Learn how to change the default web browser on your iPhone or iPad from Apple’s Safari to Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox or another compatible app.
Safari is the default app on the iPhone and iPad that opens web links, but you can change it to another compatible browser with a few taps. You will first need to install a third-party browser from the App Store before making this change.
Popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Brave, DuckDuckGo, and Aloha. all support this feature. Follow along with the instructions below to set a different default browser on your iPhone or iPad.
Change the default web browser on iPhone or iPad to Chrome, Firefox, or another compatible app
1) Open the Settings app, scroll to the bottom, and choose Apps.
2) Choose Default Apps at the top to manage default apps.
3) Tap “Browser App” and then pick a listed browser like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or something else to set it as your new default, replacing Safari.
You can also get to this screen by going into Settings > Apps, selecting a third-party browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, and tapping Default Browser App in the app’s settings. Changing the default iPhone browser will cause web links you tap in apps like Apple Mail, Spark, or Instagram to open in the designated third-party browser instead of Apple’s Safari.
The only exception is in-app browsers. Apps like X (Twitter), Reeder, and Slack that use Safari View Controller will open links in an embedded Safari web view instead of your preferred default browser. But if you hit the Safari icon in an embedded Safari view, the link will open externally in whatever default web browser you set.
To go back to using Safari as the default web browser, follow the above steps but choose Safari instead. Keep in mind that you cannot delete a third-party app set as your default browser unless you change it.
You can also change the default web browser on a Mac. And if you prefer Gmail, Spark, or another email client over Apple Mail, you can easily change the default email app on your iPhone and iPad.