export BROWSER='/mnt/c/path/to/ms_edge_binary'

[snobu]

All WSL distros should export BROWSER='/mnt/c/path/to/ms_edge_binary' by default, so something like

$ python -m webbrowser -t "http://www.python.org"

can pop up a browser.

Also, this part (/mnt/c/path/to/ms_edge_binary) isn't trivial, you can't just launch the .exe since there's no .exe, there are just some shims, instead you need to do horrible things like

export BROWSER='/mnt/c/Windows/System32/cmd.exe /c start shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge'

which doesn't really work.

If you export BROWSER='/mnt/c/path/to/chrome.exe' it all works nicely, so that's what WSL should strive for with Edge.

I believe an extra shim, e.g. WSLEdgeShim.exe would be a good enough solution, as long as it's exported by default.

[benhillis]

@snobu - You can make it a bit less horrible:
cmd.exe /c start microsoft-edge:

[snobu]

That doesn't work. Actually my horrible example doesn't work either, i just tried to mock up a launch command.

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17134.165]

[benhillis]

@snobu - Works on my box:
ben@BENHILL-STUDIO:/mnt/c/Users/benhill$ cmd.exe /c start microsoft-edge:

[snobu]

Yes, that works, but doesn't work when exported as BROWSER env var to be consumed by Python/Node/etc. Both Chrome and Internet Explorer work well in this scenario.

[therealkenc]

Ran course. If the ask here is "Chrome & IE good, Edge bad" there is the Feedback Hub and an Edge Microsoft Edge platform feedback site.

[PAGuardado]

Hey! this is closed but i can't find the solution yet!
is there any at all?
I want WSL to call for 'edge' whenever it needs a internet browser

[Biswa96]

You could try the new Edge+Chromium thing.

[PAGuardado]

I guess it could work, but I can't find how to even try it!
can you explain us how please?

[snobu]

Is running Windows binaries still a thing in WSL2?

[Biswa96]

Windows binary (PE) can be executed in WSL2 as same as in WSL1, like before. Just enter the executable name. For example, my Firefox is here D:\Firefox\firefox.exe then enter /mnt/d/Firefox/firefox.exe.

[therealkenc]

I want WSL to call for 'edge' whenever it needs a internet browser

That "whenever" is the rub. It isn't straightforward to coax xdg-open(1) into calling a windows browser using WSL interop, but it is possible. Long story short Ben's answer from July 2018. Ref #3832 et al. You'll need to set the $BROWSER environment variable in your .bashrc yourself.

You could try the new Edge+Chromium thing.

The original motivation for the ask in the OP was "you can't just launch the .exe since there's no .exe". Haven't looked but I doubt that changed with NewEdge. It's Chromium under the hood, but that is unrelated to the launch mechanism.

For example, my Firefox is here D:\Firefox\firefox.exe

Needless to say, firefox.exe isn't a problem because existence .exe.