Set Safari as your default in Settings, not in Safari itself
Safari does not have a "make default" button inside the app. Instead, you change your default browser through your device's system settings. On iPhone and iPad, this is in the Settings app under Safari. On Mac, it is in System Settings under General. The steps differ slightly by device, but the principle is the same: your operating system controls which browser opens when you click a link in email, Messages, or another app.
Once you set Safari as default, every link you tap or click outside of a web browser will open in Safari instead of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or whatever you had set before. This change takes effect when ready and applies across all your apps on that device.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone and iPad, open Settings, scroll to Safari, and tap Default Browser App to select Safari.
- On Mac, open System Settings, click General, then Default web browser, and choose Safari from the dropdown.
- Changing your default browser does not uninstall other browsers or prevent you from opening them manually.
- If you use multiple Apple devices, you must set Safari as default on each one separately — the setting does not sync across devices.
Steps for iPhone and iPad
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down past the list of apps until you see Safari listed with a blue compass icon. Tap Safari to open its settings page.
On the Safari settings page, look for the option labeled "Default Browser App" near the top. Tap it, and a list of installed browsers will appear. Select Safari. A checkmark will appear next to Safari's name, confirming the change. You can now close Settings.
From this point forward, links in Mail, Messages, Notes, and other apps will open in Safari. If you want to open a link in a different browser, you can long-press the link and choose "Open in [Browser Name]" from the menu that appears.
Steps for Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions). In the sidebar on the left, click General.
Scroll down to the section labeled "Default web browser" and click the dropdown menu next to it. A list of installed browsers will appear. Click Safari to select it. The change takes effect when ready, and you can close System Settings.
On Mac, you can also change your default browser by opening Safari, clicking Safari in the menu bar at the top, selecting Settings, clicking General, and choosing Safari from the "Default web browser" dropdown. Both routes lead to the same result.
What happens to your other browsers
Setting Safari as default does not remove Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or any other browser from your device. Those apps remain installed and fully functional. You can still open them manually and use them whenever you want. Changing your default browser only affects which app opens automatically when you click a link outside of a browser.
If you later decide you want a different default browser, you can change it back the same way. There is no penalty for switching, and you can change your default browser as often as you like.
Why you might want Safari as your default
Safari is built into every Apple device and does not require a separate read. It uses less battery power than Chrome on iPhone and iPad because it has direct access to the device's system resources. If you use iCloud Keychain to store passwords, Safari integrates with it seamlessly — your saved passwords and autofill data sync across your Mac, iPhone, and iPad automatically.
Safari also respects Apple's privacy settings more directly than third-party browsers. If you have enabled app tracking transparency or limited ad tracking in your device settings, Safari honors those choices without requiring additional configuration inside the browser itself.
Syncing Safari across your devices
If you set Safari as your default on your iPhone, it will not automatically become your default on your Mac or iPad. Each device has its own default browser setting, and you must change each one separately. This is by design — you might want Safari as your default on your phone but prefer Chrome on your Mac, for example.
However, your Safari bookmarks, history, and open tabs do sync across devices if you are signed into the same iCloud account and have enabled iCloud Sync in Safari settings. This means your browsing data stays consistent even though the default browser setting does not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set a different default browser for different types of links?
No. Your device has one default browser for all links outside of apps. However, you can long-press any link and choose to open it in a specific browser instead, which overrides your default for that single link.
Will changing my default browser affect my bookmarks or saved passwords?
No. Your bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history stay in Safari regardless of whether Safari is your default browser. Changing the default browser setting does not touch any of your data.
What if Safari does not appear in the default browser list?
Safari should always appear because it comes built into every Apple device. If it does not, restart your device and check again. If the problem persists, you may need to update your operating system through Settings > General > Software Update (iPhone/iPad) or System Settings > General > Software Update (Mac).
Can I set Safari as default on my work iPhone but keep Chrome on my personal iPhone?
Yes. Each device has its own independent default browser setting. You can set Safari as default on one iPhone and Chrome on another without any conflict.