Installed a new browser, but your iPhone still opens links in Safari? You need to select your preferred browser in Settings before it becomes the default. Here’s where to make the switch, plus what to check when individual apps keep opening links elsewhere.
Change your default browser in Settings
Installing another browser does not make it your iPhone’s default; you still need to select it.
Open Settings.
Tap Apps.
Go to Default Apps.
Choose Browser App.
Select the installed browser you want to use, such as Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or Vivaldi. That sets your iPhone’s system-wide browser preference.
Find a missing browser option
Installing a compatible browser gives you another option to select.
Visit the official download page for Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or Vivaldi.
Follow the browser’s App Store link.
Install the browser. Your iPhone must meet the app’s current requirements.
Return to Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Browser App.
Select your newly installed browser. Only browsers that support being the default appear in this panel.
Start the switch inside Chrome
Already in Chrome? Open More > Settings > Default Browser.
Tap Go to Settings.... Google also calls this button Open Chrome Settings, so tap whichever of the two labels you see.
Choose Chrome under Default Browser App.
Chrome also has an alternative route in versions with that menu: More > Settings > Content settings > Default apps > Browser > Chrome.
Set Vivaldi from its own settings
Vivaldi includes a shortcut to the iPhone’s default-browser preference.
- 1.Open the Vivaldi menu.
- 2.Tap Settings.
- 3.Select Default browser.
- 4.Tap Open Vivaldi Settings.
- 5.Open Default Browser App.
- 6.Select Vivaldi.
Choose a browser on the EU or Japan selection screen
Eligible iPhones in the EU and Japan show a browser-choice screen under specific regional conditions. It does not appear every time you open a browser.
In the EU, open Safari. The choice screen was introduced in iOS 17.4, and its current design applies from iOS 18.2.
When the choice screen appears, scroll through the entire browser list.
Select your preferred browser.
Complete the onscreen selection. A browser you haven’t installed downloads before opening; an installed browser opens automatically.
In Japan, launch a web browser for the first time under the applicable regional setup on iOS 26.2 or later.
Choose your default browser from the system’s browser-choice screen.
Adjust how the Google app opens results
The Google app has its own setting for opening search results, separate from your iPhone’s default browser.
- 1.Open Google.
- 2.Tap your Profile picture or initial.
- 3.Open Settings.
- 4.Tap Search.
- 5.Search for Default apps.
- 6.Choose the apps used to open search results.
Resolve browser restrictions on work apps
On a managed iPhone, your organization has control over the default-browser preference. Protected work apps, including Outlook and Teams, also follow policies that send applicable links to Microsoft Edge independently of your personal browser default.
Select your preferred browser in Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Browser App.
If the change is blocked or protected work links still open in Edge, contact your administrator to request a change to the browser setting or work-app policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I switch my default browser back to Safari?
Open Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Browser App, then select Safari.
Does changing my search engine also change my default browser?
No. Changing a search engine, opening a different browser, or moving its icon to the Dock does not assign it as your default browser.
Why do older instructions tell me to find Firefox directly in Settings?
Those instructions use the former top-level Settings layout. On current iOS, Apple’s path is Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Browser App, then select Firefox.
Do I need to delete Safari before choosing another browser?
No. In the EU and Japan, Apple requires an alternative browser to be installed and selected before Safari can be deleted. Deleting Safari also removes local browsing history and website data.