Setting Chrome as your default browser on Windows, Mac, and mobile

To make Google Chrome your default browser, you open Chrome's settings, find the "Default browser" section, and click the button to set it as default. The exact steps differ slightly between Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, but the process takes less than a minute on any device. Once set, links from emails, documents, and other apps will open in Chrome instead of whatever browser was handling them before.

Your default browser is the program your computer or phone uses automatically when you click a link outside of a web browser. If you have multiple browsers installed — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — your operating system needs to know which one to use by default. Changing this setting does not uninstall your other browsers; it only changes which one opens when you are not actively choosing.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, open Chrome, go to Settings > Default browser, and click "Make default".
  • On Mac, open Chrome, go to Chrome menu > Settings > Default browser, and click "Make default".
  • On iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Default Browser App and select Chrome from the list.
  • On Android, open Settings > Apps > Default apps > Browser app and select Chrome.
  • Your default browser setting applies only to that device; changing it on your phone does not change it on your computer.

Setting Chrome as default on Windows

Open Google Chrome on your Windows computer. In the top right corner, click the three vertical dots (the menu button), then select Settings.

On the left side of the Settings page, click Default browser. You will see a section that says "Make Google Chrome your default browser" with a button labeled Make default. Click that button. Windows will ask you to confirm; a window may appear asking if you want to allow Chrome to make changes to your device. Click Yes or Allow depending on what appears.

Once complete, the button will change to say "Google Chrome is your default browser" in blue text. You can close the Settings page. Any link you click outside of a browser will now open in Chrome.

Setting Chrome as default on Mac

Open Google Chrome on your Mac. In the top left corner of your screen, click the Chrome menu (not the three-dot menu — the word "Chrome" itself in the menu bar). Select Settings from the dropdown.

On the left side, click Default browser. You will see a button labeled Make default. Click it. Your Mac may ask for your password to confirm the change; enter it if prompted.

The button will change to show "Google Chrome is your default browser." Close the Settings tab. From now on, links from Mail, Messages, documents, and other apps will open in Chrome.

Setting Chrome as default on iPhone

On iPhone, the process is different because Apple requires you to change the default through the system settings, not through the Chrome app itself. Open the Settings app (the gray gear icon on your home screen).

Scroll down and look for Apps or Chrome in the list. If you see Chrome directly, tap it. If you see Apps, tap that first. Then find and tap Chrome.

Look for an option called Default Browser App and tap it. A list of available browsers will appear. Select Chrome. You will see a checkmark next to Chrome, confirming it is now your default. Close Settings. Links from Safari, Mail, and other apps will now open in Chrome.

Setting Chrome as default on Android

Open the Settings app on your Android phone. Scroll down and tap Apps (sometimes called Applications or App management depending on your phone model).

Look for an option called Default apps or Default applications. Tap it. You will see a list of app categories including Browser app. Tap Browser app. A list of installed browsers will appear. Select Chrome.

You will return to the Default apps screen and see Chrome listed next to "Browser app." Close Settings. Links from Gmail, Messages, and other apps will now open in Chrome by default.

What happens if you change your default browser back

Changing your default browser does not delete Chrome or prevent you from using it. You can still open Chrome manually by tapping or clicking its icon. Changing the default only affects what happens when you click a link outside of a browser — it does not affect links you click inside a browser window.

If you later decide to use a different browser as your default, you follow the same steps but select the other browser instead. You can switch back and forth as many times as you want. Each device has its own default setting, so you might have Chrome as default on your phone but Firefox as default on your computer.

Troubleshooting: Chrome does not appear as an option

If Chrome does not show up in your list of default browser options, it usually means Chrome is not fully installed or needs to be updated. On Windows or Mac, open Chrome and check for updates by clicking the three-dot menu, then looking for an option that says "About Google Chrome" or similar. If an update is available, install it and restart Chrome.

On iPhone or Android, open the App Store or Google Play Store, search for Chrome, and make sure you have the latest version installed. If Chrome is already installed, check for updates in the store. After updating, return to your default browser settings and Chrome should appear in the list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does setting Chrome as default remove my other browsers?

No. Setting Chrome as default only changes which browser opens automatically when you click a link outside of a browser. Your other browsers remain installed and you can still open them manually by clicking their icons.

Will my bookmarks and passwords move to Chrome if I set it as default?

No. Setting a browser as default does not transfer any data. If you want to move bookmarks or passwords from another browser to Chrome, you need to import them separately through Chrome's settings menu.

Can I have different default browsers on different devices?

Yes. Your default browser setting is specific to each device. You can set Chrome as default on your phone and Firefox as default on your computer, and each device will use its own setting.

What if I accidentally set the wrong browser as default?

You can change it back anytime by following the same steps and selecting a different browser. There is no penalty or waiting period for switching your default browser.

Does my default browser setting affect which browser opens when I start my computer?

No. Your default browser only controls what happens when you click a link outside of a browser. Starting your computer does not automatically open any browser unless you have set that up separately in your startup programs.