Check if ComSpec variable is defined correctly

Description

The ChromeNativeMessaging.exe process runs under the current user and it uses cmd.exe to start the browser.

If the ComSpec environment variable is missing or has an invalid value, then Microsoft Edge cannot launch the ChromeNativeMessaging.exe.

Furthermore, the administrator may disable the command prompt for some users or configure it to always run with elevated privileges.

Solution

Manually add the correct value for the ComSpec environment variable. This variable is set at Windows installation and must be set to: %SystemRoot%\system32\cmd.exe.

Other workarounds

If the ComSpec environment variable is set correctly but the problem persists, the user may not have permission to run the command prompt. In this case, the ChromeNativeMessaging.exe process cannot be started with cmd.exe running under the current user.

Starting with Chromium 120.0.6090+, a NativeHostsExecutablesLaunchDirectly Group Policy allows admins to turn this on for users in restricted environments (Cloud PCs that forbid cmd.exe, for example).