Searchifier not working? Windows updated. Read this.

EDIT: As of 3/20/2022, Searchifier does not work anymore due to Microsoft blocking it. The post and download links will stay up for now, but they could be removed at any point. At some point in the future if a workaround is found this post will be updated.

Something changed between Windows 11 builds 22483 and 22494 (both Windows Insider Preview builds.) The build changelog makes a few mentions of changes to the protocol and file associations/default apps system. However, it omitted the headline news: You can no longer bypass Microsoft Edge [protocol links].


Searchifier works by handling the request send by your start menu to Edge and translating that to a link your other browser can handle. Windows 10’s latest update breaks this functionality by preventing automatically updating your default link handler at all.

You can fix it by doing this:

  1. Install Searchifier
  2. Go to Windows 10’s Settings
  3. Apps > Default Apps > Choose default apps by protocol (scroll down)
  4. Scroll to where it says “Microsoft-Edge”
  5. Click and change to Searchifier

It should work now!

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Published 2021-04-26 04:48:42