How can I set the default browser to Chrome?

[MartinThoma]

Currently, when I click on a link in a PDF document opened in atril (MATE Document Viewer 1.6.1) it opens Firefox. The same happens when I click in Sublime Text 3 on "Purchase License".

This is my current configuration:

/etc/alternatives/gnome-www-browser -> /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable
/etc/alternatives/x-www-browser -> /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable

When I start mate-default-applications-properties there is only Firefox.

I've just edited /usr/share/applications/defaults.list so that there is no Firefox entry. (I've replaced every Firefox entry by a chrome entry and restarted my system.) And still new websites are opened with Firefox.

sudo update-alternatives --config x-www-browser is also already set to Chrome.

[stefano-k]

Check if you have /usr/share/applications/chrome.desktop. update-alternatives is no relevant for default applications.

[MartinThoma]

Yes, I have it:

/usr/share/applications  ls -al | grep -i chrome
-rw-r--r--   1 root root  8445 Mär  2 00:22 google-chrome.desktop

[stefano-k]

Paste its content, and also the content if you have it in .local/share/applications

[MartinThoma]

 moose@pc08  ~  cat /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop 
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Google Chrome
# Only KDE 4 seems to use GenericName, so we reuse the KDE strings.
# From Ubuntu's language-pack-kde-XX-base packages, version 9.04-20090413.
GenericName=Web Browser
GenericName[ar]=متصفح الشبكة
GenericName[bg]=Уеб браузър
GenericName[ca]=Navegador web
GenericName[cs]=WWW prohlížeč
GenericName[da]=Browser
GenericName[de]=Web-Browser
GenericName[el]=Περιηγητής ιστού
GenericName[en_GB]=Web Browser
GenericName[es]=Navegador web
GenericName[et]=Veebibrauser
GenericName[fi]=WWW-selain
GenericName[fr]=Navigateur Web
GenericName[gu]=વેબ બ્રાઉઝર
GenericName[he]=דפדפן אינטרנט
GenericName[hi]=वेब ब्राउज़र
GenericName[hu]=Webböngésző
GenericName[it]=Browser Web
GenericName[ja]=ウェブブラウザ
GenericName[kn]=ಜಾಲ ವೀಕ್ಷಕ
GenericName[ko]=웹 브라우저
GenericName[lt]=Žiniatinklio naršyklė
GenericName[lv]=Tīmekļa pārlūks
GenericName[ml]=വെബ് ബ്രൌസര്‍
GenericName[mr]=वेब ब्राऊजर
GenericName[nb]=Nettleser
GenericName[nl]=Webbrowser
GenericName[pl]=Przeglądarka WWW
GenericName[pt]=Navegador Web
GenericName[pt_BR]=Navegador da Internet
GenericName[ro]=Navigator de Internet
GenericName[ru]=Веб-браузер
GenericName[sl]=Spletni brskalnik
GenericName[sv]=Webbläsare
GenericName[ta]=இணைய உலாவி
GenericName[th]=เว็บเบราว์เซอร์
GenericName[tr]=Web Tarayıcı
GenericName[uk]=Навігатор Тенет
GenericName[zh_CN]=网页浏览器
GenericName[zh_HK]=網頁瀏覽器
GenericName[zh_TW]=網頁瀏覽器
# Not translated in KDE, from Epiphany 2.26.1-0ubuntu1.
GenericName[bn]=ওয়েব ব্রাউজার
GenericName[fil]=Web Browser
GenericName[hr]=Web preglednik
GenericName[id]=Browser Web
GenericName[or]=ଓ୍ବେବ ବ୍ରାଉଜର
GenericName[sk]=WWW prehliadač
GenericName[sr]=Интернет прегледник
GenericName[te]=మహాతల అన్వేషి
GenericName[vi]=Bộ duyệt Web
# Gnome and KDE 3 uses Comment.
Comment=Access the Internet
Comment[ar]=الدخول إلى الإنترنت
Comment[bg]=Достъп до интернет
Comment[bn]=ইন্টারনেটটি অ্যাক্সেস করুন
Comment[ca]=Accedeix a Internet
Comment[cs]=Přístup k internetu
Comment[da]=Få adgang til internettet
Comment[de]=Internetzugriff
Comment[el]=Πρόσβαση στο Διαδίκτυο
Comment[en_GB]=Access the Internet
Comment[es]=Accede a Internet.
Comment[et]=Pääs Internetti
Comment[fi]=Käytä internetiä
Comment[fil]=I-access ang Internet
Comment[fr]=Accéder à Internet
Comment[gu]=ઇંટરનેટ ઍક્સેસ કરો
Comment[he]=גישה אל האינטרנט
Comment[hi]=इंटरनेट तक पहुंच स्थापित करें
Comment[hr]=Pristup Internetu
Comment[hu]=Internetelérés
Comment[id]=Akses Internet
Comment[it]=Accesso a Internet
Comment[ja]=インターネットにアクセス
Comment[kn]=ಇಂಟರ್ನೆಟ್ ಅನ್ನು ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಿ
Comment[ko]=인터넷 연결
Comment[lt]=Interneto prieiga
Comment[lv]=Piekļūt internetam
Comment[ml]=ഇന്റര്‍‌നെറ്റ് ആക്‌സസ് ചെയ്യുക
Comment[mr]=इंटरनेटमध्ये प्रवेश करा
Comment[nb]=Gå til Internett
Comment[nl]=Verbinding maken met internet
Comment[or]=ଇଣ୍ଟର୍ନେଟ୍ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରନ୍ତୁ
Comment[pl]=Skorzystaj z internetu
Comment[pt]=Aceder à Internet
Comment[pt_BR]=Acessar a internet
Comment[ro]=Accesaţi Internetul
Comment[ru]=Доступ в Интернет
Comment[sk]=Prístup do siete Internet
Comment[sl]=Dostop do interneta
Comment[sr]=Приступите Интернету
Comment[sv]=Gå ut på Internet
Comment[ta]=இணையத்தை அணுகுதல்
Comment[te]=ఇంటర్నెట్‌ను ఆక్సెస్ చెయ్యండి
Comment[th]=เข้าถึงอินเทอร์เน็ต
Comment[tr]=İnternet'e erişin
Comment[uk]=Доступ до Інтернету
Comment[vi]=Truy cập Internet
Comment[zh_CN]=访问互联网
Comment[zh_HK]=連線到網際網路
Comment[zh_TW]=連線到網際網路
Exec=/usr/bin/google-chrome-stable %U
Terminal=false
Icon=google-chrome
Type=Application
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml_xml;image/webp;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;x-scheme-handler/ftp;
X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=NewWindow;NewIncognito

[NewWindow Shortcut Group]
Name=New Window
Name[am]=አዲስ መስኮት
Name[ar]=نافذة جديدة
Name[bg]=Нов прозорец
Name[bn]=নতুন উইন্ডো
Name[ca]=Finestra nova
Name[cs]=Nové okno
Name[da]=Nyt vindue
Name[de]=Neues Fenster
Name[el]=Νέο Παράθυρο
Name[en_GB]=New Window
Name[es]=Nueva ventana
Name[et]=Uus aken
Name[fa]=پنجره جدید
Name[fi]=Uusi ikkuna
Name[fil]=New Window
Name[fr]=Nouvelle fenêtre
Name[gu]=નવી વિંડો
Name[hi]=नई विंडो
Name[hr]=Novi prozor
Name[hu]=Új ablak
Name[id]=Jendela Baru
Name[it]=Nuova finestra
Name[iw]=חלון חדש
Name[ja]=新規ウインドウ
Name[kn]=ಹೊಸ ವಿಂಡೊ
Name[ko]=새 창
Name[lt]=Naujas langas
Name[lv]=Jauns logs
Name[ml]=പുതിയ വിന്‍ഡോ
Name[mr]=नवीन विंडो
Name[nl]=Nieuw venster
Name[no]=Nytt vindu
Name[pl]=Nowe okno
Name[pt]=Nova janela
Name[pt_BR]=Nova janela
Name[ro]=Fereastră nouă
Name[ru]=Новое окно
Name[sk]=Nové okno
Name[sl]=Novo okno
Name[sr]=Нови прозор
Name[sv]=Nytt fönster
Name[sw]=Dirisha Jipya
Name[ta]=புதிய சாளரம்
Name[te]=క్రొత్త విండో
Name[th]=หน้าต่างใหม่
Name[tr]=Yeni Pencere
Name[uk]=Нове вікно
Name[vi]=Cửa sổ Mới
Name[zh_CN]=新建窗口
Name[zh_TW]=開新視窗
Exec=/usr/bin/google-chrome-stable
TargetEnvironment=Unity

[NewIncognito Shortcut Group]
Name=New Incognito Window
Name[ar]=نافذة جديدة للتصفح المتخفي
Name[bg]=Нов прозорец „инкогнито“
Name[bn]=নতুন ছদ্মবেশী উইন্ডো
Name[ca]=Finestra d'incògnit nova
Name[cs]=Nové anonymní okno
Name[da]=Nyt inkognitovindue
Name[de]=Neues Inkognito-Fenster
Name[el]=Νέο παράθυρο για ανώνυμη περιήγηση
Name[en_GB]=New Incognito window
Name[es]=Nueva ventana de incógnito
Name[et]=Uus inkognito aken
Name[fa]=پنجره جدید حالت ناشناس
Name[fi]=Uusi incognito-ikkuna
Name[fil]=Bagong Incognito window
Name[fr]=Nouvelle fenêtre de navigation privée
Name[gu]=નવી છુપી વિંડો
Name[hi]=नई गुप्त विंडो
Name[hr]=Novi anoniman prozor
Name[hu]=Új Inkognitóablak
Name[id]=Jendela Penyamaran baru
Name[it]=Nuova finestra di navigazione in incognito
Name[iw]=חלון חדש לגלישה בסתר
Name[ja]=新しいシークレット ウィンドウ
Name[kn]=ಹೊಸ ಅಜ್ಞಾತ ವಿಂಡೋ
Name[ko]=새 시크릿 창
Name[lt]=Naujas inkognito langas
Name[lv]=Jauns inkognito režīma logs
Name[ml]=പുതിയ വേഷ പ്രച്ഛന്ന വിന്‍ഡോ
Name[mr]=नवीन गुप्त विंडो
Name[nl]=Nieuw incognitovenster
Name[no]=Nytt inkognitovindu
Name[pl]=Nowe okno incognito
Name[pt]=Nova janela de navegação anónima
Name[pt_BR]=Nova janela anônima
Name[ro]=Fereastră nouă incognito
Name[ru]=Новое окно в режиме инкогнито
Name[sk]=Nové okno inkognito
Name[sl]=Novo okno brez beleženja zgodovine
Name[sr]=Нови прозор за прегледање без архивирања
Name[sv]=Nytt inkognitofönster
Name[ta]=புதிய மறைநிலைச் சாளரம்
Name[te]=క్రొత్త అజ్ఞాత విండో
Name[th]=หน้าต่างใหม่ที่ไม่ระบุตัวตน
Name[tr]=Yeni Gizli pencere
Name[uk]=Нове вікно в режимі анонімного перегляду
Name[vi]=Cửa sổ ẩn danh mới
Name[zh_CN]=新建隐身窗口
Name[zh_TW]=新增無痕式視窗
Exec=/usr/bin/google-chrome-stable --incognito
TargetEnvironment=Unity

 moose@pc08  ~  ls ~/.local/share/applications/
chrome-mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg-Default.desktop  mate-keybinding.desktop        mimeinfo.cache
defaults.list                                            mate-power-statistics.desktop  userapp-avidemux-MIJECX.desktop
mate-default-applications-properties.desktop             mimeapps.list                  userapp-sublime-D3UHCX.desktop

 moose@pc08  ~  cat ~/.local/share/applications/chrome-mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg-Default.desktop 
#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Name=Text
Exec=/opt/google/chrome/google-chrome --app-id=mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg --profile-directory=Default
Icon=chrome-mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg-Default
StartupWMClass=crx_mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg

moose@pc08  ~  cat ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list 
[Default Applications]
text/x-tex=sublime_text.desktop
text/x-makefile=sublime_text.desktop
text/x-python=sublime_text.desktop
text/x-markdown=sublime_text.desktop
text/x-haskell=sublime_text.desktop
text/plain=sublime_text.desktop
text/css=sublime_text.desktop
text/csv=sublime_text.desktop
application/x-perl=sublime_text.desktop
video/ogg=userapp-avidemux-MIJECX.desktop
application/octet-stream=userapp-sublime-D3UHCX.desktop
image/gif=eom.desktop
video/x-msvideo=vlc.desktop
audio/x-mod=sublime_text.desktop
text/x-csrc=sublime_text.desktop
text/html=google-chrome.desktop
application/pdf=atril.desktop
x-scheme-handler/http=firefox.desktop
x-scheme-handler/https=firefox.desktop
x-scheme-handler/about=firefox.desktop
x-scheme-handler/mailto=thunderbird.desktop
application/x-extension-eml=thunderbird.desktop
message/rfc822=thunderbird.desktop
inode/directory=caja-folder-handler.desktop
audio/mpeg=totem.desktop
audio/x-mpegurl=totem.desktop
audio/x-scpls=totem.desktop
audio/x-vorbis+ogg=totem.desktop
audio/x-wav=totem.desktop
video/mp4=totem.desktop
video/mpeg=totem.desktop
video/mp2t=totem.desktop
video/msvideo=totem.desktop
video/quicktime=totem.desktop
video/webm=totem.desktop
video/x-avi=totem.desktop
video/x-flv=totem.desktop
video/x-matroska=totem.desktop
video/x-mpeg=totem.desktop
video/x-ogm+ogg=totem.desktop
image/bmp=eom.desktop
image/jpeg=eom.desktop
image/png=eom.desktop
image/tiff=eom.desktop

[Added Associations]
text/x-tex=sublime_text.desktop;
text/x-makefile=sublime_text.desktop;
text/x-python=sublime_text.desktop;
text/x-markdown=sublime_text.desktop;
text/x-haskell=sublime_text.desktop;
text/css=sublime_text.desktop;
text/csv=sublime_text.desktop;
application/x-perl=sublime_text.desktop;
video/ogg=userapp-avidemux-MIJECX.desktop;
application/octet-stream=userapp-sublime-D3UHCX.desktop;
image/gif=google-chrome.desktop;
video/x-msvideo=vlc.desktop;
audio/x-mod=sublime_text.desktop;
text/x-csrc=sublime_text.desktop;
text/html=google-chrome.desktop;sublime_text.desktop;
application/pdf=google-chrome.desktop;atril.desktop;

[Removed Associations]
text/html=libreoffice-writer.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/http=;google-chrome.desktop;application/octet-stream;\scharset=binary=;
application/pdf=gimp.desktop;display.im6.desktop;

[MartinThoma]

Should I set x-scheme-handler/http, x-scheme-handler/https and x-scheme-handler/about in ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list manually to google-chrome.desktop?

[AladW]

~/.local/share/applications/chrome-mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg-Default.desktop

^ Try removing that one

Also see #94

[stefano-k]

@MartinThoma did you try to remove that file?

[MartinThoma]

@stefano-k I've just removed it. It had no effect. Should I do a restart?

[stefano-k]

No, just use mate-default-applications-properties again

[stefano-k]

But remove this row in mimeapps.list too
x-scheme-handler/http=;google-chrome.desktop;application/octet-stream;\scharset=binary=;

[MartinThoma]

This worked! Thank you!

(I've also removed every other occurence of "firefox" in ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list and started mate-default-applications-properties afterwards.

[MartinThoma]

To sum it up: The fix was:

1. Go to ~/.local/share/applications/ and remove all files like chrome-mmfbcljfglbokpmkimbfghdkjmjhdgbg-Default.desktop
2. Execute mate-default-applications-properties

It should instantly work (without any restart).

[ghost]

going to system preference and selecting chrome woks on ubuntu MATE 15.04

[ssrublev]

Thanks for the solution! I had the same issue, but I wanted to engage Yandex-browser instead of Chrome (on Fedora). I had to remove "yandex-browser-beta.desktop" file and there was also "userapp-yandex-browser-beta-0N6R2X.desktop" file in "~/.local/share/applications/".