Apps and defaults
Default Browser App
Most people call this which browser opens when you tap a link.
You can set a browser other than Safari as the app that opens links from Messages, Mail and everywhere else.
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 18 and later
- Settings
- Apps
- Default Apps
- Browser
What it does
The setting appears once you have installed a browser that supports it. Links from any app then open in your chosen browser.
What changes
When it is on
Links open in the browser you chose.
When it is off
Links open in Safari.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- Keeps you in one browser with your own bookmarks and extensions.
- Syncs more easily with a non Apple computer.
Good reasons to turn it off
- Safari integrates more tightly with iCloud Private Relay and Keychain.
- Some third party browsers use more battery.
Battery
Depends how you use it
Privacy
Depends how you use it
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
No real change
Storage
No real change
Out of the box: Safari.
What your iPhone needs
- Needs iOS 14 or later
Where this setting used to live
Apple moves settings between releases. This is every location we have on file.
-
iOS 18 and later
Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Browser
-
iOS 14 to iOS 17
Settings > App name > Default Browser App
Questions people actually ask
- How do I make Chrome my default browser?
- Install it, then open Settings, find the app under Apps or in the alphabetical list, and set Default Browser App.
If it is not working
- If the setting does not appear, the browser you installed has not registered itself as a default option.
- In some regions there is a browser choice screen during setup instead.