– Click on the Default web browser an select your desired browser Note: Here we can choose to any desired browser of your choice. That is all that is needed to be configured. When next an application or link is clicked on, this will automatically open up in Google Chrome. Check out today's special tech deals:the above Amazon affiliate link to check out the latest deals on tech products.
How to change default web browser application on Mac computers?
The Safari application is the default web browser on all Apple products including Mac computers, such as iMac, iMac Pro, Mac mini, Mac pro, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook, and also mobile devices such as iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (with the mobile version of Safari). You may, however, not like the app interface or functionality and prefer alternative software such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera. This is common to those who have recently switched from Windows to Mac devices.
There are no restrictions on the number of similar applications you can have installed on the Mac operating system, however, additional applications do not change your default settings. Therefore, when you open a URL shortcut or external link, it will be loaded through the Safari application. Fortunately, there are a few simple methods that allow you to choose the software used to open URL shortcuts and external links. There may also be other reasons to change the browser, for example, due to various circumstances, Safari might be slower than alternative software. Another common reason to choose another browser is extensions required by the user that are unavailable on the Safari application. Individual users will have their own reasons to change the default browser, and in this article we describe methods to achieve this.
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Change default web browser on modern Mac OS
Starting with OS X Yosemite 10.10, Apple decided to move the default web browser option to System Preferences, and this setting remains on all newer versions. This decision made choosing the default browser more logical, however, long term users of Apple products may find it a little more confusing. To change the default browser on modern versions of Mac operating systems, click on the Apple logo in the menu bar at top of your screen, then select System Preferences. When the new window appears, click on General, and under this pane look for the drop-down menu beside 'Default web browser'. Click the menu and choose the desired application. Note: in order to switch between default web browsers, at least one alternative must be installed on your computer - therefore, before you can change the application, you must install Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, or another browser. All available web browser applications will be listed within this drop-down menu.
Change default web browser on earlier Mac OS X
Changing the default web browser on earlier versions of the Mac operating system may seem confusing and somewhat illogical, since it requires launching the Safari application even though the purpose is to use an alternative application. This is the case if your Mac is running on OS X Mavericks 10.9 or an earlier version. To switch the default browser, launch the Safari app, then click on Safari in the menu bar at top of your screen. Select Preferences. Alternatively, press the keyboard shortcut of Command and Comma (,). In the new window, select the General tab, locate the drop-down menu beside Default web browser and select the program that you wish to use. Close the preferences window and quit Safari. From this point, your computer will open URL shortcuts and other external links with the software you have set. Additionally, most web browsing applications allow you to automatically set that particular program as the default, usually at each launch of the application (unless you have disabled the suggestions). If you have agreed to automatically set and wish to revert the default browser, you must repeat the procedure via Safari's preferences.
Alternative method to change default browser on Mac
You can also set an application as the default web browser through the browser's settings automatically. As mentioned above, web browsing software usually suggests that you assign it as the default app automatically, however, there is a way to accept this suggestion manually (if you have declined the suggestion before). On the other hand, this method may not work due to various restrictions on perform such changes within system preferences.
- To set Google Chrome as the default browser, launch it and click on three vertical dots in the top right corner of the window, then select settings. Alternatively, you can type chrome://settings in the address field. When the new window opens, scroll down until you find the Default browser section, click Make default, and the application automatically assigns itself as the default web browser.
- If you wish to set Mozilla Firefox as default web browser, launch it and click on three bars icon in the top right corner of the window, then select Preferences. Alternatively you can type about:preferences in the address field. Select General section from the left side bar, and at top of the current window look for the 'Firefox is not your default browser' message and at right side. Click Make Default. The application then automatically assigns itself as the default web browser.
- To set Opera as the default web browser, open the app and click on the Opera menu, then select Preferences. In the new page, ensure the Basic section is selected on the left sidebar. Click the option 'Make Opera my default browser'.
As you can see, assigning default option is similar on all web browsers. if you are using browser that are not mentioned here, open the applications' preferences and find this option under the General tab.
Video Showing how to change default web browser on Mac
Safari is the default browser in macOS and has been ever since Apple first built its own web browser. Before that, for a while, it was Internet Explorer — but the less said about that the better, and before that, it was Netscape Navigator. Remember that?
Safari is a perfectly good web browser and offers most of the features of its competitor web browsers, including autofill for forms and credit card details, secure password storage, and the ability to request that websites do not track you. Given Apple’s recent focus on privacy, it’s not unlikely that Safari will soon be the best option all around for Mac users who want to surf the net securely.
However, there are perfectly good reasons why you might want to use a different browser. Performance is one of them. While Safari is pretty speedy, for some users in some circumstances it’s slower than Chrome or Firefox. Or it might be that there are extensions you need that are only available in Chrome, or perhaps a website you use regularly doesn’t work properly in Safari. So, here's how to open a different browser on Mac and set it default.
What is a default web browser?
Set Chrome As Default Browser Macbook
Before we get to how to change your default web browser, it’s worth considering what a default web browser is and does. Put simply, it’s the web browser that opens a link when you click on it in an email or other document. If you use Spotlight and click on a result from the web, it will open in your default browser. In fact, any task that opens a URL will be performed in that web browser. It doesn’t mean, of course, that you can’t use other browsers to surf the net.
So, if you just need to access specific sites in Chrome or Firefox, you don’t need to change your default browser. Even if Safari is your default browser, you can open any link in another browser, by holding down the Control key when you click on it and selecting Copy Link, then paste it in the address bar of any browser you like.
Clearing cache and cookies can remove outdated information and fix possible bugs on websites. CleanMyMac X automates the cleanup: it lets you clear all browsing data at the touch of a button. Additionally, you can run a full system scan to optimize and maintain your macOS. It's free to try the app, so you don't lose anything!
How to set the default browser on Mac through System Preferences
Apple changed the way you set the default browser in OS X Yosemite and it has remained the same since then. Previously, as you’ll see below, you had to open Safari to, say, make Google Chrome the default browser. As Apple realized, eventually, that’s plain daft. Here’s how to do it now.
- Click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
- Choose the General tab.
- Just over halfway down, there’s a menu next to the “Default web browser.” Click on it and choose the browser you want to set as the default.
How to change the default web browser from the browser's settings
Every browser wants to be the default — it’s the most obvious way to increase user numbers. And so whenever you open a browser that’s not the default, you’ll see a pop-up window asking if you want to set it as your browser of choice. If you choose so, it will change the System Preferences setting and position itself as the default.
If you refuse and later decide you want to make it the default, after all, that’s easy too. Here’s how you do it in some of the more popular browsers for macOS.
Safari
- Launch the Safari browser.
- Go to the Safari menu and choose Preferences.
- In the general tab, press the Set Default button.
- Press Use 'Safari' to confirm.
Chrome
- To make Chrome the default browser, first of all, launch it.
- Click on the Chrome menu and select Preferences.
- On the web page that opens, scroll down until you see the 'Default browser.'
- Click 'Make default' and confirm.
Firefox
Set Google Chrome As Default Browser On Mac
- Launch Firefox.
- In the Firefox menu, click Preferences.
- At the top of the page, you should see “General” and underneath it, a message saying that Firefox isn’t currently your default browser. To the right of that, click Make Default.
If you want to change your default browser to any other browser not mentioned in this article, you can take a similar route: browser menu > Preferences > Make (Set) default.
3 quick tips to make your browser faster
Whichever web browser you use, there are some tips you should remember in order to keep it running optimally.
1. Always use the most up-to-date version.
Safari updates with macOS system updates, so make sure you install system updates when they become available. Most browsers automatically update themselves when you close and reopen them. But if you keep them open permanently, they won’t update. So the easiest way to keep them updated is to quit them every now and again.
2. Don’t keep lots of tabs open at once.
Open tabs, even those that are hidden, consume RAM, processor cycles, and energy. The more you have open, the slower your Mac will become. So close tabs you no longer need.
How To Set Chrome As Default Browser Mac
3. Keep your Mac clean of junk
Unnecessary files, including cache, cookies, language files, and old updates can slow down your whole system, as they take more and more space. The simplest way to get rid of them is to use a dedicated app like CleanMyMac X. To quickly delete useless files on your Mac, follow the steps:
Set Chrome As Default Browser Mac Safari
- Download CleanMyMac X and launch it.
- Click Smart Scan.
- Click Run.
Set Chrome As Default Browser Mac Os
As you can see, setting your default web browser in macOS is very easy — choosing which browser to use maybe less so. Whichever browser you choose, you should maintain it to keep it running optimally, CleanMyMac X can help do that easily.