How to set up the default browser on your computer and smartphone

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

This will take you less than a minute.

Standard browsers do not always satisfy user needs and are not as user-friendly as third-party programs. To completely abandon the standard browser and use only the installed option, you must select the latter as the default browser. This is how it is done on different operating systems.

How to set up the default browser in Windows

On a Windows PC, go to Start → Settings (gear icon). Then open Applications → Default Applications. In the "Web browser" section, click on the name of the current browser and select a new one.

How to set up your default browser on macOS

On a Mac, open System Preferences and go to the "General" section. Find the "Default Web Browser" item and select the required application from the drop-down list.

How to set up the default browser on Linux

In Linux distributions, go to the "Options" → "Preferred Applications" menu and in the "Internet" item specify the browser in which you want to open links.

The same can be done through the terminal. To do this, open the console, copy the command

sudo update-alternatives --config x-www-browser

and confirm by entering the administrator password. Check which number is opposite the desired browser in the list, enter it and press Enter.

How to set up the default browser in Android

If you have an Android smartphone, do the following. Open Settings → Apps & Notifications → Default Apps. You can immediately use the search and find the desired item by the query "by default".

Next, find the "Browser" section, open it and select the desired application from the list of available ones.

Additionally, you can prevent links from opening in installed applications and force them to open in the browser. It is useful, for example, if you do not want to watch YouTube videos in a proprietary application, but prefer a web browser.

To do this, go back to "Settings" → "Apps and notifications" → "Default apps" and look for the item "Open links".

Select the desired program, then tap "Open supported links" and set the option "Do not open in this application" (for a complete ban) or "Always ask" (for manual selection when opening).

How to set up the default browser in iOS

On iPhone and iPad, changing the default browser - like any other app - is easy. Go to "Settings" and find the program in which you want to open links. Tap on the name, open the "Default Browser Application" menu, and then tick the one you want.