this weird total control crap is for the birds

Apps>Default Apps.

Change you preferences here.

have to use it as you default browser

I just tried, but Uninstall is greyed-out. The only “live” option is Modify, so I turned off Default, and changed my preference to Chrome.

At home, we’re an Apple family. The only reason we have 2 Win10 laptops is for work. Hubby runs an MIS group and I’m a web developer.

As in the days of IE, when they wrapped unrelated bits of Windows functionality into IE so that the whole operating system was broken if you somehow removed it. Still, that doesn't mean you actually have to use it to browse the web.

It was still 'required' for the OS to work, but I went through and removed all icons, links, and references to it that I could without bricking the systems. Buried the application very deep into an obscure directory; renamed folders and files, changed registry entries to point to the new places, etc.

About once a month when I did my daily morning checks of the systems I'd usually find one where someone had gone through the time and effort of searching for it and using it. Then I'd have to spend time that day going through the system with a fine-tooth comb to remove all of the crap that it had left littered around...caches, cookies, scripts, logfiles, etc.

Needs a little work in the handling of bookmarks and tabs.

Chrome and Firefox are also good. (I have all three.)
Pick the one you want as your default browser and mark it as such.