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This guide illustrates how to use Microsoft Intune to establish Google Chrome as the default browser across Windows machines that Intune manages.

Before proceeding, ensure that Google Chrome is deployed to the machines through Intune or manual installation.

Note: To streamline the setup process for administrators seeking to designate Google Chrome as the default browser, we’ve simplified the steps below and omitted the complex aspect of creating a default app associations file. This will be addressed in a separate post.

Default Browser Associations File:


Below is the encoded output of an association file configuring Google Chrome as the default browser. Keep this code as it will be needed shortly.

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

Setting Google Chrome as the Default Browser with Microsoft Intune

Now that the encoded file is prepared let’s create a Configuration Profile for Microsoft Intune.

Platform Selection:

  • Platform: Windows 10 and later
  • Profile type: Settings catalog

Naming and Configuration

  • Name the profile appropriately and proceed to the configuration section.

Settings Configuration

  • In the Settings picker screen, search for “default association” and select it from the available settings panel.
  • Paste Encoded Code:
  • Once the option is selected and displayed on the main page, paste the encoded code.

Assignment:

  • Proceed to the Assignments page, select users, groups, or All users, and save the configuration.

Upon successfully applying the policy to managed machines, Google Chrome will be established as the default browser system-wide.

By following these steps, administrators can seamlessly enforce Google Chrome as the default browser across their Windows environment using Microsoft Intune.

For more in-depth steps on how to set Chrome as the default browser, visit the following blog post.