diff --git a/src/main/index.js b/src/main/index.js
index 63a67b95..b422a2dc 100644
--- a/src/main/index.js
+++ b/src/main/index.js
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ var config = require('../config')
 var crashReporter = require('../crash-reporter')
 var dialog = require('./dialog')
 var dock = require('./dock')
-var handlers = require('./handlers')
 var ipc = require('./ipc')
 var log = require('./log')
 var menu = require('./menu')
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ function init () {
 function delayedInit () {
   announcement.init()
   dock.init()
-  handlers.install()
   tray.init()
   updater.init()
   userTasks.init()
diff --git a/src/main/ipc.js b/src/main/ipc.js
index eb4ba876..84f6d61b 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc.js
+++ b/src/main/ipc.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ var app = electron.app
 
 var dialog = require('./dialog')
 var dock = require('./dock')
+var handlers = require('./handlers')
 var log = require('./log')
 var menu = require('./menu')
 var powerSaveBlocker = require('./power-save-blocker')
@@ -91,6 +92,14 @@ function init () {
   ipc.on('showItemInFolder', (e, ...args) => shell.showItemInFolder(...args))
   ipc.on('moveItemToTrash', (e, ...args) => shell.moveItemToTrash(...args))
 
+  /**
+   * File handlers
+   */
+  ipc.on('setDefaultFileHandler', (e, flag) => {
+    if (flag) handlers.install()
+    else handlers.uninstall()
+  })
+
   /**
    * Windows: Main
    */
diff --git a/src/renderer/controllers/prefs-controller.js b/src/renderer/controllers/prefs-controller.js
index 9ba400bf..0c19d2d1 100644
--- a/src/renderer/controllers/prefs-controller.js
+++ b/src/renderer/controllers/prefs-controller.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const {dispatch} = require('../lib/dispatcher')
 const State = require('../lib/state')
+const ipcRenderer = require('electron').ipcRenderer
 
 // Controls the Preferences screen
 module.exports = class PrefsController {
@@ -41,6 +42,9 @@ module.exports = class PrefsController {
   // All unsaved prefs take effect atomically, and are saved to config.json
   save () {
     var state = this.state
+    if (state.unsaved.prefs.isFileHandler !== state.saved.prefs.isFileHandler) {
+      ipcRenderer.send('setDefaultFileHandler', state.unsaved.prefs.isFileHandler)
+    }
     state.saved.prefs = Object.assign(state.saved.prefs || {}, state.unsaved.prefs)
     State.save(state)
   }
diff --git a/src/renderer/lib/migrations.js b/src/renderer/lib/migrations.js
index 7c1aa8a6..b284f4c6 100644
--- a/src/renderer/lib/migrations.js
+++ b/src/renderer/lib/migrations.js
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ function run (state) {
     migrate_0_7_2(state.saved)
   }
 
+  if (semver.lt(version, '0.11.0')) {
+    migrate_0_11_0(state.saved)
+  }
+
   // Config is now on the new version
   state.saved.version = config.APP_VERSION
 }
@@ -93,3 +97,10 @@ function migrate_0_7_2 (saved) {
     }
   }
 }
+
+function migrate_0_11_0 (saved) {
+  if (saved.prefs.isFileHandler === undefined) {
+    // The app used to make itself the default torrent file handler automatically
+    saved.prefs.isFileHandler = true
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/views/preferences.js b/src/renderer/views/preferences.js
index 3caaac93..1518514a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/views/preferences.js
+++ b/src/renderer/views/preferences.js
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ function renderGeneralSection (state) {
     description: '',
     icon: 'settings'
   }, [
-    renderDownloadDirSelector(state)
+    renderDownloadDirSelector(state),
+    renderFileHandlers(state)
   ])
 }
 
@@ -43,6 +44,29 @@ function renderDownloadDirSelector (state) {
   })
 }
 
+function renderFileHandlers (state) {
+  var definition = {
+    key: 'file-handlers',
+    label: 'Handle Torrent Files'
+  }
+  var buttonText = state.unsaved.prefs.isFileHandler
+    ? 'Remove default app for torrent files'
+    : 'Make WebTorrent the default app for torrent files'
+  var controls = [(
+    <button key='toggle-handlers'
+      className='btn'
+      onClick={toggleFileHandlers}>
+      {buttonText}
+    </button>
+  )]
+  return renderControlGroup(definition, controls)
+
+  function toggleFileHandlers () {
+    var isFileHandler = state.unsaved.prefs.isFileHandler
+    dispatch('updatePreferences', 'isFileHandler', !isFileHandler)
+  }
+}
+
 // Renders a prefs section.
 // - definition should be {icon, title, description}
 // - controls should be an array of vdom elements
@@ -73,25 +97,18 @@ function renderSection (definition, controls) {
 // - value should be the current pref, a file or folder path
 // - callback takes a new file or folder path
 function renderFileSelector (definition, value, callback) {
-  return (
-    <div key={definition.key} className='control-group'>
-      <div className='controls'>
-        <label className='control-label'>
-          <div className='preference-title'>{definition.label}</div>
-          <div className='preference-description'>{definition.description}</div>
-        </label>
-        <div className='controls'>
-          <input type='text' className='file-picker-text'
-            id={definition.property}
-            disabled='disabled'
-            value={value} />
-          <button className='btn' onClick={handleClick}>
-            <i className='icon'>folder_open</i>
-          </button>
-        </div>
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  )
+  var controls = [(
+    <input type='text' className='file-picker-text'
+      id={definition.property}
+      disabled='disabled'
+      value={value} />
+  ), (
+    <button className='btn' onClick={handleClick}>
+      <i className='icon'>folder_open</i>
+    </button>
+  )]
+  return renderControlGroup(definition, controls)
+
   function handleClick () {
     dialog.showOpenDialog(remote.getCurrentWindow(), definition.options, function (filenames) {
       if (!Array.isArray(filenames)) return
@@ -100,6 +117,22 @@ function renderFileSelector (definition, value, callback) {
   }
 }
 
+function renderControlGroup (definition, controls) {
+  return (
+    <div key={definition.key} className='control-group'>
+      <div className='controls'>
+        <label className='control-label'>
+          <div className='preference-title'>{definition.label}</div>
+          <div className='preference-description'>{definition.description}</div>
+        </label>
+        <div className='controls'>
+          {controls}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
 function setStateValue (property, value) {
   dispatch('updatePreferences', property, value)
 }