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…
iMessage was down today, but it’s now back to normal
Apple Messages opened on iPhone 13 Pro Max

Apple's iMessage — one of the biggest reasons to use an iPhone — was having some trouble today.

Apple's official System Status website confirmed that an iMessage issue began at 11:50 a.m. ET. The issue was listed as "ongoing" for multiple hours, with Apple noting that "users may be unable to send or download attachments in iMessage."

Read more
The best iPhone 14 cases: 20 best ones you can buy in 2023
OtterBox OtterGrip Symmetry Series case collection in six colors

The iPhone 14 lineup has been out for a while now, but that doesn't make it any less exciting when you get your hands on a shiny new device. The iPhone 14 is a great option, as it provides you with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display that is gorgeous to look at and up to 512GB storage, with all of that powered by the fast A15 Bionic chip with iOS 16. But since the iPhone 14 starts at $799, that's still a pretty penny, so you'll want to protect your investment.

The best way to protect your iPhone 14 is with a great case. There are plenty of options out there, with something for everyone, but some cases are better than others. Here are some of our favorite iPhone 14 cases that you can grab right now!

Read more
iOS 16.5 is bringing two exciting new features to your iPhone
apple launches ios 16 5 new pride wallpapers more wallpaper update

After about a month in the beta testing stage, Apple is finally rolling out iOS 16.5 to the public. This is a surprisingly nice update, as it includes a few new features and some bug fixes.

One of the headliner features of the iOS 16.5 update is the addition of new Pride Celebration wallpapers. This wallpaper can be used for the lock and home screens, and it is meant to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture. This wallpaper is being released ahead of the Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band, which will be available starting on May 24.

Read more