Force URL to open with Chrome

If you have dragged a URL onto the Desktop from Safari as a *.webloc, then you cannot change the default open with application from Safari to another browser. Not by changing ownership, or read/write permission, or removing file attributes (e.g. <!-- com.apple.quarantined, or com.apple.FinderInfo -->).

Someone at Apple decided that this was not going to happen.

Do you need the .webloc file?

I think this is why 'Services' exist, this service opens a URL from anywhere in Chrome (second post)…

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/32907/safari-extension-for-right-click- menu-open-in-google-chrome

Works for me on 10.9, I don't have 10.12 available to test so let us know if it works.

You could also save it as an Application instead & 'hard code' the URL if you really want Chrome to open to one fixed address via a desktop or dock icon etc.

When you create the workflow you are prompted to create a 'type', select Application and it will be a self contained thing that runs the enclosed actions when opened.

A service is something that is shown in the Services menu, either via a right click, the Apple menu> Services or the Application menu > Services. They only appear in court he right context, so select a URL to use the one I suggested.

For the Application you will need to edit the AppleScript line that sets the URL. I'll test & post better instructions later.

I'm not certain you need to use system events.

You can modify the stack exchange version as follows…

on run {input, parameters}

set theURL to "http://apple.com"

tell application "Google Chrome"

if not (exists first window) then

makenewwindow

set URL of last tab of first window to theURL

else

tell first window

set newTab to makenewtabwith properties {URL:theURL}

end tell

end if

activate

end tell

end run

That should make a new window if one doesn't exist & add the URL to a new tab. System events are fine, but best saved for when there is no alternative.

Anyway, have fun with it. It can be useful to get to know some of the tweaks that are in the OS. 🙂

I started having this problem after installing the High Sierra yesterday. My desktop shortcuts which I have also "ornamented" with little photo icons and have been previously created ( dragged) from Chrome now say Safari default and Change options are greyed out. They work only with Safari, Chrome returns a blank page. Nothing I can do apart from using Safari or deleting them and doing them again from scratch in Chrome.

Is there no way of removing the grey to get to Change ??

In other words…

Set the page to the URL then every time you open Chrome it will open to that page.

Solved for me using : OS X: If you see issues after using "Apply to enclosed items" on your Home folder - Apple Support

Apparenly the grey out was due to permissions

It would be much easier to set Chrome to open on the page you want in Chrome's preferences by making it the home page.