Upgraded to Ventura 13.1 on iMac, everything opens in Safari as if default

Hello eugene1026,

Thank you for reaching out to Apple Support Communities, and we'll be happy to help in any way we can. We understand you're having issues with your default browser working correctly. Try the steps listed here to make sure the settings are correct from the related article above:

"Change the default web browser

Find out which version of macOS you're using, then follow the appropriate steps. 

In macOS Ventura

1. From the Apple menu  in the corner of your screen, choose System Settings.
2. Click Desktop & Dock in the sidebar.
3. Scroll down and choose a web browser from the “Default web browser” menu on the right."

If the behavior doesn't change, what we would recommend, is testing this issue in another user account. What we need to do, is log out of your current user. Log back in under another Standard or Administrator account and see if the same issue occurs there. This way we can tell if it is an issue with your user account, or if it is system wide.

Keep in mind, Google is an example of a Search Engine. Whereas, Google Chrome is a Web Browser.

We hope this helps.

Cheers!

Thanks for the reply, eugene1026.

Since each device is different in how they're set up and used, we wouldn't be able to speculate on other user's devices or issues.

To clarify, were you able to test to see if any issues were noticed in the other user account? If not, try setting up another user and let us know if you continue experiencing this issue. That will help rule out user versus system wide issues.

Should the issue persist, try booting in safe mode to test again, as this will help prevent certain software from loading which might be causing this to happen.

Start up your Mac with Apple silicon in safe mode

1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > Shut Down.

Wait for your Mac to shut down completely. A Mac is completely shut down when the screen is black and any lights (including in the Touch Bar) are off.

2. Press and hold the power button on your Mac until “Loading startup options” appears.

3. Select a volume.

4. Press and hold the Shift key, then click Continue in Safe Mode.

The computer restarts automatically. When the login window appears, you should see “Safe Boot” in the menu bar.

Start up your Intel-based Mac in safe mode

1. Turn on or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key until you see the login window.

2. Log in to your Mac.

3. You might be asked to log in again.

On either the first or second login window, you should see “Safe Boot” in the menu bar.

Start up your Mac in safe mode

Go ahead and Contact Apple Support directly if this continues after taking the steps we provided.

All the best.

When the user says " everything opens in Safari " - are we speaking of url contained within and e-mail ?

Or perhaps some other occurrence and if so when and where, if you would please

As for a " a problem with the latest version " - tend to think not.

Use 2 Apple Computers running Ventura 13.1 and be Default Safari on there machine is set to Safari although I also have Firefox installed.

I can Switch the Default from Safari to Firefox

Observation: although I switch to FF as Default Browser - on these machine, url received in an e-mail will still open in Safari

refer to image below

Right click the url and sub menu appears and choose Chrome to open the url

The same procedure as above procedure for url in Mail

not what you want to hear, I know but that seems to be a sure method to get Chrome to work in this situation