The simplest and most generic solution is to go into the settings app and to your apps settings.

Select the app you want to prevent from opening.

Towards the bottom you should see something like "open.by default."

Not sure exactly which version of android changed the options, but if you tap that it will either give the newer option of °in the app °in the browser

In the browser should keep the app from opening.

I find the new language is much less clear on what these do vs :

The older default links settings was to not allow app to open. Ask. Or allow.

You might also find a setting in the browser itself along similar lines of 'allow links to open out of browser' , 'keep links in browser','open link in app' etc.

Also, if you like, you can also allow other preferred apps to open those links Eg:

And for more info :

https://support.google.com/android/search?q=open+by+default

I have an app called URLCheck that lets me see what link an app is trying to open and chose which browser it redirects to, along with canceling it all together. This could work for you maybe? Here's a link to the F-Droid page for it.

Seems to depend on the flavour of Android. What version/brand do you have? I know my Pixel asks first unless I allow it more generally.

You may be looking for the "Instant Apps" settings though. Searching "links" in your Android settinbs should provide a similar result regardless what brand of phone you have though.

I use the app urlcheck and have that as the default app to open all URLs (opening other apps are just special URLs). I have then turned off opening URLs for all other apps. Urlcheck then gives u a popup that let's u decide what app opens the URL let's u remove trackers etc.

Firefox blocks this behaviour. If you click a link hijacked by an app you can choose to continue in the other app or open it as a website.

A longer answer to those comments already here is that it may depend on the particular app. If you are trying to prevent the browser or a system app (including perhaps the app store or assistant, among others) from being opened, it may not be possible, depending on the exact OS you are using.

Most other apps can be prevented from opening links, as described in other comments.

Also, if you never set a default browser, at least on my phone, it asks which browser every time.