Default browser settings changed after uninstalling SketchUp

Summary of issue

An issue was discovered with SketchUp 2016 where uninstalling the program resets your default Internet browser. This issue only affected computers using Microsoft Windows that had SketchUp 2016 installed and then uninstalled.

Description

This issue was new to the first release of SketchUp 2016, also known as “M0” [version numbers 16.0.19912 (Win 64-bit); 16.0.19911 (Win 32-bit)]. If this version was uninstalled from your computer, the registry keys that stored which Internet browser was the default browser was unintentionally modified. There may be other file association issues introduced by this change to the registry, but the only effect we've seen is resetting the default Internet browser. If other issues are discovered, we'll update this Help Center article.

SketchUp 2016 M1, released on February 29th, 2016, resolved this issue. However, M1 only fixes the issue if SketchUp 2016 M0 has never been uninstalled from your computer.

Workarounds

OPTION 1: Install SketchUp 2016 M1

Download

Again, this option only resolves the issue if you have not uninstalled SketchUp 2016 M0 from your computer already. If you already uninstalled SketchUp 2016 at least once, please move on to Option 2.

OPTION 2: Select your default browser as the default again (excludes Internet Explorer)

For most browsers, simply open the Internet browser you would like to use as your default and then select that you want to set that browser as your default. For example, this may be the best option if you would like Chrome, Firefox, or Opera as your default browser.

If Internet Explorer is your default browser and you have already uninstalled SketchUp 2016 M0, move on to Option 3.

OPTION 3: Perform a system restore (Learn more…)

If you uninstalled SketchUp 2016 M0 more than once and Internet Explorer is your desired default browser, this option applies to you. Unfortunately, if you tell Internet Explorer to be your default browser again (as suggested in option 2) that setting won’t remain fixed. Internet Explorer will ask you every time you open the browser.

We recommend that you restore Windows to the point where SketchUp 2016 M0 was first installed on your computer. At that point, you can use Option 1 and install SketchUp 2016 M1. Afterwards, you can uninstall SketchUp 2016 again without affecting your default Internet browser settings.

System Restore Instructions by version of Microsoft Windows:

Windows 10

Link to Microsoft’s site

  1. Right-click (or press and hold) the Start button, and then select Control Panel.
  2. Search Control Panel for SketchUp.
  3. Select Recovery > Open System Restore > Next.
  4. Choose the restore point for when SketchUp 2016 was first installed, and then select Next > Finish.
Note: If you’re not seeing any restore points, it might be because system protection isn’t turned on. To check, go to the Control Panel, search for Recovery, and then select Recovery > Configure System Restore > Configure and make sure Turn on system protection is selected.
Windows 8

Link to Microsoft’s site

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search.)
  2. Enter Control Panel in the search box, and tap or click Control Panel.
  3. Enter Recovery in the Control Panel search box, and then tap or click Recovery.
  4. Tap or click Open System Restore, and then follow the instructions.
  5. Choose the restore point for when SketchUp 2016 was first installed, and then select Next > Finish.
Windows 7

Link to Microsoft’s site

  1. Open System Restore by clicking the Start button. In the search box, type System Restore, and then, in the list of results, click System Restore. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • If there is a recommended restore point, click Choose a different restore point, and then click Next.
    • If there isn't a recommended restore point, click Next.
  3. Click the restore point for when SketchUp 2016 was first installed, and then click Next.
  4. Review the restore point, and then click Finish.

OPTION 4: We have one more trick up our sleeve, but we need to handle it on a case by case basis. Please contact our technical support team to learn more.

Was this article helpful?