Is it possible to set Mac default web browser via profile payload?

[Murphy]

Trying to configure a number of Macs to use Chrome as default browser, rather than Safari.  I have not yet found a place to do this in Profile editor.

[Sean]

Apple don't provide a method to achieve this, they consider it user choice.  I think the best on offer is:

https://chromeenterprise.google/intl/en_uk/policies/#DefaultBrowserSettingEnabled

It should be possible to create a Custom Settings Profile to set the key. Expectation afterwards would be for Chrome to prompt when opened, asking the user if they would like to make Chrome default.  Clearly, they don't have to accept, but as a managed setting it should keep prompting on each open.

Opening Chrome could be achieved with a script, to trigger the user to be prompted, which could be handled through FileWave with the following:

https://kb.filewave.com/books/filewave-general-info/page/execute-macos-scripts-as-console-user

Alternatively, it could be setup in a LaunchAgent for login.

As for Safari, you could create a Profile to block Safari from being allowed, essentially forcing users into using Chrome.