OS 13 will not allow Google as default web browser

bigbabyhead wrote:

I'm seeking a solution rather than an opinion.

Understood bigbabyhead —

Call Customer Support (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

or on line —> Apple Support <—

you can file a bug report /submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple

I will add if you have not tried it— 

A SafeBoot How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support will sort many anomalies.

To trouble shoot further you can—

Test issue in another user (or guest user) account Change Users & Groups settings on Mac - Apple Support

  This will tell you if it a universal issue or isolated to your user/admin account. 

bigbabyhead wrote:

I've tried everything. System settings, chrome, safari are all set to allow Chrome as default browser but Safari will not let go.

So leave it as the default...you are running up against a macOS bias.

I always have at least two browsers running at all times. Leaving Safari as the default so my main working browser is unmolested.

you can file a bug report /submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple

Call Customer Support (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

or on line Apple Support

Change the default web browser or email app on Mac

It’s ironic that you say “Safari will not let go”, given how we know Chrome is a blatant resource hog …

Setting that aside: webloc files (*) do open only in Safari, but links in Mail, and everywhere I have tried in macOS do open in whatever browser is selected as the default.

(*) these are the files you get when dragging an url to your Desktop, for example. I agree that they should open in the browser that is set as the default.

bigbabyhead wrote:

Safari will not let go.

How are you making this determination?