How do I change the default browser on my Android phone?
Open Settings, tap Apps, then Default apps (on Samsung, Choose default apps). Tap Browser app and pick the browser you want, such as Chrome or Samsung Browser. From then on, links you tap in texts and emails open in that browser. The browser must already be installed.
Steps to check
Open Default apps in Settings
Open the Settings app and tap Apps. Look for Default apps. On some phones it is under a heading called General, or it is called Choose default apps.
- Samsung Settings → Apps → Choose default apps.
- Pixel Settings → Apps → Default apps.
- Motorola Settings → Apps → Default apps.
Tap Browser app and choose a browser
Tap Browser app (on some phones just Browser). You will see a list of the browsers on your phone. Tap the one you want. There is no Save button. The change takes effect right away.
Test it with a link
Open a text or email that has a web link and tap the link. It should now open in the browser you picked.
Or set it from inside the browser
Many browsers offer to become your default when you open them. This does the same thing as the Settings steps above.
- Other Android In Chrome, tap More (three dots) and look for Make Chrome default, or tap More → Settings → Default browser.
- Samsung Samsung Browser (called Samsung Internet on older phones) asks to be your default the first time you open it. If you tapped Not now, pick it later under Settings → Apps → Choose default apps → Browser app.
Still not working?
- Make sure the browser is installed and up to date in the Play Store. A browser only shows up in the list once it is installed.
- If a link opens in an app instead of a browser, for example a YouTube link opening the YouTube app, that is a different setting. On Motorola and many other phones, go to Settings → Apps → Default apps → Opening links, tap the app, and turn off Open supported links if you would rather use the browser.
- If you see a box asking Always or Just once, pick the browser you want and tap Always so the phone stops asking.
- If links open inside an app like Facebook or Gmail and never reach your browser, that app is using its own built-in viewer. Look in that app's menu for an option to open the link in your browser.
- If pop-ups or strange pages keep opening in your browser by themselves, see how to stop pop-up ads.
Why this happens
Android lets you choose one app for each kind of job: one browser, one phone app, one messaging app. When you tap a link, Android sends it to the app you chose as the default browser.
Phones often come with more than one browser. A Galaxy phone usually has both Samsung Browser and Chrome, so links can open in the one you do not usually use until you pick a default.
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
Your bookmarks and saved passwords do not appear in the new browser right away. Each browser keeps its own unless you sign in or import them.
Worth a closer look
Your default browser keeps changing back on its own, or a browser you never installed appears. Check your apps and see our guide to checking your phone for a virus.
Common questions
- Will changing my default browser delete my bookmarks?
- No. Your old browser and everything saved in it stays on the phone. You can switch back any time by picking it again in Default apps.
- Which browser should I use?
- Either Chrome or Samsung Browser works well for everyday browsing. If you use Chrome on a computer, using Chrome on your phone too lets you see the same bookmarks when you sign in.
- How do I put everything back the way it was?
- Pick your old browser again under Settings → Apps → Default apps → Browser app. Motorola also notes that resetting your app preferences puts all your default apps back to how they came.
Related questions
Sources we checked
- Change default apps on Android (Android Help (Google))
- Make Chrome your default browser (Google Chrome Help)
- Manage apps on your Galaxy phone or tablet (Samsung Support)
- Use the Samsung Browser app on a Galaxy phone or tablet (Samsung Support)
- Set or change default apps (motorola edge 2026) (Motorola Help)
Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.