Install Firefox as Default browser, Pin to Start Menu & Taskbar [W11]

cris2k47 · Nov 8, 2023

Step 1: Add the Firefox Installer in NTLite

Download the official Firefox 64-bit Offline Installer.
In NTLite, go to the Post-Setup tab.
Add the Firefox installer executable and set the parameters to /S (for a silent, hands-free installation).

Step 2: Extract the attached firefox.zip into your Windows ISO root folder

Download the attached firefox.zip.
Extract the contents of the ZIP directly inside the root of your extracted Windows ISO directory.

Here is the exact layout of the files relative to your Windows ISO root for your reference:

Code:

<Your ISO root>\
│   setup.exe
│   ...
└───sources/
    └───$OEM$/
        ├───$$/
        │   └───System32/
        │           OEMDefaultAssociations.xml
        └───$1/
            ├───Program Files/
            │   └───Mozilla Firefox/
            │       │   firefox.cfg
            │       └───defaults/
            │           └───pref/
            │                   autoconfig.js
            └───Users/
                └───Default/
                    └───AppData/
                        └───Local/
                            └───Microsoft/
                                └───Windows/
                                    └───Shell/
                                            LayoutModification.xml

Step 3: Pin Firefox, Settings & File Explorer to the Start Menu

Download the attached firefox.reg.
In NTLite, go to the Registry tab, click Add, and select the firefox.reg file.

INI:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Pin Firefox, Settings & File Explorer to Start Menu
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device\Start]
"ConfigureStartPins"="{\"pinnedList\":[{\"desktopAppId\":\"308046B0AF4A39CB\"},{\"packagedAppId\":\"windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel\"},{\"desktopAppId\":\"Microsoft.Windows.Explorer\"}]}"

Look inside the files from the ZIP to see what they do before downloading:

Default Browser Association
File Path: $OEM$\$$\System32\OEMDefaultAssociations.xml
Sets Firefox as default browser for all new users.

XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<DefaultAssociations>
  <Association Identifier=".htm" ProgId="FirefoxHTML-308046B0AF4A39CB" ApplicationName="Firefox" />
  <Association Identifier=".html" ProgId="FirefoxHTML-308046B0AF4A39CB" ApplicationName="Firefox" />
  <Association Identifier="http" ProgId="FirefoxURL-308046B0AF4A39CB" ApplicationName="Firefox" />
  <Association Identifier="https" ProgId="FirefoxURL-308046B0AF4A39CB" ApplicationName="Firefox" />
</DefaultAssociations>

Firefox AutoConfig Loader
File Path: $OEM$\$1\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\pref\autoconfig.js
Loads the firefox.cfg file automatically.

JavaScript:

// Customize Firefox using AutoConfig
// https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-autoconfig
pref("general.config.filename", "firefox.cfg");
pref("general.config.obscure_value", 0);

Firefox Custom Preferences
File Path: $OEM$\$1\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.cfg
Disables first-run/post-update screens, sponsored top sites, default bookmarks, and telemetry.

JavaScript:

// Override the first run page.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/overridefirstrunpage/
defaultPref("startup.homepage_welcome_url", "");

// Customize the Firefox Home page.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/firefoxhome/
defaultPref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.showSponsoredTopSites", false);

// Don't display the Firefox Terms of Use and Privacy Notice upon startup.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/skiptermsofuse/
defaultPref("termsofuse.bypassNotification", true);

// Prevent the upload of telemetry data.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/disabletelemetry/
defaultPref("datareporting.healthreport.uploadEnabled", false);
defaultPref("datareporting.policy.dataSubmissionEnabled", false);
defaultPref("toolkit.telemetry.archive.enabled", false);
defaultPref("datareporting.usage.uploadEnabled", false);

// Disable the creation of default bookmarks.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/nodefaultbookmarks/
defaultPref("browser.bookmarks.file", "");

Taskbar Layout Modification
File Path: $OEM$\$1\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\LayoutModification.xml
Pins only File Explorer and Firefox to the taskbar.

XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
    xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
    xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
    xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
    Version="1">
  <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Windows.Explorer" />
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="308046B0AF4A39CB" />
      </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
  </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

Clanger · Nov 27, 2023

1 Have you tried installing ublock from a previously downloaded/local source file?
2 Have you imported a ublock backed up setting file?

clarensio · Nov 28, 2023

I wanted to point out that:
1) no problem for the "LayoutModification.xml" file;
2) while for the "OEMDefaultAssociations.xml" file, this will replace/cancel any previous association previously set by the user (e.g.: Association Identifier=".pdf" perhaps set with Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar). Better in my opinion to selectively append the new parameters to the existing OEMDefaultAssociations.xml

cris2k47 · Nov 29, 2023

clarensio said:
I wanted to point out that:
1) no problem for the "LayoutModification.xml" file;
2) while for the "OEMDefaultAssociations.xml" file, this will replace/cancel any previous association previously set by the user (e.g.: Association Identifier=".pdf" perhaps set with Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar). Better in my opinion to selectively append the new parameters to the existing OEMDefaultAssociations.xml

modified OEMDefaultAssociations.xml to avoid setting unnecessary associations, thanks!

clarensio · Nov 29, 2023

squally2k47 said:
modified OEMDefaultAssociations.xml to avoid setting unnecessary associations, thanks!

Despite the "cleaning" carried out in your new file, I continue to repeat that "replacing" your file with the existing one (Windows default standard) inevitably involves the "loss" of any associations previously saved/set by the user.

The new entries (set in your file) must be selectively added and/or modified in the original default file via a suitable script that adds (to the original) the missing entries and modifies (in the original) the already existing entries with those modified from your file.

crypticus · Nov 30, 2023

ublock? install adguard, its the only one that can truly fight google/youtube ads.

cris2k47 · Dec 2, 2023

crypticus said:
ublock? install adguard, its the only one that can truly fight google/youtube ads.

you can install adguard with:

Code:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions\Install]
"1"="https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/downloads/latest/adguard-adblocker/latest.xpi"

cris2k47 · May 18, 2024

clarensio said:
Despite the "cleaning" carried out in your new file, I continue to repeat that "replacing" your file with the existing one (Windows default standard) inevitably involves the "loss" of any associations previously saved/set by the user.

The new entries (set in your file) must be selectively added and/or modified in the original default file via a suitable script that adds (to the original) the missing entries and modifies (in the original) the already existing entries with those modified from your file.

any user that modifies this file to set their own associations knows this

garlin · May 18, 2024

Yes, it's true that replacing the default version instead of merging the changes will destroy the original file associations. User beware.

The alternative is to use SetUserFTA in Post-Setup, after reading about the new UCPD workaround.

meineomma · Oct 30, 2024

cristhian2k47
Thank you! I was merely looking for the default associations and found the registry file I knew I needed but didn't expect to exist. It works flawlessly and you quite possibly saved me tons of time and nerve.
garlin
My testruns have so far not caused any trouble. I was able to set firefox and e.g. adobe reader as standard and so far have not had any trouble. So far you have been correct most of the time and I take your advice of caution seriously: What kinds of issues would you expect? How would you go about merging?
I used Dism /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations and manually copied the associations I wanted, making sure to not have any double extensions or protocols.
If issues present themselves after roll-out I am confident they might be fixable by replacing the xml and / or Dism importing

cris2k47 · Monday at 10:26 PM

modified the post, now using firefox.cfg instead of policies.

JavaScript:

// Override the first run page.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/overridefirstrunpage/
defaultPref("startup.homepage_welcome_url", "");

// Customize the Firefox Home page.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/firefoxhome/
defaultPref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.showSponsoredTopSites", false);

// Don't display the Firefox Terms of Use and Privacy Notice upon startup.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/skiptermsofuse/
defaultPref("termsofuse.bypassNotification", true);

// Prevent the upload of telemetry data.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/disabletelemetry/
defaultPref("datareporting.healthreport.uploadEnabled", false);
defaultPref("datareporting.policy.dataSubmissionEnabled", false);
defaultPref("toolkit.telemetry.archive.enabled", false);
defaultPref("datareporting.usage.uploadEnabled", false);

// Disable the creation of default bookmarks.
// https://firefox-admin-docs.mozilla.org/reference/policies/nodefaultbookmarks/
defaultPref("browser.bookmarks.file", "");

Install Firefox as Default browser, Pin to Start Menu & Taskbar [W11]

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