How to Change the Default Browser on Android

To change your default browser on Android, open Settings > Apps > Default apps > Browser app and tap the browser you want. That is the short version for most phones. The exact wording and the number of taps vary a little between stock Android, Samsung One UI and other skins, and there is an even faster shortcut when you tap a link. Here is each method.

One requirement applies everywhere: only browsers that are already installed appear in the list. If you want Chrome, Firefox, Brave or any other browser, install it from the Play Store first, then come back to this screen.

Change it on Pixel and stock Android

1. Open Settings and tap Apps (on some versions this is Apps & notifications).
2. Tap Default apps (you may need to expand Advanced to see it).
3. Tap Browser app, then select the browser you want to use.

The change takes effect immediately. Your old browser stays installed; you have only changed which one opens web links.

Change it on Samsung (One UI)

Samsung tucks the list behind a menu, which is why people often miss it.

1. Open Settings and tap Apps.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, then choose Default apps.
3. Tap Browser app and pick your browser from the installed list.

Samsung ships with Samsung Internet set as the default, so this is where you switch to Chrome or another browser if you prefer it.

The quick link-tap method

Often the fastest way does not involve Settings at all.

1. Tap any web link, for example from a message or an email.
2. If Android asks which app should open it, choose the browser you want.
3. Tap Always to make it the default for all future links, or Just once to use it only this time.

Choosing Always sets the default in a single step. If you are never asked, it usually means a default is already set, so use the Settings method above to change it.

Where the setting lives, by phone

Set it from inside the browser

Most browsers also nudge you to make them the default, which can be the simplest route of all. After you install Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Edge or another browser and open it, many show a banner or a prompt in their own settings offering to “Set as default browser.” Tapping it jumps you straight to the correct Android screen, where you confirm the choice. If you do not see a banner, open the browser’s own Settings menu and look for a “Make default” or “Default browser” entry. This is handy because you do not have to remember where Android hides the Default apps list.

Clear a default you set by mistake

If you once tapped Always for the wrong browser, you are not stuck with it. You can clear that choice and either pick again or let Android ask you next time.

1. Open Settings > Apps and tap the browser that is currently the default.
2. Scroll to Open by default (or Set as default).
3. Tap Clear default preferences, or turn off the option to open supported links, then set your preferred browser as the new default.

After clearing, the next web link may again show the “which app” chooser, giving you a fresh chance to pick correctly.

Troubleshooting

If you cannot find Default apps, use the search bar at the top of Settings and type default browser; that usually jumps straight to the right screen whatever your phone calls it. If your preferred browser is missing from the list, confirm it is actually installed and updated in the Play Store. And remember the limit: with only one browser installed there is nothing to switch to, so install a second browser first.

A quirk worth knowing: some apps ignore your default and open links in their own built-in browser, or route certain links to their own app. That is controlled inside those apps (often as an “open links in app” setting), not in the Android Default apps screen, so check the app itself if a particular link keeps opening somewhere unexpected.

Why change your default browser?

If you have never thought about it, the default is usually whatever came with your phone: Chrome on Pixel, Samsung Internet on Galaxy devices. Switching is worth doing when another browser fits you better. Common reasons include syncing tabs, history and passwords with the same browser you use on a computer; stronger privacy or built-in tracker blocking; a lighter, faster browser on an older phone; or features like reader mode, tab groups or a particular extension. Because the default handles every link you tap from messages, email and other apps, choosing the one you actually prefer makes the whole phone feel more consistent.

Make sure links actually use your choice

After you switch, it is worth a quick test. Tap a plain web link from a message or an email and confirm it opens in the browser you chose. If a different browser or an in-app viewer keeps grabbing links, the cause is almost always a per-app setting rather than the system default. Open the app that is hijacking links and look for an option such as “Open links in app” or an in-app browser toggle, then turn it off so links hand over to your default. Note too that some links are meant to leave the browser entirely: a maps link may open your maps app and a video link may open its app, which is normal app-linking behaviour and not a sign your default is wrong.

Related tweaks

While you are in the Default apps area, it is a good moment to review your other defaults, such as the phone, messaging and home apps. If your current browser feels slow or bloated, clearing its cache often helps before you switch, and if storage is tight, our guide to freeing up storage on Android shows how to trim app data safely. You might also want to lock your browser if others use your phone, or quickly take a screenshot of a page you want to keep.

For more quick how-tos, see our full list of Android guides. Because labels change across Android versions and manufacturer skins, treat the paths above as a close guide and fall back on the Settings search box whenever a menu looks different on your device.