Making Safari the default browser on your devices
Safari becomes your default browser when you change one setting in System Preferences on Mac or Settings on iPhone and iPad. When Safari is set as default, links you click in email, messages, documents, and other apps open in Safari instead of Chrome, Firefox, or another browser. The process takes less than a minute on either device type.
On a Mac running macOS Monterey or newer, go to System Preferences, select General, and look for the "Default web browser" dropdown near the bottom. Click it and select Safari. On iPhone or iPad running iOS 14 or newer, open Settings, scroll down to Safari, tap Default Browser App, and choose Safari from the list.
Key Takeaways
- On Mac, the default browser setting lives in System Preferences under General, in a dropdown labeled "Default web browser".
- On iPhone and iPad, the setting is in the Settings app under Safari, in a section called Default Browser App.
- Once you set Safari as default, all links from Mail, Messages, Notes, and web pages will open in Safari automatically.
- You can change the default browser back to another app at any time using the same settings menu.
- The default browser setting does not affect which browser you use when you manually open an app — it only controls where links take you.
Setting Safari as default on Mac
Open System Preferences by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner and selecting System Preferences. In the window that opens, click General — it is usually the first icon in the top row. Scroll down until you see "Default web browser" with a dropdown menu next to it.
Click the dropdown. You will see a list of all browsers installed on your Mac. Select Safari. Close System Preferences. From that moment on, any link you click in Mail, Messages, Notes, Calendar, or any other app will open in Safari instead of your previous default.
If you later want to change back to a different browser, return to the same menu and select a different option from the dropdown. There is no limit to how many times you can switch.
Setting Safari as default on iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app — the gray icon with gears on your home screen. Scroll down the list on the left side until you see Safari. Tap it. The Safari settings page will open on the right side of the screen.
Look for the option labeled "Default Browser App" near the top of the Safari settings. Tap it. A list of installed browsers will appear. Select Safari. You will return to the Safari settings page automatically, and the change takes effect when ready.
On iPad, the layout is slightly different because the Settings app uses a split-screen view, but the steps are identical — find Safari in the left column, tap it, then tap Default Browser App and select Safari.
What happens after you set Safari as default
Once Safari is your default, links behave differently across your device. When you click a link in Mail, it opens in Safari. When you tap a link in a text message or iMessage, it opens in Safari. When you click a link in a PDF, a document, or a web page, it opens in Safari. This applies to any app that does not have its own built-in browser.
The default setting does not force you to use Safari for everything. You can still manually open Chrome, Firefox, or another browser and use it whenever you want. The default only controls what happens when you click a link without choosing a specific app first.
Checking which browser is currently set as default
On Mac, open System Preferences, go to General, and look at the "Default web browser" dropdown. Whatever name appears there is your current default. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap Safari, and look at the "Default Browser App" option. It will show the name of whichever browser is currently set.
If you see a browser name you do not recognize, or if you are not sure which one is active, you can always change it by tapping or clicking the dropdown and selecting Safari. There is no penalty for changing it multiple times.
Switching back to a different default browser
If you decide Safari is not the right default for you, the process to switch is identical to setting it in the first place. On Mac, go to System Preferences, General, click the "Default web browser" dropdown, and select a different browser. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap Safari, tap "Default Browser App", and select a different option.
Your choice takes effect when ready. Any links you click after that will open in the new default browser instead of Safari. You can switch back and forth as many times as you want.
Why Safari might not appear in the default browser list
Safari is built into every Mac and every iPhone and iPad, so it should always appear in the default browser list. If you do not see it, restart your device and check again. On Mac, also make sure you are looking in the right place — the setting is in System Preferences under General, not in Safari's own preferences.
If Safari still does not appear after a restart, check that you are running a recent version of macOS or iOS. The default browser setting was added in macOS Monterey (released in 2021) and iOS 14 (released in 2020). If your device is running an older version, the setting may not be available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does setting Safari as default change anything about how Safari works?
No. Setting Safari as default only changes where links open when you click them in other apps. Safari itself works the same way whether it is the default or not. Your bookmarks, history, passwords, and all other Safari data remain unchanged.
Can I set different default browsers on my Mac and iPhone?
Yes. Your Mac and iPhone have separate settings, so you can set Safari as default on your Mac and Chrome as default on your iPhone, or any other combination. The settings do not sync between devices.
What if a link opens in the wrong browser?
Check your default browser setting in System Preferences or Settings to confirm which browser is actually set as default. If it is not Safari but you want it to be, follow the steps above to change it. If the setting is correct but a link still opens in the wrong browser, that app may have its own built-in browser that overrides the system default.
Will changing the default browser affect my passwords or bookmarks in other browsers?
No. Changing the default browser setting does not touch any data in Chrome, Firefox, or any other browser. Your passwords, bookmarks, and history in those apps stay exactly where they are. The default setting only controls where new links open.
Can I set Safari as default on just one of my Apple devices?
Yes. Each device — Mac, iPhone, iPad — has its own separate default browser setting. You can set Safari as default on your Mac but keep Chrome as default on your iPhone, or any other combination you prefer.