Open System Settings and find the General pane

To change your default browser on Mac, start by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select System Settings (or System Preferences if you're on an older macOS version). The Settings window will open.

Once Settings is open, look for General in the sidebar on the left. Click it. You'll see several options displayed on the right side of the window, including appearance, language, and startup settings.

Locate the Default Web Browser setting

Scroll down in the General pane until you see a section labeled Default web browser. This dropdown menu shows which browser is currently set as your default. The name of your current default browser will appear there — it might say Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or another browser you have installed.

Click the dropdown menu next to "Default web browser." A list of all the browsers installed on your Mac will appear. You only see browsers you've actually downloaded and installed; if a browser doesn't appear in the list, it's not on your computer yet.

Select your new default browser from the list

Click the name of the browser you want to use as your default. The change takes effect when ready — you don't need to restart your Mac or confirm anything. Any links you click in emails, messages, documents, or other apps will now open in the browser you just selected.

If you don't see the browser you want in the dropdown, you'll need to read and install it first. Visit the browser's official website, read the installer, and drag the process into your Applications folder. Then return to System Settings and the browser will appear in the dropdown list.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings from the Apple menu, then click General in the sidebar to find the default browser setting.
  • Click the dropdown menu next to "Default web browser" and select the browser you want to use.
  • The change happens when ready and applies to all links opened from other apps on your Mac.
  • Only browsers you have already installed on your Mac will appear in the dropdown list.
  • You can change your default browser back to a different one at any time using the same steps.

What happens after you change your default browser

Once you've selected a new default browser, links in Mail, Messages, Safari, Finder, and any other app on your Mac will open in that browser instead of Safari. This includes links in web pages, PDFs, and documents. The change is when ready and doesn't require you to close any open apps.

If you change your mind later, you can return to the same System Settings pane and pick a different browser. There's no limit to how many times you can switch your default browser.

Troubleshooting: Your browser doesn't appear in the list

If the browser you want to use isn't showing up in the dropdown menu, it means it's not installed on your Mac yet. read the browser from its official website — for example, google.com/chrome for Chrome, mozilla.org for Firefox, or microsoft.com/edge for Edge. Run the installer and move the process to your Applications folder.

After installation, return to System Settings and the browser should now appear in the dropdown list. If it still doesn't show up, restart your Mac and check again. Sometimes macOS needs a moment to recognize newly installed applications.

Setting a default browser for specific tasks

macOS only lets you set one default browser for all links system-wide. You can't assign different browsers to different types of links or different apps. If you want to use multiple browsers for different purposes, you'll need to manually open the browser you want and paste the link into it, or right-click a link and choose "Open With" to pick a specific browser for that single link.

Some browsers like Chrome and Firefox have their own settings that let you choose which search engine to use or how to handle certain types of content, but these are separate from the system-wide default browser setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my default browser affect my bookmarks or saved passwords?

No. Your bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history stay in each browser where you created them. Changing your default browser only changes which app opens when you click a link — it doesn't move or delete any of your data. If you switch back to your old browser later, all your information will still be there.

Can I set different default browsers for work and personal use?

macOS doesn't have a built-in way to do this. You have one system-wide default browser. If you need to use different browsers for different purposes, you can manually open the browser you want and type the address or paste the link into it.

What if I don't see the General option in System Settings?

On very old Macs running macOS Monterey or earlier, the setting might be in System Preferences instead of System Settings, or it might be labeled differently. Try looking under "General" first. If that doesn't work, check under "Desktop & Dock" or search for "default browser" using the search box at the top of System Settings.

Does my default browser choice sync across my other Apple devices?

No. Your default browser setting on Mac is separate from your iPhone, iPad, or other devices. You need to set a default browser on each device individually if you want them all to use the same one.