Brave Browser blocking links to open Microsoft Outlook - HELP !!

[SkiBumPMC]

Brave Browser is blocking links to open Microsoft Outlook and I do mean the desktop version of Outlook, not Office 365 / Outlook 365 email, via a browser. More specifically, Brave is blocking the pop-up that allows Outlook to open an email dialog box to send an email. I do get a brief pop-up that disappears in a split second.

The pop-up message is below.

Open Outlook?
https://appus.act.com wants to open this application.
☐ Always allow appus.act.com to open links of this type in the associated app

In the pop-up, the checkbox next to “Always allow appus.act.com to open links” is NOT checked and I cannot react quick enough to even try to change this setting.

In Brave, I have Shields DOWN for this URL.
In Brave, I have allowed appus.act.com to send pop-ups and redirects.
In Outlook, I changed “Link Handling” and checked "Open supported hyperlinks to Office files in Desktop apps.

Despite this, Brave is blocking Outlook from opening.

Using Microsoft Edge, I have no issues so, this is definitely a Brave Browser issue or setting.

FYI, I have found this same issue documented in Brave Forums and on Microsoft forums BUT, I have not seen a single answer or solution to this problem.

I am running Brave on Windows 10

Brave Version 1.50.78 Chromium: 111.0.5563.50 (
Windows 10 64-Bit.

[Kevin_cc]

Hello there @SkiBumPMC please accept my apologies for this inconvenience.

@SkiBumPMC

Brave Version 1.50.78 Chromium

It seems you are using the Beta version of Brave, could you please try installing the release version to see if the issue persist there?

Let me know if that works.

[SkiBumPMC]

I tried that…The same issue exists on the release version - Version 1.48.171 Chromium: 110.0.5481.177 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Worth noting, this issue may be specific to this URL but, it likely affects certain URL’s.

To test this, I did a quick Google search for “email us” and tested a couple sites that had email links, rather than contact form pages. The two email us links I tested worked and the Outlook dialog box opened, as expected. I did this on the release version and beta.

Then, I went to a website I had made a recent purchase at and attempted to click the email link to contact them for help. On that site, the email us link did NOT work. In fact, the Outlook dialog box did not even pop-up although, the web page did react when I clicked the email link. It was a really quick page refresh, almost like a pop-up was being blocked. Again, I tested the release and beta versions and both reacted the same way.

Also, on both Brave versions, release and beta, I was somehow to react quickly enough to click the “open Outlook” button. After doing this, I was then able to click the email link and Outlook opened, as it should. However, once I refreshed the page, this stopped working. I did this on the http://appus.act.com URL on both Brave versions.

As I mentioned, with the appus.act.com URL everything works on Microsoft Edge. I also downloaded Google Chrome to test it. With Chrome, it also worked although, I did get a pop-up that asked what program I wanted to use. I selected Outlook, then clicked “always” to associate it with Outlook and, voila, it works on Chrome.

Again, there is no issue with MS Edge or Google Chrome…This is a Brave-only issue that affects certain sites.

[SkiBumPMC]

Same issue exists with the “release version” of Brave v1.49.120

Also, I tested a few random websites that have “contact us” email links on their websites. I tested the URL’s on 4 browsers - Brave, Brave Beta, Google Chrome and MS Edge. On Brave and Brave Beta, some sites automatically open the Outlook dialog box but, I found a couple of sites that do block the Outlook dialog box, like the appus.act.com URL did.

On these same URL’s, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge work flawlessly without any issues so, this is a Brave issue.

[Kevin_cc]

@SkiBumPMC in this case, please try going to shields and privacy → upgrade connections to HTTPS → turn it off to see if that makes any change.