There was a lot to take in at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference this year, so you may have missed this important nugget of information: Apple will finally iOS users to their default email and web browser apps with the arrival of the new iOS 14.
Currently, if you were to write a new email message or click on a link, your iPhone or iPad would automatically open the Apple Mail or Safari apps. Obviously, this isn’t optimal if you use a different app to surf the web or check your email.
There are a slew of popular third-party email clients, like Spark or even Google’s own Gmail app, and web browser apps, such as Chrome, in the App Store. Starting with iOS 14, you can change your default apps for email and web browsing to those, or to any other third-party options.
Jun 22, 2020 In a major change for Apple’s iPhone, the next iteration of the operating system — iOS 14, coming this fall — will let users set third-party email and browser apps as the defaults, in place. If you want to change a default app other than your browser or email client then you can still do so. Open up Finder, navigate to the file in question and right-click it to bring up the contextual. Jul 13, 2020 Most of us have multiple email accounts. And while there are many email apps you can use, Apple’s default Mail app is pretty convenient most of the time. Depending on your needs, you might need to change the default email address on your iPhone or iPad. This means you can set your most frequently used email id as the preferred one on the Mail.
If you missed this in the 2020 WWDC keynote today, it’s not your fault. Apple didn’t exactly shout their new feature from the mountaintops. It was tucked away on a slide for the iPadOS and only popped up onscreen when Apple mentioned that the iPad would receive other new iOS features as well.
That’s right, it didn’t even appear on the iOS slide that promoted all of the new features — probably because it means there’s a chance you won’t use Apple’s own email or web browser app. It is, however, as the one and only new Settings option when you scroll all the way down Apple’s iOS 14 Preview webpage.
Anyway, it’s a long-awaited and welcome addition to iOS devices!
Certain actions that you perform on your Mac will cause default apps to open. For example, clicking a document may open Pages. But what if you want Microsoft Word to open instead? You can also set your default web browser and email reader.
Here's how!
How to change the default Mac app for specific file types
- Right-click on a file that uses the file type you'd like to change the default for. For example, one with a .jpg extension (a photo).
- Click on Get Info in the pop-up.
- Click Open With if the section isn't already expanded.
Click the dropdown and choose an app.
Source: iMore
- Click Change All...
Click Continue when the Finder asks you if you're sure.
Source: iMore
Now any time you open a file with that extension, the Finder will automatically open it with the app you've selected.
How to set your default web browser
- Launch System Preferences from the dock, Finder, or by clicking the Apple icon in the Menu bar.
- Click General at the top left of the window.
- Click the dropdown next to Default web browser.
Click the web browser you'd like to use as the default.
Source: iMore
How to set your default email reader
Mail is likely the default email app on your Mac, but just in case you have others downloaded, you can set the default reader. Here's how:
- Launch Mail from your dock or the Finder.
- Click Mail in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Click Preferences.
- Click the dropdown next to Default Mail Reader.
Click the app you'd like to set as the default.
Source: iMore
Questions?
Let us know in the comments below.
Updated February 2020: Updated for macOS Catalina!
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