Chances are, you want certain apps on your Android phone to handle specific actions. This is where default apps come in: they let you choose which browser, SMS tool, email client, and other apps open when you load related content.
We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about default apps on Android, including how to adjust your default apps, change how links open, remove default apps, and more.
What are the default apps on Android?
If you don’t know, default apps let you choose which apps handle certain actions on your device. For example, you may have several of the best Android web browsers installed. When you tap a link without a default app suite, your phone will ask you which browser you want to open it with, as it has multiple apps that can open web links. Setting the default app saves you from having to choose which one to use each time.
There are many categories that work this way. Let’s see what happens when you don’t have a default app set, then we’ll examine how to adjust the default apps.
How to set new default apps on Android
When you try to start something that doesn’t have a default app set, or install a new app that can handle the action, you may see a prompt to select which app to use, as shown below. As with most Android UI elements, this can look different depending on your phone manufacturer and Android version.
If you want to set the suggested app as the default for this action, tap Forever to use that app and set it as your default for the future. Choose Just once if you want to use that app without setting it as default.
To use another app, select it from the list below. That will appear as the first option the next time you do this, allowing you to set it as the default if you want.
How to Check and Change Default Apps on Android
In stock Android 12, you’ll find the default apps menu in Settings > Apps > Default apps. This may be slightly different depending on your device or Android version.
Here, you’ll see your current default apps for a variety of categories, such as:
- browser app: It is used to open links that you tap on. Examples include Chrome and Firefox.
- Caller ID & Spam App: It is used to identify calls and block spammers. Examples include the Google phone app and Truecaller.
- Digital Assistant App: The smart assistant for voice control, analysis of what’s on your screen and the like. Examples include the Google Assistant and Alexa.
- Home App: Your default Android launcher that allows you to access and organize apps on your phone. Examples include Pixel Launcher and Nova Launcher.
- phone app: Handles making and receiving calls. Examples include the Google Phone app and Simple Dialer.
- SMS app: Allows you to send and manage text messages. We’ve covered great Android SMS apps like the Google Messages app and Pulse SMS.
Touch a category to review the apps you have installed for that purpose. If you have more than one installed, select the app you want to set as default.
From now on, any applicable content you open will use that app. For example, if you change your default phone app, it will launch when you touch a phone number on the web.
Please note that there are more categories than these. For example, if you install a third-party camera app, when you use a shortcut to open the camera (like pressing the power button twice on a Pixel phone), your phone will ask you which camera app you want to use.
How to remove default Android apps
If you don’t want an app to act as the default for a certain category, you can clear all the default settings for it. To do this, go to Settings > Apps and notifications > See all apps X and select the application for which you want to remove the default values.
Once you are on the application page, expand the Advanced section (if necessary) and touch open by default. If the app is set as the default for any action, you will see a Clear Defaults either Clear default preferences button at the bottom of the page. Tap this to clear that setting. The next time you open content that this app used to handle, you can choose which app launches instead.
Unfortunately, this is not available in all cases on modern versions of Android. On Android 12 and 13, you can’t delete the default browser app, so you’ll be forced to choose an option for this category.
Choose default apps to open links
The above covers the essentials of default apps on Android, but there’s another aspect you should know about: app links.
When you tap a website link and you have that service’s app installed, your phone may go to the supported URLs in the appropriate app instead of your browser. For example, when you tap on a YouTube link, you might want to view the video in the YouTube app. This is known as “deep linking” in Android development.
While you can’t change which apps open certain URLs, you can choose whether the links open in your browser or in the appropriate app.
Change link open settings
To change how links open on Android, go back to the default apps page you previously visited. here, touch open links to review these settings.
At the top, you can toggle the Instant Apps feature, which allows you to use some apps without actually installing them.
For now, we’re interested in the field below, where you’ll see an entry for most apps on your phone. Select one and you will see two fields on the open by default page.
Open supported links allows you to choose whether to open supported URLs in the app. On newer versions of Android, this is a slider. For earlier versions, you can choose open in this app, Do not open in this appeither ask anytime.
If you are curious about which URL the app can open, tap verified links (compatible links in earlier versions) to view a list. For example, YouTube, of course, opens youtube.com links as well as Youtube Y m.youtube.com. In some cases, you can select the domains that open in the app.
Disable browsers in the application
There is another setting to consider for the default binding behavior. Many popular apps, including Gmail, Telegram, Twitter, and Slack, include their own in-app browsers (which can track you). This means that the web pages you launch in these applications are loaded in their own browser window instead of the appropriate application or your default browser.
Opening a page with an in-app browser where you are not logged in to any site is often annoying, so we recommend disabling it for best results. The location varies for each app, but you’ll usually find it as a setting called something like Use the app browser either open links externally.
For example, in the Telegram application, you will find the option in Settings > Chat Settings > In-App Browser.
Expand default apps with third-party solutions
For most people, the built-in default app options offered by Android are enough. If you want to add more features, some apps can help.
Better open with
This app allows you to set preferred apps that you can override at any time. Open it up and you’ll see a number of categories, such as sound files, Browser, markerY Emails.
After selecting a category, touch the button star next to your favorite app. Use the eye icon to hide apps you don’t want to use. In it Browser section, you can also use the dropdown box at the top to choose specific settings for sites like YouTube and Twitter.
Now, open a compatible link. When asked to choose an app, select Better open with and choose Forever. Better Open With will display a panel at the bottom with a countdown and a list of compatible apps. If you don’t select one before the time runs out, your preferred app will open.
Better Open With is not perfect; it’s not updated frequently, and it doesn’t support all default app action types (SMS is a notable omission). Still, the app is completely free, so it’s worth a try if you like the idea.
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Open link with…
Want more control over how to change the default app for links? Open link with… allows you to open links in the appropriate applications when Android doesn’t do it automatically. This is useful when a YouTube or Twitter link is opened in your browser instead of the corresponding application.
Once installed, launch Open Link With… and follow the tutorial. In the end, grant the app usage access for the best performance. Once this is done, you won’t have to worry again until you want to open a link with another application.
When you do, touch the three dots Menu in your browser and choose Share. select Open link with… and you will see a list of compatible applications for that type of link. Choose Just once if you want to be asked again next time, or Forever to associate that type of link with an application permanently.
While this is similar to the built-in functionality, if you’re having trouble with links opening correctly or want to open the same types of content in different apps on a regular basis (perhaps you use two different Twitter clients), it’s worth a look.
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Default Master Apps on Android
Now you know how to take control of your default apps on Android. Most of the time, you should be able to set them and forget about them unless you find a new favorite app. But you have options for more control if the basics don’t do the job.
If you’ve never explored beyond the default offerings, you should take the time to install some revolutionary Android apps.