Your default browser isn’t always your best option: Microsoft might really want you to use Edge, but you might get better performance from Chrome or Firefox. On the Mac, Safari is pretty limited, but it’s still the default—instead, a new browser like Arc is a much better option. The same goes for your smartphones and tablets.
How to change the default browser in Windows 11
Microsoft Edge is the default browser for Windows 11, but there’s an easy way to change that: Install the browser of your choice, then go to Beginning > settings > applications > Default applications. Search and select the browser you want to use and select Set as default.
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This will change the default browser for most popular web formats such as HTM, HTML, HTTP and HTTPS. If you want to switch completely, scroll down to find extensions such as SHTML, XHT, XHTML, and FTP, and in each section click your current browser, then switch to the browser you want. The process is similar for Windows 10.
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How to change the default browser in macOS
Click on Apple menu from the top toolbar and select System settings. In the sidebar, select Desktop & Dockand select a new browser from Default web browser option.
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If you haven’t updated to macOS Ventura or later, the option will be in a different location. Select from the Apple menu System settings > In general > Default web browser.
How to change the default browser on iPhone or iPad
For the longest time, it was not possible to change the default browser on iPhone and iPad; that changed starting with iOS 14. You can now switch to any browser from the App Store.
However, third-party browsers are still limited because they can only use Apple’s WebKit engine. Things change with the iOS 17.4 update, but only for EU countries. After the iOS 17.4 update, EU users will be prompted when they start using Safari, asking if they want to change their default browser. Apple will offer a list of 12 popular browsers to choose from.
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Even if you are not in the EU, you can change your default browser at any time. Open it settings application and select the browser you downloaded. Choose Default browser applicationand switch to your preferred browser.
How to change the default browser on Android
Unlike the iPhone, all Android phones have different settings and menus depending on the manufacturer. Some phones may also have different default browsers, especially Samsung phones. However, every Android smartphone has a menu to change the default browser, so it’s easy to set Google Chrome as the default browser on a Samsung Galaxy phone or switch to Firefox on a Pixel.
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Third-party browsers themselves make this process easier by asking you if you want to set the browser as your default when you first start using it. But you can do this at any time or switch back to the standard browser using the Settings app.
Open it settings app on your Android smartphone and use the search feature to search for “default applications.” Choose browser option, then switch to your preferred browser.