Skip to main content

How to switch default email and browser apps in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14

Users of Apple’s mobile devices have long implored the company to let them choose their own default email client and web browser. Apple has finally granted that wish with iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. Now, iOS and iPadOS users can not only choose which web browser and email client to use on their mobile device, they can designate several popular third-party apps as default apps. That means if you tap a link in an email or an email link from a web page, for example, it will now open your chosen default app rather than the Apple app the company chose for you. With iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, you can now use your preferred email client and web browser for almost everything.

It’s early days for this feature, so there are still a limited number of email clients and web browsers you can set as alternate defaults, though inevitably that number will expand over time. Right now you can replace the default Apple Mail with the following apps: Google Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, Boomerang, Polymail, and HEY. Similarly, there are just a few web browsers that can replace the default Apple Mobile Safari: DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser, Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Brave, though we anticipate that Opera may soon be added to the roster. We show you an easy way to change these settings, which is the same process on both your phone and your iPad.

How to swap out Mail and Safari default apps

First be sure to update your mobile OS to 14.0.1, as a bug in the earliest version caused defaults to be automatically reinstated to Mail and Safari after restarting your device. Also, make sure the app you want to sub in is already downloaded to your device.

For email clients, go to Settings > [App] Name > Default Mail App.

For web browsers, go to Settings > [Browser] Name > Default Browser App.

Every installed default app appears on those screens, so if you go to Settings > Chrome > Default Browser App, you will see Firefox, Safari, and Chrome if they are already installed on your system. Note that qualified third-party web browsers must use Apple’s WebKit engine, so your preference will rely on proprietary app-based features rather than rendering speed or choice of rendering engine. For example, you may prefer a browser’s ad blocking, bookmark syncing, search shortcuts, or other features.

Be aware that some apps will open web links in internal web views that rely on Safari’s engine without switching you out to another app. They’ll continue to do that, even if you change your default browser. This can happen with email too where tapping a mail to link in Safari opens a draft within Safari rather than sending you to your newly designated default email app.

After setting a third-party app as a default, some apps may prompt you to open the link in the new default app. It’s also possible that third-party browsers will be somewhat slower than Safari because of Apple engineers’ greater familiarity with their own operating system or they may even have access to certain frameworks that other companies do not.

Look forward to more apps

Now that you can assign your own defaults with email and browser apps, other possibilities may be on the way, though there’s no specific timetable. For example, Facebook would just love to have you be able to choose its own Messenger over Apple’s Messages as the default messaging app in iOS. After all, this same capability is possible in Android, where you can use third-party apps to send and receive SMS messages. Similarly, many people would prefer to use Google Maps over Apple Maps or even Google Photos over iCloud. It remains to be seen how far Apple will open the door to third-party services to satisfy user desire for customization.

Editors' Recommendations

Jackie Dove
Contributor
Jackie is an obsessive, insomniac tech writer and editor in northern California. A wildlife advocate, cat fan, and photo app…
No, the Journal app on your iPhone isn’t spying on you
Apple Journal app on an iPhone 15 Pro.

If you've spent any time on Facebook, TikTok, or any other social media site over the last couple of days, there's a chance you've seen people claiming that your iPhone is spying on you — specifically, with a feature called "Journaling Suggestions."

One post I stumbled across on Facebook made it sound rather frightening, warning me that the feature shares my FULL NAME and EXACTLY where I'm located to anyone nearby. The post told me to go and toggle the setting off immediately because it was "Very scary stuff!!"

Read more
Best iPhone 15 deals: How to get Apple’s latest iPhone for free
The display on a green iPhone 15.

The Apple iPhone 15 is the tech giant's current flagship smartphone. The iPhone lineup regularly places models amongst the best phones, and the iPhone 15 has skyrocketed to one of the most popular generations of iPhone ever. It isn't often you can find substantial discounts on Apple products, let alone new and current generations of them. But there are some really good iPhone 15 deals out there right now, which include up to $830 in savings at various carriers. We've tracked down the best iPhone 15 deals currently going, so read onward for more details.
Today’s best iPhone 15 deals

: Get up to $830 in savings when you trade in a similar device. Also included is 3 free months of Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, and 4 free months of Apple Arcade.
: Get up to $401 in savings with an Amazon gift card credit when you trade in your old device.
: Save up to $830 with device trade-in and inclusion of Verizon Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate plans.
: Save up to $830 via 24 monthly bill credits when you add a line on a qualifying plan and trade in an eligible device.
: Save up to $700 when you trade in an eligible device and commit to an AT&T Unlimited plan of more than $76 per month.

Read more
What the green and orange dots on your iPhone really mean
The orange dot on an iPhone.

Your iPhone and the iOS user interface are designed for efficiency and intuitive navigation from one page to the next. In fact, several of the iPhone’s most important readouts are actually located at the top of the screen at all times. These include things like the current time, your battery level, your Wi-Fi connectivity strength, and whether or not you’re using cellular data. But have you ever noticed a green and orange dots occasionally hanging out up there? 

The dots came about in iOS 14, and tapping these colored orbs doesn’t actually do anything. So what do they mean in the first place? You’re not the only person who’s asked this question, which is why we’ve put together this green-dot-orange-dot explainer. When you’re done reading, we’re willing to bet you’ll know more about this iOS basic than most of your friends and family.
What the green dot on your iPhone means

Read more