How to change the default browser to debug with in Visual Studio 2008?

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When you hit F5, the browser windows pops up, how do you set which browser the debugger users in Visual Studio 2008?

Update 1
I have looked for the 'Browse with' option and not found it.
Visual Studio opens the default browser instead of Internet Explorer

Update 2
If you are already debugging you dont have the 'Browse with' option.

  • Stop debugging and then its there!

Update 3
The accepted answer below is also relevant to changing the default browser to debug with in Visual Studio 2010.

12 Answers
  • (In the Project Solution window) Right click a page (.aspx, or on a folder)
  • Select Browse With...
  • Choose your browser
  • Click Set as Default
  • Click Browse

context menu screenshot

ASP.NET projects:

  • Right click a webpage (.aspx, or on a folder)
  • Select Browse With...
  • Choose your browser
  • Click Set as Default
  • Click Browse

ASP.NET MVC 1 projects:

Right click Default.aspx, then follow steps above.

ASP.NET MVC 2 projects:

As there is no Default.aspx, you need to create a Web Form (right-click project > Add > New Item) and follow the steps above.

To permanently make Visual Studio open a project in IE without changing the default browser you can do the following:

Project Properties -> Web -> Start Action

Start external program: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe Command line arguments: Enter the url of the path to your start page ie http:\localhost\myproject\default.aspx

This won't allow you to debug client side script in Visual Studio though.

If you use MVC, you don't have this menu (no "Browse With..." menu)

Create first a normal ASP.NET web site.

An easier way to do this is simply by selecting the arrow next to the Start Debugging:

the Start Debugging

Then in the Drop Down goto Web Browser and select the browser you would like to debug the site with, you can also select Browse with... to set the default as explained in other answers.

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