I’m using Mozilla Firefox as my default browser but I cannot to stay as my default.
If I click on a web link in an email in Outlook, it will open in Avast Secure Browser rather than Firefox.
If I reset Firefox as the default, it falls off 5 minutes later. This has been happening for a couple of weeks now despite having both Firefox and Avast running happily alongside one another for many years now.
I am not blaming Avast here, I am only asking the question: Seeing as the links from Outlook are opening in Avast rather than Firefox, is Avast doing something behind the scenes to continually override the Firefox default browser setting?
Your not alone, the Avast Browser keeps forcing itself to be the default browser on my computer as well. So far I have found that if I even open it once to do something when previously using another browser set as default. It will overide that setting automatically, the next time I go back to the other browser it is no longer the default. It seems to be doing this the last several weeks.
I find it interesting that you have found its Outlook as a possible trigger for the issue. I am going to try and see if thats what also triggers mine.
I myself, have filtered through the settings and cannot find where to turn it off from doing this.
And for you knuckle heads who say you must be clicking on pop up to set as default. THIS IS NOT THE CASE… There is no pop up… I am not making the choice set Avast to the default browser setting…
Same goes for giving the instructions to go manually to select your default browser… What part do you not understand ? Avast is automatically over riding to become the default browser no matter if another Browser is already pre set.
Either way if it doesnt get fixed there is a real solution that always works , it called uninstall Avast Browser.
I do not find any problem there working Avast Secure Browser on Windows 11.
For me, it works like a charm. Better than Brave having all my extensions installed.
Thanks for replying Kreed
Yes is really frustrating. It defaults back to Avast within 10 minutes of resetting. I’m not sure which app is causing the issue; Firefox, Avast or Outlook.
Links with’n Firefox work fine its just hotlinks from Outlook.
I’ve tried looking for settings in Outlook and there supposed to be ‘default browser’ setting but it seems to be absent in my version here.
I like Avast Secure Browser for its video download function but even that has been broken for many months now.
Its worse than meets the eye. Mine does the same thing suddenly after there was an extension suddenly added without my consent to the Avast browser. I was in WhatsApp web and had sent a message to a friend. I left that friend and went to another contact and came back to my friends contact screen and in the input is said Who are you I was still in the input and not sent. I have uninstalled Avast and doubt I will use it again
There’s a lot of this going about. I’m experiencing it with many apps I use. Good software companies that get bought out by bigger ones and the product goes to shit. Still taking our money though right?
HI, I know it isn’t relevant anymore for you but for anyone still with this issue who might see this post, I have found a solution, Avast Secure Browser has scheduled tasks that run at log on and periodically and they set Avast as the default browser. So if you want to fix it open Task Scheduler and find the Avast Secure Browser tasks (There should be about 4 of them) and right click them and choose Disable.
Thanks Snowy
I appreciate the reply. Apologies if the following comes across as a rant but I think it needs to be said.
I hope the Avast team are reading this. I have decided to ditch Avast altogether now. Since they were bought out a few years ago the app has gone downhill and has become unusable for me.
First problem I had was the one you highlighted here. Granted it did seem to get a fix after enduring the issue for many months but this is basic stuff we are talking about.
Then their Video down loader extension stopped working. Nearly a year later and lots of missed deadlines of when it was supposed to be fixed, they released a new version. It was virtually unusable. I flagged many problems with it but they were never addressed.
The final straw was that, in the middle of very important job, my internet connection kept dropping out. After an exhaustive process of elimination and at personal cost to me to get an IT guy on board, the culprit turned out to be Avast. I removed it from my system and never had a recurrence of the problem. I flagged the issue with them and suggested I was reimbursed for the 6 months I had left on my subscription and they just ignored me.
By then I was done with them. Whichever Avast package I bought to keep my system safe, they always bombarded me with more irritating notifications telling me by system was still ‘exposed’. I suspect that high pressure sales technique would have persisted until I had bought every single Avast product. Every time it did an update it would dump a new Avast shortcut on my desktop. Why? It just became more and more intrusive into my working day. Nothing short of a protection racket.
When I started using Avast some 20 plus years ago it was a great app. It sat quietly in the background doing its job which is as it should be. I’m sure there are many who will jump to its defense. That’s fine and I’m pleased that Avast works for them. It used to work for me and its sad that I was forced to make the decision to ditch it.
Mais do que forçar ser o default browser ele está acessando e copiando senhas salvas no Firefox e os favoritos. Isso é uma violação grave de privacidade, pois em momento nenhum fica explícito que ele faria isso. Sem falar que forçar uma configuração do SO do computador sem autorização do usuário e ainda reverter o que o usuário definiu é um abuso tecnológico e econômico, pois nunca foi concedido pelo usuário o acesso a dados privados e alterações de configuração do SO. Sou obrigado a desinstalar o Avast Secure Browser por estas violações de privacidade e de controle do usuário sobre seu próprio computador. Isso é ofensivo, abusivo, antiético e imoral da parte da empresa Avast e conduz a uma perda de confiança na empresa. O mínimo que se exige de uma empresa de segurança é respeitar o contratante do serviço e não violar sua privacidade. Revoltante!
Absolutely correct. Its supposed to protect us but instead becomes one of the worst offenders.
I gather there are many disgruntled Avast customers now so I hope the company they hear the unrest and do something about it.
Somehow I doubt it.
I upgraded to the premium almost a year ago, and have been having issues with trying to login to the NHS account, even going on the NHS site, but because I reject the cookies, Avast will not allow the site saying its a dangerous site; filed a report, and still no change. I have trouble signing into my emails as well. Avast Browser is quite slow most of the times, so decided to set MS Edge as my default browser again (never any issues with that), but everytime I do, Avast overrides my choice and resets itself back to the default browser.
I have had enough of Avast in general. I’ll be stopping the renewal in a few months time. Will now be deleting their browser and re-download Firefox. Avast want payment for VPN, yet MS Edge and Firefox do free VPN. Avast also want payments for everything else, yet their Premium should cover these stuff, but clearly not. Seems like Avast expect their customers to subscribe to alot of their items, which will cost a large amount of money. What Firefox, Duck Go Go, and MS Edge do as included, Avast charge separate costs instead of a package.
Searched online last year for best internet security, and Avast was indicated as the best overall in security and care…….How?