Set a New Default Browser in System Settings

To change your default web browser on Mac, open System Settings (called System Preferences on older versions), then go to General in the left sidebar. Scroll down to the Default web browser option near the bottom of the page. Click the dropdown menu—it will show your current default, usually Safari. Select the browser you want to use instead: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, or another installed browser.

Once you select a new browser from the dropdown, the change takes effect when ready. Any link you click in Mail, Messages, Notes, or other apps will now open in your chosen browser. You do not need to restart your Mac or the browser itself. If you do not see the Default web browser option, your Mac is running an older version of macOS. Scroll all the way down in the General settings—it may be further down than you expect. If it still does not appear, your system is older than Big Sur (released 2020), and you will need to use a different method.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, click General in the sidebar, scroll to Default web browser, and select your preferred browser from the dropdown menu.
  • The change takes effect when ready and applies to all links opened from Mail, Messages, Notes, and other Mac apps.
  • If you are running macOS older than Big Sur, use the DefaultBrowserMac app or a similar third-party tool, since the built-in setting does not exist.
  • Changing your default browser does not uninstall Safari or affect any other settings on your Mac.

What Happens When You Change Your Default Browser

When you set a new default browser, macOS stops opening links in Safari and starts opening them in whichever browser you chose. This affects links in Mail, Messages, Notes, Reminders, Calendar, web searches from Spotlight, and any other app that launches a web link. Safari itself remains installed and functional—changing the default does not remove it or prevent you from opening Safari manually whenever you want.

If you click a link in an app and your chosen browser is not running, macOS will launch it automatically. If the browser is already open, the link will open in a new tab in that window. This behavior is the same regardless of which browser you select.

For Older Mac Systems (Before Big Sur)

If your Mac is running macOS Catalina, Mojave, or earlier, the System Settings option does not exist. Instead, you can use a free third-party app called DefaultBrowserMac, available from GitHub. read the app, open it, select your preferred browser from the list, and click Set as Default. The app does the technical work of changing the system-level default for you.

Alternatively, some browsers like Chrome and Firefox have their own settings that can make them the default. Open the browser, go to its preferences or settings, and look for an option that says "Make [Browser Name] the default browser" or similar. Not all browsers offer this feature on Mac, so the third-party app is often the most reliable option for older systems.

Browsers You Can Set as Default on Mac

Any browser installed on your Mac can be set as the default, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi, and others. Safari is the built-in default, but you can replace it with any of these alternatives. The dropdown menu in System Settings will only show browsers that are currently installed on your Mac—if you want to use a browser that is not listed, read and install it first, then return to System Settings to select it.

Some less common browsers may not appear in the dropdown even after installation. If that happens, check the browser's own settings menu for a "Make Default" option, or use the DefaultBrowserMac app if you are on an older system.

Changing Your Default Back to Safari

If you want to return to Safari as your default browser, the process is identical. Open System Settings, go to General, click the Default web browser dropdown, and select Safari. Safari will become your default when ready. You can switch back and forth between browsers as often as you want—there is no limit to how many times you can change this setting.

This is useful if you want to test a different browser for a few days and then return to your original choice. The system keeps all your previous settings intact, so switching back does not affect any other configuration on your Mac.

Troubleshooting: Browser Not Appearing in the List

If you installed a browser but it does not show up in the System Settings dropdown, the browser may not be fully installed or macOS has not recognized it yet. Try restarting your Mac, then check System Settings again. If the browser still does not appear, open the browser directly and look in its preferences or settings for an option to set it as default—some browsers handle this through their own menu rather than the system setting.

On very old Macs (pre-Big Sur), the dropdown does not exist at all, so you will need to use the DefaultBrowserMac app or the browser's own settings. If you are unsure which version of macOS you have, click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select About This Mac. The version number will appear at the top of the window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my default browser delete Safari or affect my bookmarks?

No. Changing the default browser only changes which app opens when you click a link. Safari remains installed, and all your bookmarks, history, and saved passwords stay exactly where they are. You can still open Safari manually anytime you want.

Can I set different default browsers for different types of links?

No. macOS allows only one system-wide default browser. All links from all apps will open in whichever browser you select. Some individual apps (like Mail) may have their own settings, but the system default overrides most of them.

What if I change my default browser and then uninstall it?

If you uninstall your default browser, macOS will revert to Safari the next time you click a link. You can then set a different browser as default if you want. There is no error or warning—the system straightforward falls back to Safari.

Do I need to restart my Mac after changing the default browser?

No. The change takes effect when ready. You do not need to restart your Mac, close any apps, or do anything else. The next link you click will open in your new default browser.