How to change default web browser application on Mac computers?
- Set Google Chrome As Default Browser Mac
- Set Chrome As Default Browser Mac Os X
- Set Chrome As Default Browser Mac
- Set Chrome As Default Browser Windows 10
If you want to open the specific site with Google Chrome or Firefox, you can copy and paste URL in the address bar directly. But if you want to make the certain browser as your first choice, you need to change default browser on Mac. Here're workable ways to set default browser from Safari to Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Vivaldi and more. Like other modern web-browsers, the Google Chrome has the ability to reset the settings to their default values and thereby recover the web browser start page, new tab page and default search engine that have been modified by a browser hijacker.
The Safari application is the default web browser on all Apple products including Mac computers, such as iMac, iMac Pro, Mac mini, Mac pro, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook, and also mobile devices such as iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (with the mobile version of Safari). You may, however, not like the app interface or functionality and prefer alternative software such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera. This is common to those who have recently switched from Windows to Mac devices.
There are no restrictions on the number of similar applications you can have installed on the Mac operating system, however, additional applications do not change your default settings. Therefore, when you open a URL shortcut or external link, it will be loaded through the Safari application. Fortunately, there are a few simple methods that allow you to choose the software used to open URL shortcuts and external links. There may also be other reasons to change the browser, for example, due to various circumstances, Safari might be slower than alternative software. Another common reason to choose another browser is extensions required by the user that are unavailable on the Safari application. Individual users will have their own reasons to change the default browser, and in this article we describe methods to achieve this.
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Change default web browser on modern Mac OS
Starting with OS X Yosemite 10.10, Apple decided to move the default web browser option to System Preferences, and this setting remains on all newer versions. This decision made choosing the default browser more logical, however, long term users of Apple products may find it a little more confusing. To change the default browser on modern versions of Mac operating systems, click on the Apple logo in the menu bar at top of your screen, then select System Preferences. When the new window appears, click on General, and under this pane look for the drop-down menu beside 'Default web browser'. Click the menu and choose the desired application. Note: in order to switch between default web browsers, at least one alternative must be installed on your computer - therefore, before you can change the application, you must install Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, or another browser. All available web browser applications will be listed within this drop-down menu.
Change default web browser on earlier Mac OS X
Changing the default web browser on earlier versions of the Mac operating system may seem confusing and somewhat illogical, since it requires launching the Safari application even though the purpose is to use an alternative application. This is the case if your Mac is running on OS X Mavericks 10.9 or an earlier version. To switch the default browser, launch the Safari app, then click on Safari in the menu bar at top of your screen. Select Preferences. Alternatively, press the keyboard shortcut of Command and Comma (,). In the new window, select the General tab, locate the drop-down menu beside Default web browser and select the program that you wish to use. Close the preferences window and quit Safari. From this point, your computer will open URL shortcuts and other external links with the software you have set. Additionally, most web browsing applications allow you to automatically set that particular program as the default, usually at each launch of the application (unless you have disabled the suggestions). If you have agreed to automatically set and wish to revert the default browser, you must repeat the procedure via Safari's preferences.
Alternative method to change default browser on Mac
You can also set an application as the default web browser through the browser's settings automatically. As mentioned above, web browsing software usually suggests that you assign it as the default app automatically, however, there is a way to accept this suggestion manually (if you have declined the suggestion before). On the other hand, this method may not work due to various restrictions on perform such changes within system preferences.
- To set Google Chrome as the default browser, launch it and click on three vertical dots in the top right corner of the window, then select settings. Alternatively, you can type chrome://settings in the address field. When the new window opens, scroll down until you find the Default browser section, click Make default, and the application automatically assigns itself as the default web browser.
- If you wish to set Mozilla Firefox as default web browser, launch it and click on three bars icon in the top right corner of the window, then select Preferences. Alternatively you can type about:preferences in the address field. Select General section from the left side bar, and at top of the current window look for the 'Firefox is not your default browser' message and at right side. Click Make Default. The application then automatically assigns itself as the default web browser.
- To set Opera as the default web browser, open the app and click on the Opera menu, then select Preferences. In the new page, ensure the Basic section is selected on the left sidebar. Click the option 'Make Opera my default browser'.
As you can see, assigning default option is similar on all web browsers. if you are using browser that are not mentioned here, open the applications' preferences and find this option under the General tab.
Video Showing how to change default web browser on Mac
If you are at work and you don't have any access to your computer and you want to open a link that you always use, but not in your default browser, here is how you can create web page shortcut on desktop to open the URL in a non-default browser.
For example, you have a link where you want to connect at work, using only Firefox, but you have the default browser set to Chrome which you don't want it and you really can't change anything because computer administrator restricted any access to your computer settings.
Set Google Chrome As Default Browser Mac
View Video Tutorial
Create Web Page Shortcut to Open in Firefox
As explained above about restrictions, Windows will not restrict the access to create web page shortcut on your desktop and you have to use this advantage. In my example I am using Windows 7, but this is applied for Windows 8, XP or whatever version you have.
Simply right click on your desktop and select New - Shortcut, so that we can create web page shortcut using the URL you want.
In the window that will appear, click Browse and select the .exe file of your favorite browser (Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer or any other browser), usually located in C:/Program Files folder.
Once you have the shortcut on your desktop, make sure to right click on it and hit Properties. Here, in the Shortcut tab, find the Target field and at the end, just write a space and the link you want to open in that browser. Something like this:
Set Chrome As Default Browser Mac Os X
Create Web Page Shortcut to Open in Chrome
To make a desktop link shortcut open in non-default browser, for example Chrome, do the same steps as above, but only now you need to select Chrome executable file as the main path in the target field. My path below is the one for x64 bits Windows version.
Conclusion
Set Chrome As Default Browser Mac
You can do the same thing to create web page shortcut on your desktop with the other browsers such as Internet Explorer (not sure why you will use this), Opera or Safari.
If your browser is already opened, when you open the shortcut, the page will be loaded in another tab. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments section below.
Set Chrome As Default Browser Windows 10
To read further about website shortcuts to desktop, here is an official article for Chrome browser and this one for Firefox (using drag and drop).