What "default browser" means and why it matters
Your default browser is the program your computer or phone automatically opens when you click a link in an email, text message, or document. Setting Chrome as your default means that instead of Safari, Edge, or Firefox opening, Chrome will open instead.
This is different from your search engine. Your search engine is what answers your questions when you type into the address bar — Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and others are search engines. Your browser is the program that runs them. You can use Chrome as your browser and still use a different search engine, or vice versa. This guide focuses on making Chrome your browser; if you want to change which search engine Chrome uses, that is a separate step covered in the last section.
The reason to set a default is convenience: you will not have to choose which program to use every time you open a link. The reason to think about it is that your browser collects data about your browsing — what sites you visit, how long you stay, what you search for. Chrome sends some of this data to Google. If privacy is a concern for you, understanding what your browser does with your information matters more than which one you pick.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps, find "Web browser", and select Chrome from the list.
- On Mac, open Chrome, go to Chrome menu > Settings > Default browser, and click "Make Google Chrome the default browser".
- On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Chrome and toggle "Default Browser App" on.
- On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps, select "Browser app", and choose Chrome.
- Changing your default browser does not delete your history or passwords in other browsers — they stay where they are.
How to set Chrome as default on Windows
Open the Windows Settings app. You can do this by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then clicking the Settings icon that appears.
Once Settings is open, click Apps in the left sidebar. Then click Default apps. Scroll down until you see Web browser. Click on whatever browser is currently listed there — it will probably say "Microsoft Edge" or another browser name.
A window will pop up showing all the browsers installed on your computer. Click Google Chrome. Windows will confirm the change when ready. You can close Settings after that.
How to set Chrome as default on Mac
Open Google Chrome. Click the Chrome menu in the top left corner of your screen (next to the Apple logo). Scroll down and click Settings.
In the left sidebar, click Default browser. You will see a button that says "Make Google Chrome the default browser". Click it. Your Mac will ask you to confirm; click the button again if prompted.
If the button is grayed out or says Chrome is already your default, no further action is needed. Close the Settings tab when you are done.
How to set Chrome as default on iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app on your device. Scroll down until you find Chrome in the list of apps. Tap it.
Tap Default Browser App. You will see a list of browsers. Tap Chrome. The toggle next to "Default Browser App" will turn blue, showing that Chrome is now your default.
Close Settings. From now on, links in Mail, Messages, Safari, and other apps will open in Chrome instead.
How to set Chrome as default on Android
Open the Settings app on your phone. Scroll down and tap Apps. Tap Default apps.
Tap Browser app. You will see a list of browsers installed on your phone. Tap Chrome. Android will confirm the change when ready.
If you do not see a "Default apps" option, your phone may use a different menu structure. Try opening Settings, searching for "default browser", and following the results.
Changing your search engine within Chrome
Setting Chrome as your default browser does not automatically change your search engine to Google — though Chrome does use Google by default. If you want to use a different search engine (DuckDuckGo, Bing, or another option), you can change this without switching browsers.
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Click Settings. In the left sidebar, click Search engine. You will see a dropdown menu showing your current search engine. Click it and select a different one from the list, or add a custom search engine if yours is not listed.
This change applies only to Chrome. If you use other browsers, they will keep their own search engine settings.
What happens to your data when you change browsers
Changing your default browser does not affect your passwords, bookmarks, or history in other browsers. If you were using Safari and switch to Chrome, your Safari passwords and bookmarks stay in Safari. They do not move or disappear.
If you want to bring your bookmarks and passwords from another browser into Chrome, you can import them. Open Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, go to Bookmarks, then Import bookmarks and settings. Choose the browser you want to import from and click Import. Chrome will copy your bookmarks and saved passwords into its own storage.
Your browsing history does not import automatically — Chrome only imports bookmarks and passwords. If you want to keep your history, you can export it manually from your old browser, but most people straightforward start fresh with a new browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have more than one default browser?
No. Your device can only have one default browser at a time. When you click a link, it will always open in whichever browser you set as default. You can still open other browsers manually and use them whenever you want — setting a default just changes what happens automatically.
Will changing my default browser slow down my computer?
No. Changing your default browser does not affect your computer's speed. Chrome uses similar amounts of memory and processing power as other modern browsers. If your computer feels slow, it is not because of which browser is set as default.
What if I want to change my default browser back later?
You can change your default browser as many times as you want. Follow the same steps for whichever browser you want to switch to — Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android all let you change your default at any time with no penalty or waiting period.
Does Chrome being my default browser mean Google sees everything I do online?
Chrome sends Google information about your browsing — which sites you visit, searches you make, and some data about your device. However, Chrome being your default browser does not change this. Even if you set a different browser as default, if you still use Chrome sometimes, Google still collects the same data from those sessions. The data collection happens because you are using Chrome, not because it is your default.
Can I use Chrome as my browser but keep a different search engine as my default?
Yes. You can set Chrome as your default browser and then change Chrome's search engine to DuckDuckGo, Bing, or another option in Chrome's settings. Your browser and your search engine are separate choices.