Hyperlinks in Microsoft Office applications always launches Internet Explorer?

Symptom

When you click a hyperlink in a Microsoft Office application, pointing to a URL or a local image file, the URL / image file is opened in Internet Explorer, rather than using the default browser / image viewer.

Solution

To force Microsoft Office applications to use the file association settings, rather than launching Internet Explorer, follow these steps:

• Type regedit in Start, Run dialog.

• Navigate to the following branch:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ 9.0 \ Common \ Internet

• On the Edit menu, point to New, and click DWORD Value.

• Enter ForceShellExecute as the value name.

• On the Edit menu, click Modify. In the Value data box, type 1.

• Close Registry Editor

Now, the hyperlinks in Office applications (pointing to a local file or an URL), will honor the file association settings, rather than launching Internet Explorer.