How to Change Default Apps on iPhone and Android

Default apps determine which app opens when you tap a link, an email address, or a phone number. Here is how to change them to your preferred apps.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Change the default web browser on iPhone
2.Change the default email app on iPhone
3.Change default apps on Android
4.Set a default navigation app for maps

Change the default web browser on iPhone

~30s

Go to Settings → scroll down to find the browser you want to make default (Chrome, Firefox, DuckDuckGo, etc.) → tap on it → "Default Browser App" → select your browser. Now, tapping any web link from any app will open in your chosen browser instead of Safari. Note: Safari still works normally — it's not removed, just no longer the default for links.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: You need to have the alternative browser app installed before you can set it as the default. Download Chrome or Firefox from the App Store first.

Change the default email app on iPhone

~19s

Go to Settings → scroll down to find your preferred email app (Gmail, Outlook, Spark, etc.) → tap on it → "Default Mail App" → select your app. Tapping any email address on a webpage or in a document now opens your chosen email app to compose a message instead of Apple Mail.

Change default apps on Android

~44s

Android is more flexible with defaults. Go to SettingsApps → tap the three-dot menu (⋮) or "Default apps." You see options for: Browser app, Phone app, Messaging app, Digital assistant app, and more. Tap any category and choose from the apps you have installed that can handle that function. You can also change defaults when an app asks "How do you want to open this?" — tap the app you want and choose "Always" to make it the permanent default.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: On Android, if you tap a link and the wrong app opens, you can reset defaults at any time. Go to SettingsApps → find the current default app → tap "Open by default" → "Clear defaults." The next time you tap that type of link, your phone will ask which app to use.

Set a default navigation app for maps

~26s

When someone texts you an address, tapping it should open your preferred navigation app — Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze. On Android: go to SettingsAppsDefault apps → and set your map app. On iPhone: Apple Maps is the default, but you can change it — go to Settings → scroll to find Google Maps or Waze → tap "Default navigation app" (available on iOS 18 and later) → select your preferred app.

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When you tap a web link in an email or message, it opens in a web browser. When you tap an email address, it opens in an email app. When you tap a phone number, it dials using the phone app. The app that handles these actions is called the "default" app.

By default, iPhones use Safari for web links and Apple Mail for email. Android phones typically use Chrome and Gmail. But if you prefer a different browser (like Chrome on iPhone or Firefox on Android) or a different email app, you can change the default so links automatically open in your preferred app.

This guide explains how to change default apps on both iPhone and Android.

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