Can't open links via in-game overlay

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Agent47 Oct 3, 2020 @ 12:32pm

Can't open links via in-game overlay

So in the last 2-4 weeks or so, a certain issue started for me, in which whenever I try to open links via chat in the Steam overlay (while in-game, any game) the link would open in Chrome in the desktop instead of the Steam overlay's browser.

Only way I've managed to open links in the overlay's browser is by copying each URL individually into the overlay browser address bar, which has made chatting very tedious as I refrain from bothering with even opening links that I'm given on a regular basis.

Anyone else having this? I've tried some googling for I saw nothing similar on this so far.
Other things that I tried, reinstalling Chrome, reinstalling Steam, updating Windows (Win10)

I tried contacting the official support and their response was that they have no fix for this issue and that I should post it in the Steam community hub in the hopes that i'll find someone else who has this.

Any insights would be appreciated.

Thanks.

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Showing 1-10 of 10 comments

Jack Schitt Oct 3, 2020 @ 12:53pm

My 2 cents, I don't know if this is possible or not because I don't use the overlay often and almost never use the friends list since they changed the UI, is it possible to right click on the links? Is there an option like 'open in steam browser' in it if there is a right-click menu?

Links are known to be dangerous. It's one of the primary ways accounts get hijacked. Another reason I avoid the friends list. Friends and family can call or text my phone. It's a very wise thing to not add people to your friends list and even if you do know them not to click on links - if the link asks for your steam login 9 times out of 10 it's a fake site a hijacker made to collect login credentials.

Agent47 Oct 3, 2020 @ 1:29pm

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:
My 2 cents, I don't know if this is possible or not because I don't use the overlay often and almost never use the friends list since they changed the UI, is it possible to right click on the links? Is there an option like 'open in steam browser' in it if there is a right-click menu?

Links are known to be dangerous. It's one of the primary ways accounts get hijacked. Another reason I avoid the friends list. Friends and family can call or text my phone. It's a very wise thing to not add people to your friends list and even if you do know them not to click on links - if the link asks for your steam login 9 times out of 10 it's a fake site a hijacker made to collect login credentials.

Hey, thanks for the response.
Right clicking a link brings up two options, "Copy link URL" and "Open link in new window" which ends with the same result of the link opening via Chrome in the desktop rather than the Steam overlay.

I'm aware of the risks involved with opening links mindlessly, but I only chat with people who I know, plus I often open links of things like YouTube videos, images, tweets and Steam threads\guides, which are easy to identify by inspecting the URL. If I see a link that's kind of out of the ordinary I don't exactly rush to click it. Just me and my friends swapping memes, videos, music and game news.
(I have the embed media feature in chat disabled because it makes the window very crowded when someone sends anything)

Something else that I forgot to mention, attempting to open something like, say, a Steam guide that's in the side bars of the Steam overlay opens it via the overlay as intended. The issue only happens to links that are in chat windows. It worked perfectly fine until about a month ago.

Jack Schitt Oct 3, 2020 @ 2:28pm

Possibly something you might want to mention to Valve's development team. The more people that opt-in to the beta version and participate on the forums the better it might become. Another suggestion: Have you tried opening the browser window first, then clicking on the links in your chat window?

As I said I don't bother with the overlay. I think there's a way to disable it but I haven't done that. I alt+tab back to my desktop if I want to use a browser, or even the friends list chat or see who's online (the very rare times I'm actually using and online with the friends list).

I sit about 8 feet away from my screen. The text in the chat windows are way too small to read in the overlay and I've never found a way to make it bigger. Another reason I personally don't bother with it and alt+tab instead or put the friends list on a separate screen when I use it while I'm doing something full screen on the main.

They created a browser for this thing so we didn't have to alt+tab like I do. I doubt they would cause it to change like you've noticed on purpose.

Sorez Nov 28, 2020 @ 3:36pm

Ive had this bug for months now and its still driving me crazy when i click a link and it opens my chrome, forcing me to close it and going back to overlay and forced to copy and paste it like you are doin :(

Agent47 Nov 28, 2020 @ 4:05pm

Originally posted by Sorez:
Ive had this bug for months now and its still driving me crazy when i click a link and it opens my chrome, forcing me to close it and going back to overlay and forced to copy and paste it like you are doin :(

Sorry to hear that, it's a maddening issue. I still have it, but it's less awful now cause right clicking the link and clicking on "open in new window" opens in the overlay. Still very irritating though.

Jack Schitt Nov 28, 2020 @ 4:12pm

It may help to follow my suggestions. If people are too lazy to read more than 2 lines opt-in to the beta and try that. Also report this issue to official support.

Agent47 Nov 29, 2020 @ 12:38am

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:
It may help to follow my suggestions. If people are too lazy to read more than 2 lines opt-in to the beta and try that. Also report this issue to official support.

Yes I read your suggestions and tried them. Figured I'd also mention that official support was already contacted, as stated in the original post, in case people are too lazy to read more than 2 lines. Nothing came out of it. Right clicking the link was the only viable suggestion and that only started working in the last weeks or so. Before that it didn't work.
At least now it's tolerable, so I'll just wait and see how updates roll through the months.

Jack Schitt Nov 29, 2020 @ 1:01am

If you have joined the beta version insure this is included in the discussions so it's at least known if not already being addressed. I don't personally use the overlay much, almost never, so this doesn't effect me. I alt+tab and use my preferred browser if I want to do something that needs a browser. It won't get fixed if they don't know about it.

Sieg Sanjay Apr 15 @ 5:30pm

Never had this issue before a few weeks ago, now 4 years later and the same issue described here has randomly started happening to me...

There has to be some sort of steam overlay default browser setting or something. Makes no sense that this would be a bug of some sort. Seems more like a setting that I've accidentally toggled a setting or it's toggled itself to make the links open in my actual browser outside of steam.