How to make IE browser by default by GPO

Hello we are running a Server with about 50 client users. I’m the administrator of this server. Due to some reasons I need to make Internet Explorer as default browser for all clients. If I’m not wrong it can be done from the GPO, right? I checked all over GPO but I dint found any option using which I can make IE default for all.

So I request you guys to please let me know how can I do the same. Thank you,.

Are your users using any other applications installed on USB? I mean, IE is the default browser and if you haven’t allowed them to install anything, they must be using IE itself. The only way they can use another browser is by USB. So what you can do is create a Software Restriction policy restricting them to run any other browser executable except IE.

That’s it.

Thanks for the help friend. Actually couple of weeks ago we installed Firefox on all PCs using GPO and they have choosen Firefox as default Browser. But now i need to make IE as default instead of Firefox.

I think you can fix the problems by simply creating a registry script, put it as a part of GPO script and make it run at logon. You can also set it as script specified in user AD properties, or added to your existing logon script which will remove Firefox and Internet Explorer as default browser for HTTP and HTTPS. Apart from this, you will also need to make the following changes:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\shell\open\command, double click on default and set the string to the command you wish to run for Internet addresses, for example
"c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open\command, double click on default and set the string to the command you wish to run for Internet addresses, for example
"c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome

Help appreciated CoYoTeA. Suggested by you i created a script and set it up on Logon for via Gpo.

With execute lines :

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,75,00,72,00,\
6c,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,30,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,75,00,72,00,\
6c,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,30,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\" -nohome"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\IEXPLORE.EXE\" -nohome"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\shell\open\ddeexec\Application]
@="IExplore"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open\ddeexec\Application]
@="IExplore"


But still there is a problem. It is showing up in the Tag "Porgram" on IE the button "Use by defaut" is not disable. So can you also let me know what key i need to change to disable this button.

I think it is possible for you to better use ART (Adv Registry Tracer) to run it on one machine, then disabled it, then re-run ART to view the differences in the registry that
was created by the change.