Windows 10: Can't change magnet protocol URI program

Discus and support Can't change magnet protocol URI program in Windows 10 Software and Apps to solve the problem; When going to default programs for protocols, it has google chrome set as the default program for these links. I want the default to be my torrent... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Software and Apps' started by bobsagetfullhou, May 24, 2019.

  1. Can't change magnet protocol URI program


    When going to default programs for protocols, it has google chrome set as the default program for these links. I want the default to be my torrent program, but the only option available is google chrome.

    I've tried making an update here "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Magnet\shell\open\command" like some articles have suggested and put in my torrent client, but it does not fix the issue and chrome still stays the default protocol in settings.

    :)
     
    bobsagetfullhou, May 24, 2019
    #1
  2. jrh-001 Win User

    Win10: magnet uri protocol missing

    In "Choose default apps by Protocol", there is no "Magnet" protocol, and no action is taken when "magnet:" URI is entered or linked in the browser.

    Description:

    qBittorrent had been the default application for Magnet URIs however due to the Torch browser's poor install implementation, it asserts itself as the default for the magnet protocol even though told not to.

    Due to the insane method that Windows10 uses to set defaults, qBittorrent isn't a valid "app" selection for changing from Torch to something else -- this is a serious, serious functionality flaw in Windows10, imho -- I had no choice but to uninstall the
    Torch browser, under the assumption that once it was out of the way, Windows would a) default back to qBittorrent or b) default back to an unselected handling method and I could assign qBittorrent through the popup dialog as I had done previously.

    However, this was not the case.

    • In the configuration section "Choose default apps by Protocol", the Magnet protocol is missing.
    • In a browser, using the "magnet:" protocol or clicking on a magnetic link produces
      no reaction. No choice dialog or other behavior.
    I surmise that the browser is handing this information off to the OS but the OS has forgotten what to do about it, so nothing happens. It feels like a registry entry is a bit confused and need to be reset/restored/reconstructed.

    Really need a way to repair this; handling magnet uris by hand is surprisingly frustrating in very, very short order.
     
    jrh-001, May 24, 2019
    #2
  3. jrh-001 Win User
    Win10: magnet uri protocol missing

    There is no "Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Magnet_auto_file\shell\open\command" in the registry, so I'd have to begin creating the tree at "Magnet_auto_file". As the instructions
    assume a 'magnet_auto_file' branch exists, I'm unclear if I should create the tree, or if perhaps "magnet_auto_file" is an errant tag.

    "Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\magnet\shell\open\command" exists and already is configured for qbittorrent. I verified this particular key before the original post, as my original thinking was that Torch had inserted itself into this
    -- Torch uses a different portion of the registry to do it's evil bidding: "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\Torch.BGL7GRC43Z6P6SZKFQCFJGPO2A\Capabilities\URLAssociations 'NAME' MAGNET" or something to that
    effect (there are several entries off that last branch). Apparently you can delete the 'magnet' reference and it stops the overriding behavior but, to be perfectly honest, I felt more comfortable just uninstalling Torch until its developers can regain my confidence
    in their product.

    Now that I think of it, with Torch uninstalled and that part of the registry gone... Would that part of the reg be tied (directly/indirectly) to the protocol list, i.e., if those entries are removed, would that be why there is no
    longer a 'magnet' entry on the "Choose default apps by Protocol" panel? If that's true, the missing entry there
    isn't a symptom, so I'd have to re-diagnose without that factor.
     
    jrh-001, May 24, 2019
    #3
  4. Noor_Azam Win User

    Can't change magnet protocol URI program

    Win10: magnet uri protocol missing

    Hello,



    Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



    Since you are unable to set program association with magnetic links from Windows 10, I suggest to try making changes in the registry.

    Disclaimer: The registry is a database in Windows that contains important information about system hardware, installed programs and settings, and profiles of each of the user accounts
    on the computer. Windows often reads and updates the information in the registry.

    Please navigate to below mentioned registry path to make the change.

    Press Windows logo key and
    R
    , enter regedit and click on Ok.

    Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Magnet_auto_file\shell\open\command, double click
    default from the right pane of the page and enter the location of qBittorrent under
    value data and click on Ok.



    Example for the location: "C:\Program Files (x86)\qbittorrent\qbittorrent.exe" "%L"



    Regards,

    Noor Azam S

    Microsoft Community – Moderator
     
    Noor_Azam, May 24, 2019
    #4
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Can't change magnet protocol URI program

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