your prompt response. Yes, JohnC's solution, the same as you suggested, worked. I did not know about that setting (I looked for it but did not find it; I began looking when I realized that it was only Outlook links that were exhibiting the unwanted behavior) and have no idea how it got changed. It just suddenly started happening. As it turns out, it was very soon after I had run CCleaner, so Pkshadow's idea that CCleaner was to blame was at least plausible. Like you, though, I did not see how it could be the culprit. I had used it many times before and this is the first time I've had this issue.  As to why he suggested CCleaner, your guess is as good as mine.

LIke you, I distrust registry cleaners, I never use the one in CCleaner.

Thanks for your input on this minor but very irritating problem.

BTW, nice sleuthing to find my post in the other forum. I hadn't mentioned it by name, so I'm mildly surprised you found it so quickly.

Edited January 27 by tigerdg
Add sentence.

[nukecad]

Good to hear it was as suspected and easily sorted.

There was no sleuthing needed.

Many of us are active on various fora, you'll often see the same usernames popping up on various ones.

Beeping just happens to be one of those others where I also hang out and help when I can. I do read most requests for help over there.

So I would have seen your post there anyway, and would probably have commented there if I hadn't seen your post here first.