How to change the default browser on Windows, Android, iOS & Mac?
Every operating system company is in the browser business, and they make their browser default. You can notice this pattern on any operating system. If you use a Mac or iPhone, Safari is your default browser.
Most Android devices these days come with built-in Google Chrome, which is also their default browser. Microsoft uses its own Edge browser as the default browser of Windows-powered devices.
That doesn’t mean you have to use the default browser that comes with the operating system. You can customize the default browser on any device.
Change the default browser on Mac
Safari is the default browser of Mac and iPhone/iPad. And to be honest, Safari is a solid browser, but as a Chrome fanboy, I had to replace Safari with Chrome as my default browser. It’s easy to change the default browser on a Mac.
There’s an Apple logo at the top left corner of the toolbar; click on it and go to System Preferences from the menu.
It’s like the Settings page of Windows computers. Go to General from this page.
Click on the current browser name in the Default web browser section; a drop-down menu will appear. Select your preferred default browser from the menu.
Change Default Browser on iPhone
iPhone has Windows-like default browser settings. You go to the browser you want to make default, and the option is right there.
First, go to Settings on your iPhone/iPad. Scroll down and find the browser you want to make default; then tap on the browser name. Then, click on the Default browser app.
Select your default browser from the list.
Change Default Browser on Android
The default browser on an Android device evolved over the years. In the past, a simple browser was the default, and you had no option but to download a modern browser such as Chrome or Firefox. But now, almost all Android devices have Chrome installed, and you can’t uninstall it.
That doesn’t mean you have to use Chrome if you don’t want to. But there’s a problem with Android devices. Every brand offers its customized system built on Android, and settings are different on every phone.
So, if you can’t find the process mentioned in this article, you can use the search bar in Settings to find the default apps page.
Go to Settings on your device from the app list or drawer. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap on Apps.
It’s a page to control all available apps on your device. Find Default apps and tap on it.
There’s a default app selected for all tasks, such as Phone, SMS, Assistant app, Browser, etc. Tap on the Browser app from this page.
Select your favorite browser from this list that you want to make default. That’s it; now, every link you click on SMS or other places will open using the default browser.
Change Default Browser on Windows 11
Edge is a modern browser based on Chromium. You can install Chrome extensions on your Edge browser but may not feel comfortable using Edge. Also, while setting up a new browser, you may have made it default and want to change it now.
First, press the Windows key to open the Startup Menu. Click on Settings from the menu.
There’s a menu bar at the left sidebar of the Settings page. Navigate to Apps from the menu. There are various options; find the Default apps option and click on it.
Type the name of the browser you want to make default and click on the browser name from the search results.
Then there’s a button called Set as default; click on it, and your selected browser will be your default.
But there’s a catch on Windows 10 and 11. When you set a default browser, it will only open the links. You must manually select the default browser for opening PDFs or specific file types.
Conclusion
Every OS can promote its browser, but you don’t have to use it unless you want it. There’s no limit on how many times you can change your default browser. However, ensure you have installed the browser you want to use.
