WSA Link Fixer 🔗

Fix for links not opening in Windows due to Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) conflicts.

🛑 The Problem

If you use Windows Subsystem for Android (especially custom builds like WSABuilds, MagiskOnWSA, or MustardChef), you might encounter this issue:

• You click a link in WhatsApp Desktop, VS Code, Discord, or Slack.
• Nothing happens, or a loading cursor appears for a split second.
• The link does not open in your default browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox).
• The system is trying to open the link inside an Android app but failing.

This happens because WSA registers itself as a handler for http and https protocols, "hijacking" the links from Windows.

✅ The Solution

This simple PowerShell script detects the conflicting registry key created by WSA (AppUriHandlers) and safely renames it. This forces Windows to ignore Android for web links and revert to your default browser.

It is non-destructive: it creates a timestamped backup of the registry key instead of deleting it.

🚀 How to Use

1. Download the latest release:

   • Click here to download wsa-link-fixer.zip
   • Extract the .zip archive.

2. Run the tool:

   • Double-click run_script.bat.
   • (If Windows Defender SmartScreen appears, click More info ➔ Run anyway, or right-click the .zip ➔ Properties ➔ check Unblock before extracting).

3. Follow the on-screen instructions:

   • The script will ask to close WSA automatically.
   • It will back up and rename the conflicting key.
   • It will restart Windows Explorer to apply changes instantly.

🛠 Manual Fix (If you prefer not to use the script)

If you want to do this manually:

1. Open Registry Editor (regedit).
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\SystemAppData\MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForAndroid_8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppUriHandlers
3. Delete or rename the AppUriHandlers folder.
4. Restart your PC or the Windows Explorer process.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This script is provided "as is". While it only modifies a specific user-level registry key related to app associations, always ensure you have backups of your important data.

🤝 Credits

This tool is based on the solution shared by @TheShark27 in the official Microsoft WSA repository. You can find the original discussion here: microsoft/WSA#361

📄 License

MIT License. Feel free to fork and improve.