## Summary of the Pull Request
This PR changes the way the Web Search built-in extension handles full
URIs: it bypasses default browser discovery and asks the shell to open
the URI directly. The original execution path remains as a fallback and
for simple queries (when a custom search engine is not set).
<!-- Please review the items on the PR checklist before submitting-->
## PR Checklist
- [x] Closes: #45610
<!-- - [ ] Closes: #yyy (add separate lines for additional resolved
issues) -->
- [ ] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [ ] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [ ] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [ ] **Dev docs:** Added/updated
- [ ] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [ ] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
- [ ] [WXS for
installer](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs)
for new binaries and localization folder
- [ ] [YML for CI
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- [ ] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
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repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx
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or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
<!-- Describe how you validated the behavior. Add automated tests
wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
## Summary of the Pull Request
This PR allows user to customize a search query in Command Palette's Web
Search built-in extension. This will also solve a problem with some
browser that doesn't handle argument in form "? <query>" as it will
allow user to specify the complete URI.
- Introduces a new text box in Web Search extension settings for
specifying a custom search engine URI
- If the text box is non-empty, the provided URI is used for queries
- If left empty, the extension defaults to previous behavior, sending
queries in the format "? query"
## Pictures? Pictures!
<img width="825" height="566" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/fbf3d3a5-ebfe-4c16-a5f1-0d044b6f9047"
/>
<!-- Please review the items on the PR checklist before submitting-->
## PR Checklist
- [x] Closes: #43940
- [x] Closes: #42867
<!-- - [ ] Closes: #yyy (add separate lines for additional resolved
issues) -->
- [ ] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [ ] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [ ] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [ ] **Dev docs:** Added/updated
- [ ] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [ ] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
- [ ] [WXS for
installer](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs)
for new binaries and localization folder
- [ ] [YML for CI
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ci/templates/build-powertoys-steps.yml)
for new test projects
- [ ] [YML for signed
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/release.yml)
- [ ] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
on [our docs
repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx
<!-- Provide a more detailed description of the PR, other things fixed,
or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
<!-- Describe how you validated the behavior. Add automated tests
wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
## Summary of the Pull Request
This PR introduces a new method for determining the default browser
using the Windows Shell API. The new provider selects the browser
associated with the HTTPS protocol (falling back to HTTP if necessary).
The original implementation is retained as a fallback for now, and the
codebase is prepared for future extensions (e.g., manual default-browser
selection).
As a flyby, it also fixes an issue where commands continued showing the
previous browser name if the user changed their default browser while
the Command Palette was running.
## One-liner for change log
Fixed default browser selection in the Web Search built-in extension.
<!-- Please review the items on the PR checklist before submitting-->
## PR Checklist
- [x] Closes: #42343
- [ ] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [x] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [ ] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [ ] **Dev docs:** Added/updated
- [ ] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [ ] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
- [ ] [WXS for
installer](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs)
for new binaries and localization folder
- [ ] [YML for CI
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ci/templates/build-powertoys-steps.yml)
for new test projects
- [ ] [YML for signed
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/release.yml)
- [ ] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
on [our docs
repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx
<!-- Provide a more detailed description of the PR, other things fixed,
or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
<!-- Describe how you validated the behavior. Add automated tests
wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
## Summary of the Pull Request
This PR ensures that the list of recent searches in the Web Search
extension is updated immediately after a new item is added or when
settings controlling the number of items are changed.
- Refactors the Web Search extension history to keep it in memory after
being loaded at startup
- Adds an event to notify subscribers when the history changes
- Implements `IDisposable` to ensure that `WebSearchListPage`
unsubscribes from the event
- Moves responsibility for creating all list items to single class
(`WebSearchListPage`)
- Updated unit tests
-
## PR Checklist
- [x] Closes: #40548
- [ ] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [x] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [x] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [x] **Dev docs:** nothing
- [x] **New binaries:** none
- [x] **Documentation updated:** nope
<!-- Provide a more detailed description of the PR, other things fixed,
or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
<!-- Describe how you validated the behavior. Add automated tests
wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
## Summary of the Pull Request
For WebSearch extension:
- Replaces localized string identifiers with invariant literal keys to
ensure stable and consistent setting values, avoiding issues when
switching cultures or if display strings change.
- Renames the `ShowHistory` property to `HistoryItemCount`.
- Changes the type from `string` to `int` and centralizes parsing logic
in `SettingsManager`.
- Retains backward compatibility by preserving the legacy settings key
`"ShowHistory"` in `SettingsManager`.
<!-- Please review the items on the PR checklist before submitting-->
## PR Checklist
- [x] Closes: #40547
- [ ] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [x] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [x] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [x] **Dev docs:** none
- [x] **New binaries:** none
- [x] **Documentation updated:** none
<!-- Provide a more detailed description of the PR, other things fixed,
or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
<!-- Describe how you validated the behavior. Add automated tests
wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
<!-- Enter a brief description/summary of your PR here. What does it
fix/what does it change/how was it tested (even manually, if necessary)?
-->
## Summary of the Pull Request
<!-- Please review the items on the PR checklist before submitting-->
## PR Checklist
- [x] Closes: #41241#41242
- [x] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [x] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [ ] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [ ] **Dev docs:** Added/updated
- [ ] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [ ] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
- [ ] [WXS for
installer](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs)
for new binaries and localization folder
- [ ] [YML for CI
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ci/templates/build-powertoys-steps.yml)
for new test projects
- [ ] [YML for signed
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/release.yml)
- [ ] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
on [our docs
repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx
<!-- Provide a more detailed description of the PR, other things fixed,
or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
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wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
Co-authored-by: Yu Leng <yuleng@microsoft.com>
What the title says. 😄
Rather than relying on the potentially overloaded `!=` or `==` operators
when checking for null, now we'll use the `is` expression (possibly
combined with the `not` operator) to ensure correct checking. Probably
overkill for many of these classes, but decided to err on the side of
consistency. Would matter more on classes that may be inherited or
extended.
Using `is` and `is not` will provide us a guarantee that no
user-overloaded equality operators (`==`/`!=`) is invoked when a
`expression is null` is evaluated.
In code form, changed all instances of:
```c#
something != null
something == null
```
to:
```c#
something is not null
something is null
```
The one exception was checking null on a `KeyChord`. `KeyChord` is a
struct which is never null so VS will raise an error when trying this
versus just providing a warning when using `keyChord != null`. In
reality, we shouldn't do this check because it can't ever be null. In
the case of a `KeyChord` it **would** be a `KeyChord` equivalent to:
```c#
KeyChord keyChord = new ()
{
Modifiers = 0,
Vkey = 0,
ScanCode = 0
};
```
<!-- Enter a brief description/summary of your PR here. What does it
fix/what does it change/how was it tested (even manually, if necessary)?
-->
## Summary of the Pull Request
This actually fixes an issue with #39794. What I failed to mention in
the original issue was the additional path under the registry that the
new key is located under. Instead of the key being stored directly in
`UserChoiceLatest` in a key named `ProgId`, the path also includes a
second `ProgId` as well.
Copilot tried to fix this issue in #40035, but because I had failed to
mention the additional `ProgId` in the path, it was not included in
Copilot's fix.
Therefore, the true new path is
`.../UserChoiceLatest/ProgId`
<!-- Please review the items on the PR checklist before submitting-->
## PR Checklist
- [x] **Closes:** #39794
- [ ] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [ ] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [ ] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [ ] **Dev docs:** Added/updated
- [ ] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [ ] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
- [ ] [WXS for
installer](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs)
for new binaries and localization folder
- [ ] [YML for CI
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ci/templates/build-powertoys-steps.yml)
for new test projects
- [ ] [YML for signed
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/release.yml)
- [ ] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
on [our docs
repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx
<!-- Provide a more detailed description of the PR, other things fixed,
or any additional comments/features here -->
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
<!-- Describe how you validated the behavior. Add automated tests
wherever possible, but list manual validation steps taken as well -->
## Validation Steps Performed
## Summary
This PR fixes an issue where PowerToys Web Search and PowerToys Run
would always open Microsoft Edge instead of the user's default browser
on Windows 11 24H2, even when a different browser like Firefox was set
as the default.
## Root Cause
Windows 11 24H2 introduced a change where default browser associations
are now stored in a new registry location:
- **New location**:
`HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoiceLatest`
- **Old location**:
`HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice`
PowerToys was only checking the old registry location, causing it to
fail to find the default browser and fall back to Microsoft Edge.
## Changes Made
Updated both `DefaultBrowserInfo.cs` files to check the new registry
location first, then fall back to the old location for backward
compatibility:
1. **Command Palette Web Search**:
`src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.WebSearch/Helpers/DefaultBrowserInfo.cs`
2. **PowerToys Run**:
`src/modules/launcher/Wox.Plugin/Common/DefaultBrowserInfo.cs`
**Before**:
```csharp
var progId = GetRegistryValue(
@"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice",
"ProgId");
```
**After**:
```csharp
var progId = GetRegistryValue(
@"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoiceLatest",
"ProgId")
?? GetRegistryValue(
@"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice",
"ProgId");
```
## Testing
- Verified the fallback logic works correctly with a test application
- Confirmed both affected files are updated with the same pattern
- Ensured backward compatibility with older Windows versions
## Impact
This fix ensures that:
- Users on Windows 11 24H2 will have their default browser respected
- Older Windows versions continue to work as before
- No breaking changes are introduced
Fixes#39794.
<!-- START COPILOT CODING AGENT TIPS -->
---
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customizing its development environment and configuring Model Context
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---------
Co-authored-by: copilot-swe-agent[bot] <198982749+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: crutkas <1462282+crutkas@users.noreply.github.com>
**WARNING:** This PR will probably blow up all in-flight PRs
at some point in the early days of CmdPal, two of us created seperate
`Exts` and `exts` dirs. Depending on what the casing was on the branch
that you checked one of those out from, it'd get stuck like that on your
PC forever.
Windows didn't care, so we never noticed.
But GitHub does care, and now browsing the source on GitHub is basically
impossible.
Closes#38081
