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Change the Default Browser app on the Mac

Do you need to switch the default web browser app in macOS? Learn how to change the browser app from Safari to anything else.

Apple devices have Safari as the default browser app. However, we can change to any desired app from the system settings window.

The settings page will list the available and supported browsers to choose from. We can also use the built-in settings within the browser app to set it as default.

In this guide, we have shared the steps to change the default browser app from Safari to anything else on a Mac computer.

Changing Default Browser from System Settings

The System Settings menu has most of the customization we can modify for macOS. It also has the option to change the default browser app at the system level. Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Click on the Apple apple logo from the menubar.
  2. Select System Settings/Preferences from the drop-down menu that appears.
    Apple MacOS System Preferences menuIt will launch the System Preferences window.
  3. Select General preferences from the window.
    General Settings menu in Apple MacOS
  4. Click on the Default web browser drop-down list.
  5. Select the desired browser from the installed app.
    Select default web browser for Apple Mac from General Preferences window

That’s it, and the selected browser will become the default browser in macOS.

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Note: The System Settings menu may not show all the browser apps; if that’s the case, then you can set the default browser from its Settings menu.

Setting up the Browser App as Default on Mac

You could also change the default browser directly from the web browser’s settings menu. However, the steps aren’t universal; each browser has different steps that need to take to set as default app.

In this regard, we have listed the steps for Chrome browser, and others might also be along similar lines. Here are the steps to set the Chrome as default on Mac:

  1. Launch the Chrome browser on your Mac.
  2. Click on the Chrome menu from the menubar.
  3. Select Preferences… sub-menu from the list.
    Google Chrome Preferences menu in MacOSIt will open the Chrome Settings page.
  4. Switch to the Default browser tab from the left pane.
    Default browser tab in Chrome browser with Make Default command button
  5. Click on the Make default command, and hit on Use “Chrome” button to make the switch.
    Use Chrome as default browser on Mac computer

Nearly every web browser has this option to mark them as the default one. While this feature’s exact location might vary, more likely than not, you would find it in the Browser Settings menu itself.

Bottom Line

The easiest way to change the default browser app on Mac is using the System Preference/Settings menu.

Fortunately, Apple hasn’t created a restrictive environment wherein you had to settle only with their products. It has given us control over changing the default apps for email, browsers, and the like.

Similarly, we can change the default browser app in iPhone and iPad device. We can choose the application already available on the smartdevice.

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Kushal Azza

Kushal Azza

Kushal Azza is a Google Certified IT Professional, Digital Content Creator, and Go-To Digital Marketer with Engineering Degree. He has over a decade of experience solving tech problems, troubleshooting, and innovating digital solutions. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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