Last week I talked about an issue that was happening with Google’s Chromecast and Chrome browser related to Android tablets and phones. I stated there, "…you could always try various browsers from time-to-time and find out what you may like. It is easy to change back at any time." When I wrote that I did not realize it would generate so much interest. I received numerous emails asking if it is so easy, how is it done?
So here we go.
All windows computers come with Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) built in as the default browser. Keep in mind that whether you use that browser or not DO NOT try to uninstall it. It is hard to do but if you get it off of your computer some other things on your computer will not work correctly or not at all. That browser is tied to other areas of the Microsoft operating system.
The other most popular browsers are, in order of usage, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, (already on your Windows system) Safari (created by Apple – available for both iOS & Windows devices) and Opera. This information is from 2012 through today, according to W3Schools.com which tracks this data. In 2011 Chrome and Firefox were swapped.
So let us pretend that you want to try out Chrome and stop using MSIE for a little while. Go to the site referenced above. Click the download button and the application will start to download. Depending on your settings it may ask if you want to run the application and you may also click, "Yes." If you download it, find the downloaded file and double click it to start the installation. If you chose to "run" the application you will now be at the installation screen.
It will ask you if you want to make it your default browser. This means that if you click the check box for it to be default all of your links will open in Chrome after the installation completes instead of MSIE.
Each of the others will install pretty much the same way. You could even install all of these browsers at the same time. Then you will have to choose which one you want to be the default browser.
Choosing which browser is your default is easy in Windows 7 and 8. You just need to do a quick search. In W7 click the start button and type, "default programs" and in W8 use the search feature and do the same. To get to search press the Windows key and tap the "S" key. You may need to select "Set your default programs." Once in the default program screen your default applications will be listed on the left side. Find the current default browser and click on it once. Then, "Choose defaults for this program" and you will see all of the current settings for the default browser. To change it, choose the other browser you want to use from all of the choices provided.
In Windows 7 it is sometimes easier to go into the Options of any browser and choose it to make it the default. This will work with Windows 8 too with the exception of MSIE.
Happy surfing!
