How to set any browser as default on Linux by Linux commands#linux #browser #linuxcommands

Changing the default browser in Linux varies depending on your distribution and desktop environment. Here are several methods to set your default browser.

### Method 1: Using `xdg-settings` (for Desktop Environments like GNOME, KDE)
If you're in a Linux desktop environment that supports `xdg-settings`, you can change the default browser with this command:

```bash
xdg-settings set default-web-browser <browser_name>.desktop
```

For example, to set Firefox as the default browser:

```bash
xdg-settings set default-web-browser firefox.desktop
```

Replace `<browser_name>` with the `.desktop` file name of your preferred browser, such as `google-chrome.desktop` or `brave-browser.desktop`.

### Method 2: Using Desktop Environment Settings
Most desktop environments provide graphical settings to change the default browser.

- **GNOME**: Go to **Settings > Default Applications** and set your default web browser.
- **KDE Plasma**: Go to **System Settings > Applications > Default Applications** and select the default browser under the "Web Browser" section.
- **XFCE**: Go to **Settings > Preferred Applications**, then choose your default web browser.

### Method 3: Using `update-alternatives` (Debian-based Systems)
On Debian-based systems like Ubuntu, you can use the `update-alternatives` command:

```bash
sudo update-alternatives --config x-www-browser
```

This will show a list of installed browsers. Enter the number corresponding to your preferred browser.

### Method 4: Manually Editing the `.desktop` Files
If `xdg-settings` does not work or if you're using a minimal window manager, you can manually edit the default settings.

1. **Edit the `mimeapps.list` File**:
   Open the `~/.config/mimeapps.list` file (or create it if it doesn't exist):

   ```bash
   nano ~/.config/mimeapps.list
   ```

2. **Add the following line** (replacing `firefox.desktop` with your preferred browser):

   ```plaintext
   [Default Applications]
   x-scheme-handler/http=firefox.desktop
   x-scheme-handler/https=firefox.desktop
   ```

3. **Save and close the file**.

### Method 5: Set the `BROWSER` Environment Variable
You can set the `BROWSER` environment variable to your preferred browser in your `.bashrc` or `.zshrc` file:

1. Open `.bashrc` or `.zshrc`:

   ```bash
   nano ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc
   ```

2. Add this line at the end:

   ```bash
   export BROWSER=firefox
   ```

3. Source the file to apply changes:

   ```bash
   source ~/.bashrc  # or source ~/.zshrc
   ```

Replace `firefox` with the command for your preferred browser (e.g., `google-chrome` or `brave`).