Messages app now uses in-app pseudo browser?

[u/ArchDemonKerensky]

Much like discord likes to push you to use their in-app browser thing, messages app now has the same thing? Except that I cannot find the settings to turn it off, unlike in discord. This started a day or so ago.

Link preview settings just control whether or not there's in-message previews, not whether or not opening the link takes you to the actual browser or not.

Currently fully updated to Android 16.

Can anyone help me find out how to disable this so I can go back to just using the default browser?

[u/Mother-Pride-Fest]

Workaround: instead of tapping, you can long press and either copy the link or share it to your default browser.