Web URL Link No Long Opens my Default Web Browser

[jdogcisco]

A column in one of my tables contains links to the source of information for that row (a link to a specific ticket in a ticketing system). Until just recently (within days) I could click on the link and it would open my Brave browser and follow the link.  Now, however, it's opening what seems to be an embeded Power Bi Browser. There are no menus in this browser (File, Edit, View, About, etc.) and the window is associated with the Power Bi Desktop App - meaning that when looking at the taskbar on the computer, the psuedo webpage is grouped with Power Bi (not Edge, Chrome, nor Brave).

How do I get the links to return to opening up in my default browser?

**Edit**
Uploading screeshot from task manager. Clicking on a link in my table opens this MS Edge WebView app instead of my computer's default browser.  Nothing changed to my dashboard. It starting doing this all on it's own.

 

[BuckyKat37 · Accepted solution]

Links opening in Edge is because "Power BI Desktop infrastructure update" is enabled in the Preview features. If you disable it then links will open in your default browser again. I'm hoping that when WebView2 is permanent it doesn't mean that links will only ever open in Edge.

[ivan_larson_cki]

Thank you! Disabling the preview is saving me a big headache for now.

I've posted an idea to try to get attention to this issue - hopefully we can make Microsoft hear our feedback here.

https://ideas.powerbi.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=b569f0a2-cf85-ec11-b820-501ac50a6ef7

[jdogcisco]

Thank you! This was the cause of the issue. I have disabled this feature and now the links open in by default browser. I'm not looking forward to WebView2 being a requirement to click on links. 😞

[kstiegler]

As of 12/30/2021, I'm also experiencing this issue. I don't know what backend lever Microsoft flipped, but as described here, clicking on web URL in Power BI Desktop, opens the link in some sort of embedded Edge browser. My Power BI Desktop app was last updated on 12/17/2021 and the browser behavior was unchanged until today (12/30/2021), so it doesn't seem like this was a Desktop app update issue.

The browser appears to be Edge because the HTTPS lock icon is identical:

Weird Power BI embedded Edge browser window

Standard Edge browser window

It's clearly not my default browser, Chrome, which is already open to another page within my organization's domain (e.g. xyz.crm.dynamics.com). I have been unable to find any documentation around this change or setting in Power BI Desktop OR Edge that would allow me to control this behavior. 

[jdogcisco]

Glad to see I'm not the only one seeing, and bothered by, this.

[Gebelecus]

I am also looking solution how to change this behavior.

This irritates me as it is more practical to open links to browser instead of Power BI's own webview which lacks the tabs and normal browser controls like back etc. Opening links to web browser is MUCH better option so hoping that they revert this link opening change ASAP.

[jdogcisco]

Glad to see I'm not the only one seeing, and bothered by, this.

[jdogcisco]

Again, it's not an issue with the report server. Nothing changed in dashboard (again, using Power BI Desktop). The URL link works, but it doesn't open up any installed browser (IE, Edge, Chrome, Brave). It opens up, what seems like, an embedded browser in Power BI DESKTOP.

[jdogcisco]

Thanks for the response.

I posted this issue in the Desktop forums, because I'm using Power BI _Desktop_
Clicking a link in my Power BI DESKTOP report doesn't open Edge, IE, Chrome, or Brave.  My Windows 10 computer's default browser is Brave. Even if the default was something else, it seems Power BI DESKTOP is opening it's on embeded browser.

[v-zhangti]

Hi, @jdogcisco 

Please make sure your Web URL is in the correct format.

The following document is the Web URL configuration for Power BI Desktop reports and we hope you find it helpful. https://blog.csdn.net/culuo4781/article/details/107625932 

Best Regards,

Community Support Team _Charlotte

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[jdogcisco]

The URL is formatted properly. This is not the issue. The issue is that some embedded browser is launching instead of my default browser. 

[v-zhangti]

Hi, @jdogcisco 

Maybe you can help set the default browser to Edge or Chrome to try it out. You can learn about what browser versions are supported for managing and viewing Power BI Report Server and the Report Viewer Controls. I don't seem to see Brave Browser.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/report-server/browser-support 

Best Regards,

Community Support Team _Charlotte

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[jdogcisco]

The issue is not with the Power Bi Report Server nor the Report View Controls. the issue is with Power Bi Desktop. Changing the default browser has no effect.