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I am setting up my VS Code environment for the first time, but I can't figure out how to set Chrome as the default browser for the workspace.

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5
  • 3
    please see: stackoverflow.com/questions/43433262/… Commented Nov 27, 2017 at 21:10
  • The answer at that question didn't actually solve my problem. I wonder why the search functionality didn't find that information for me before I asked my question. I searched on "default browser in VS Code" among other things. Commented Nov 27, 2017 at 21:20
  • 3
    windows 7: Controlpanel --> Programs-->set default programs -> chrome -> set all as default worked for me Commented May 10, 2018 at 16:05
  • 16
    That solution would change the browser system wide. Not at VS Code level. Commented Dec 17, 2019 at 8:12
  • 1
    press window key, type default apps, and change it from there Commented Dec 29, 2021 at 23:07

19 Answers 19

Reset to default
37

Go to file-> preferences -> user settings -> search "By Default it will open your default favorite browser" set your browser.

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7 Comments

This no longer appears to be accurate (ver. 1.41.1)
code -> preferences -> settings -> search "By Default it will open your default favorite browser" or just "browser". works for me on version: 1.48.2
In mine vsCode version - 1.49.0, I've placed 'browser' in search and it shows me the field where I can type prefered brouser.
in ver 1.63.2 searching for "browser" does not display this configuration
As of v1.96.4, the setting is named workbench.externalBrowser (in settings.json file) and can be located in the settings UI by searching for browser (first result) or External Browser (only result).
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12

The other StackOverflow questions regarding the browser, had to do with opening a specific file. Here are the steps to creating a tasks.json file in a brand new environment.

  1. From the Tasks menu, Select 'Configure Tasks'
  2. The entry field prompts you for 'Select a task to configure'
  3. Choose 'Create tasks.json file from template'
  4. Edit the file to include the following block: 
{
            "version": "0.1.0",
            "command": "Chrome",
            "windows": {
                "command": "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe"
            },
            "args": ["${file}"]
}
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3 Comments

if only we didnt have to answer our own questions ;)
This is not working in my case. I try to open links from VSCode and It uses Edge.
Any other tips to make this work? is this still valid in 2023? I added the block and and keeps openig in my default browser instead. thanks
9

Chrome can be launched by way of debugging your application. Within launch.json, the configurations[].serverReadyAction.action configuration was given a possible value of debugWithChrome in the VS Code February 2019 release. Note that this will also require you have the Debugger for Chrome extension installed. You will not receive a warning if the extension is not installed and you've configured launch.json to use debugWithChrome.

Note: Configuring launch.json with debugWithChrome will work even if you launch using CTRL+F5 to run the app without debugging.

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3 Comments

Oops. The pattern is only matched in the Debug Console. It doesn't yet work if the debug target is launched in the Integrated Terminal (and it will never work in external terminals). and The feature does not warn if debugWithChrome is configured but the Debugger for Chrome extension is not installed. Am I the only person to launch my node servers from integrated terminal? Also, Debugger for Chrome seems a bit erratic. Check your VSCode notifications (little bell icon, bottom right)
I'm stuck here at launching my react app via npm start, then launch chrome against localhost. App works fine on Chrome, but debugger opens up MS Edge for the debugging. Not so good, I've been using Chrome dev tools for too long. Anybody else?
This currently works in 2022 and the Debugger For Chrome extension is no longer required.
8

There is finally a setting to configure the default browser to use:

Workbench: External Browser

Configure the browser to use for opening http or https links externally. This can either be the name of the browser (edge, chrome, firefox) or an absolute path to the browser's excutable. Will use the system default if not set.

See https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/pull/219885 - largely implemented by a contributor (not a vscode team member) - so great.

It is currently working in VScode Insiders v1.92 and so may be out inStable early August 2024.

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7

Go to Settings -> Extensions -> Live Server Config -> Update Default Browser:

enter image description here

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4 Comments

While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review
@sɐunıɔןɐqɐp The 'link' was to an image (which I've now embedded).
no good for debugging, unfortunately, VSCode keeps going to default Windows browser instead of what you set here!
This is only for the Live Server and not for opening any external links or alike.
6

This Alternate Way helped me:)

GoTo-->Google Chrome-->Settings-->Default browser-->Set Google Chrome as default browser
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6 Comments

This changes the default browser system wide. Not at VS Code level.
Well, after trying others solutions, which didn't work or I couldn't even find settings with "browser" tag in VS Code, finally I just tried this easy one and, unbelievable, it helped! I thought that Google is my default browser in system, but it didn't. This little, simple solution works great.
And my browser was already set to Firefox, at the system level, but I couldn't get VS Code to stop starting Chrome
Tried everything else and this was the solution (even after setting the default browser to Chrome in Windows) -- perhaps because I had Chrome open already
Yep, this was the way.
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4

VS Code 1.92+

Use the workbench.externalBrowser setting

Pre-VS-Code 1.92

For general link opening, VS Code doesn't have such a feature at the time of this writing. But there is an open feature-request issue ticket: Set default browser for VSCode application #96132. I suggest that you give that issue ticket a thumbs up to show support for it. You can also subscribe to it to get notified about discussion and progress. Please avoid making noisy comments there like ones that just consist of "+1" / "bump".

As stated in other answer posts,

  • for the Live Server extension, you can use the liveServer.settings.CustomBrowser setting or liveServer.settings.AdvanceCustomBrowserCmdLine.
  • for launch configs of types contributed by the builtin JS Debug extension, you can choose what type of contributed launch config you use.

If you want to see related source code for link opening, see https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/860f38ba5312a3f7cbecc10e6de92f9b3ffa2de3/src/vs/editor/contrib/links/browser/links.ts#L398, https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/860f38ba5312a3f7cbecc10e6de92f9b3ffa2de3/src/vs/editor/contrib/links/browser/links.ts#L221, https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/860f38ba5312a3f7cbecc10e6de92f9b3ffa2de3/src/vs/editor/browser/services/openerService.ts#L25, etc.

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2 Comments

I'm using VSCode 1.99.1. I set workbench.externalBrowser to C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe. After using npm run start to run my angular app it still opened in edge instead of chrome.
@Rich that might not be under VS Code's control. I suspect it being to do with whatever npm script is run by start, and what system command it uses to open a browser. that script could be using a system command that uses your system-level default browser, so check your system-level default browser choice.
3

The method of modifying tasks.json no longer works in newer versions of Visual Studio Code. The easiest way to be able to launch your code in a browser is to install the Open in Browser extension from the marketplace.

After it is installed and VS Code is reloaded, you can go to your code and press ALT + B to launch your application in your default browser or ALT + SHIFT + B to select the browser you want to use.

You can also right click and select these option from a drop down menu, but I mention this last because this currently does not work in some versions of VS Code.

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2

When you want to use your own browser using "Open with Live Server" without change OS globally configuration.

In Windows, Visual Studio Code (ver. 1.70.1 (July 2022)). Go to "File" > "Preferences" > "Settings"

Then select a tab, "User" tab if you want your desired browser for all your projects, or select "Workspace" tab or "ProjectName" tab for especified projects.

Then go to "Extensions" > "Live Server Config" > "Settings: Custom Browser" finally change the 'null' value selecting the browser of your preference from the list (apparently this list depends on installed browsers but i'm not sure).

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1

Just a helper for the windows users, I just installed windows 10 again and I was wondering how do I set my vscode to open the server (web) using chrome instead of edge, so to do that you just have to configure your windows to use google chrome as default, you don't need to change anything in vscode, I hope this helps someone.

ps: normally you can go open browser you want to be default and setup the configuration. so in chrome you have to go to configurations and scroll down to default browser.

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2 Comments

Exactly, in general, this setting is under Windows. Chrome just redirects to it.
Not exactly. That wasn't the question asked
0

search for local.testsettings on vscode on the search and for web tests, change the browser to chrome and apply.

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0

The Live Server extension was not appearing for me on settings. However, I installed Open in Browser and typed "liveServer.settings.CustomBrowser" in settings and the extension appeared with a dropdown box in which I was able to change the default browser.

Hope this helps!

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Comments

-1

You can adjust settings in your computer to open.HTML file extensions in chrome as a default browser: for Example in PC windows:

go to Control Panel > Default programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a specific programs >HTML extension and choose Chrome.

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1 Comment

What if you only want to change it for VSCode? Can you do that or do you have to change it for everything?
-1

This may be old but I found something that could help.

First go to Settings/Apps/Default Apps. Set your browser as default.

Next go to VSCODE and go to File/Preferences/Settings/Extensions/LiveServerConfig

Then scroll to settings: CustomBrowser Change it to your custom browser

Note- If the browsers don't show up on VSCODE then you need to set it to default in the settings.

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Comments

-1

In my case changing the default browser in the system settings of my pc did it.

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1 Comment

Please explain the steps that support this answer
-1

After the question was asked, VS Code got many commits & Versions. Then some answers become unusable.

The Job:
My default browser is Edge, and I want to set "Chrome as the default browser for VS Code".

Current VS Code date is 2025-07-29
enter image description here

Go To File>Preferences>Settings

enter image description here

Then for the User go to Workbench>Scroll down and find External Browser

enter image description here

If you want to set different browser for a Workspace then select WorkSpace tab and Workbench group> scroll down and find External Browser

enter image description here

enter image description here

You can restart VS Code to check

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1 Comment

What exactly is outdated? Other answers say workbench.externalBrowser setting
-2

None of the above works in my case(my version is August 2022 1.71) to make it work I went straight to **

  • File-->Preferences-->Settings-->Extensions-->Plugin open-in browser

** from there was a option which says Default set browser so I choose Brave as there is no ads in it while playing the video as chrome plays ads so for getting a proper feeling of using my self made Jarvis I used Brave.

Thanks

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-2 
Begin by accessing the settings menu on your device.
Within the settings, locate the option labeled "Custom Browser" or a similar term.
Click on this option to access the browser settings.
Look for the setting that allows you to change the default browser and select it.
From the list of available browsers, choose the one you prefer.
Once selected, exit the settings menu.

Following these steps should successfully set your default browser to the specific one you've chosen. If you encounter any difficulties or require further assistance, please feel free to ask. Your satisfaction is important to us!

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-3

Click settings -> enter: default browser -> find: Open-in-browser:Default -> enter: Google Chrome

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2 Comments

There are no settings with the word "browser" let alone "default browser".
@Taylan, there is after you add the 'Open in Browser' extension by 'TechER'. Here's a 2-minute video that shows how: youtube.com/watch?v=T8DrI6K8ArE I used the latest version that i found (version 2.0), by the same developer. (The video shows an earlier version.) Then follow Min Guo's advice above. (I set mine to 'FireFox', not Chrome tho, because i don't have Chrome installed on this computer. And now VS Code opens it in FireFox perfectly for me, while still allowing my OS to have a different default browser [Chromium] which does not load correctly from this extension.)

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