Can not set Brave as default browser on Ubuntu using Snap

[cept73]

Description

Same issue as #1274 on Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTC.

Brave was installed via snap. Also I have installed Firefox via apt.
If I delete second browser - Firefox, Brave became default browser, but every time on start it asks to set Brave as default. I didn't found where to disable this check (but it needed).
If I'll install FF again, FF became default automatically.

sudo update-alternatives --config gnome-www-browser
gives: no alternatives for gnome-www-browser

For me helps installing Firefox via snap (not via apt as before)
snap install firefox
then Brave still default after install, but still asks to set default every run (at least might be ability to turn this behaviour off)

Steps to Reproduce

1. snap install brave
2. sudo apt install Firefox
3. FF is always default browser till it will be deleted (no matter that we make Brave default from the settings)

Reproduces how often:

always

Brave version (brave://version info)

Brave | 1.16.68 Chromium: 86.0.4240.111 (Official release) (64 bit)
Version | b8c36128a06ebad76af51591bfec980224db5522-refs/branch-heads/4240@{#1290}
OS | Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTC

Other Additional Information:

Temporary solution for me:
4. I had removed firefox via sudo apt remove firefox and install it via snap install firefox - as result we have two browsers and Brave is default browser (my aim), but it still asks us at the every start to make it default

[jeffanthony]

Same issue but with Chrome instead of Firefox.

[NorthBlue333]

Same issue here.
Also, I set Brave as the default browser in my Preferred Applications, and this works (when I open links from external applications it opens it within my current instance of Brave or a new one if there is none), but whenever a new window of Brave is opened, I have the banner "Make Brave your default browser" and clicking the button does nothing (same for the one in the settings).
On Ubuntu 20.04.1

[jobannon]

Same issue here too.

[dbrimley]

Confirming this is the same issue I am having.

Firefox was already installed as part of the Ubuntu 20 distro, I then installed Brave via snap but am unable to set it as default.

I have no use for Firefox so I just uninstalled it via apt and now Brave is the default.

[bsclifton]

cc: @rebron

[pedrokpp]

I got the same issue but to solve it just went to Settings -> Default Applications -> Web -> Change it to Brave

[jhirner]

I also have the same issue: Brave 1.20 installed via snap on Ubuntu 20.04. As @NorthBlue333 noted, the "make Brave the default browser" button re-appears each time the browser is relauched.

I've manually set Brave as the default browser with Settings -> Default Applications -> Web as @pedrokpp suggested, but with no effect.

As a potentially useful piece of related information, Brave is not listed when reviewing the options for sudo update-alternatives --config x-www-browser or sudo update-alternatives --config gnome-www-browser.

[jaytea33]

FYI, I was able to get it to default to Brave by removing Google Chrome and Firefox - only "Ungoogled Chromium" and "Brave" now remain with Brave taking the default. Not ideal, but works.

[richtong]

If you look into /usr/share/applications you can see that with a snap install there is no .desktop file for brave, but there is a google-chrome.desktop and a firefox.desktop that points to the default, so I think the snap installation is not creating this file, so it doesn't appear as an alternative.

I have chromium also installed as a snap and it is also not an alternative as well. https://www.maketecheasier.com/create-desktop-file-linux/ explains what is going on this should be created by the snap install probably which is why its not an alternative.

[marodon]

Hi it is a snap problem and it is very clear on the official page that we should not use this method to install Brave. I made this mistake to install Brave from sanp and the only workaround that worked for me was to remove Brave from the snap using the Ubuntu Software app and install Brave following the command line given on the official page; Magic, all my bookmarks and passwords came back and Brave is default without having to set it by default everytime. Do save you bookmarks and passwords before doing that, it may behave differently on your system (I am using Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS). Good luck

[souliane]

Don't know if this can help some of you, I am sharing just in case...

After updating (can't remember if it was Ubuntu only or also the snaps), Firefox became my default browser.
update-alternatives could not find brave, but this worked to make it the default again:

xdg-settings set default-web-browser brave_brave.desktop

The file already existed in /var/lib/snapd/desktop/applications/brave_brave.desktop.

[jayschwa]

This issue appears to be resolved in Brave version 1.65.133.