How to Set Chrome as Your Default Browser on iPhone/iPad

Since iOS 14, iPhones and iPads have let you replace Safari with another browser as the default. Once Chrome is set, every link you tap in Mail, Messages, Instagram, or any other app opens in Chrome automatically instead of Safari. Here’s how to switch it, with a couple of different paths depending on your iOS version.

What You’ll Need First

• iOS 14 or later on your iPhone or iPad.
• The Chrome app installed from the App Store, updated to its latest version.

If you don’t see the option described below, update Chrome from the App Store first. An outdated version is the most common reason this setting goes missing.

Method 1: From the Settings App

1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap Chrome.
3. Tap Default Browser App.
4. Select Chrome. A checkmark appears next to it.

Method 2: From Inside Chrome

If you’d rather not dig through the Settings app, Chrome can take you straight there.

1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu, then Settings.
3. Tap Default Browser.
4. Tap Go to Settings, then select Chrome on the screen that opens.

Method 3: Settings > Apps (Newer iOS Versions)

Apple has been consolidating default app settings into one central screen. If your device has this newer layout:

1. Open Settings, then tap Apps.
2. Tap Default Apps.
3. Tap Browser App.
4. Select Chrome.

What Changes Once Chrome Is Default

Any link you tap inside another app, an email, a text message, a social media post, opens straight into Chrome from now on. Safari itself isn’t removed or disabled, it just stops being the automatic choice for links coming from other apps. You can still open Safari directly any time you want by tapping its icon.

Good to Know

• If you’re in the European Union or Japan, you may see a one-time browser choice screen during setup or after an update, letting you pick a default browser directly without digging through Settings.
• You can switch back to Safari, or to any other installed browser, at any time using the same steps above.
• This setting is per device. If you use Chrome on an iPhone and an iPad, you’ll need to set it as default on each one separately.
• Setting Chrome as your default browser doesn’t move your bookmarks or history over automatically. Sign in to the same Google Account in Chrome to bring those across instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don’t I see a Default Browser App option in Chrome’s settings?
Update Chrome to the latest version from the App Store. This setting was added in a Chrome update that matched iOS 14’s new capability, so older versions won’t show it.

Does this work on older iPhones that can’t update past iOS 13?
No. Changing the default browser requires iOS 14 or later. Devices stuck on an older version will always open links in Safari.

Will setting Chrome as default change my search engine too?
No, those are separate settings. Chrome has its own default search engine setting inside the app, independent of which browser opens your links.

Can I set different default browsers on my iPhone and my Mac?
Yes. Each Apple device, iPhone, iPad, and Mac, has its own independent default browser setting.

Once Chrome is set as your default, your browsing history, tabs, and extensions stay consistent with however you use Chrome everywhere else, including your Chromebook, without Safari interrupting the flow every time you tap a link in another app.