Setting Chrome as your default browser on Windows, Mac, and mobile

To make Chrome your default browser, you open Chrome's settings, find the "Default browser" section, and click the button to set it as default. The exact steps differ slightly between Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, but the process takes less than a minute on any device. Once set, links you click in emails, documents, and other apps will open in Chrome instead of whatever browser came with your device.

Your default browser is the program your device uses whenever you click a link outside of a web browser. If you have multiple browsers installed — Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari — your operating system needs to know which one to use. Setting a default prevents you from having to choose every single time.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, open Chrome, go to Settings > Default browser, and click "Make default".
  • On Mac, open Chrome, go to Chrome menu > Settings > Default browser, and click "Make default".
  • On iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Default Browser App and select Chrome from the list.
  • On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Browser app and select Chrome.
  • Your device may ask you to confirm the change; this is normal and part of the security process.

How to set Chrome as default on Windows

Open Chrome and click the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Select Settings from the dropdown. On the left sidebar, click Default browser. You will see a section that says "Google Chrome is not your default browser" with a blue button labeled Make default. Click that button.

Windows may open a settings window asking you to confirm. Look for Chrome in the list of browsers and click it, then click Set as default. Close the settings window and return to Chrome — you should now see a message confirming that Chrome is your default browser.

How to set Chrome as default on Mac

Open Chrome and click the Chrome menu in the top left (next to the Apple logo). Select Settings. On the left sidebar, click Default browser. You will see a button labeled Make default. Click it.

macOS may ask you to confirm by opening System Settings. If it does, look for the "Default web browser" dropdown, select Chrome from the list, and close the window. Chrome will then show a confirmation message that it is now your default browser.

How to set Chrome as default on iPhone

Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Apps. Tap Default Browser App. You will see a list of installed browsers. Tap Chrome. The checkmark will move to Chrome, and it is now your default.

This setting controls which browser opens when you tap links in Mail, Messages, Safari, or other apps. You can change it back at any time by returning to this same menu and selecting a different browser.

How to set Chrome as default on Android

Open the Settings app. Scroll down and tap Apps. Tap Default apps. Tap Browser app. You will see a list of installed browsers. Tap Chrome. Android will confirm the change immediately.

Some Android phones organize settings differently depending on the manufacturer. If you cannot find "Default apps" under Apps, try searching for "default browser" in the Settings search bar at the top of the app.

What happens after you set Chrome as default

Once Chrome is set as default, any link you click outside of a browser — in an email, a text message, a document, or a social media app — will open in Chrome. If Chrome is not already running, your device will launch it first. This applies to all links across your device, not just in specific apps.

You can still open other browsers manually if you want. Setting a default does not uninstall or disable other browsers; it only changes which one opens automatically when you click a link.

Changing your default browser back

If you decide later that you want a different browser as your default, follow the same steps for your device and select a different browser instead. You can change your default browser as many times as you want, and there is no penalty for doing so.

Your bookmarks, passwords, and history in Chrome remain unchanged no matter what you set as your default. Switching to a different default browser does not affect any of your Chrome data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will setting Chrome as default delete my other browsers?

No. Setting a default browser does not remove or disable any other browsers you have installed. You can still open Firefox, Edge, Safari, or any other browser manually whenever you want. The default setting only controls which browser opens automatically when you click a link.

Can I set different default browsers for different types of links?

No. Your device allows only one default browser at a time. All links will open in whichever browser you set as default. If you want a specific link to open in a different browser, you must copy the link, open that browser manually, and paste it into the address bar.

What if the "Make default" button is grayed out?

This usually means Chrome is already set as your default browser. You can confirm by checking your device's settings directly. On Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Default web browser. On iPhone or Android, follow the steps in this guide to verify.

Does setting Chrome as default affect my Google account?

No. Your default browser setting is separate from your Google account. You can be signed into Chrome and have it set as default, or signed out and have it set as default. The two settings do not affect each other.

Will my bookmarks and passwords move to Chrome if I set it as default?

No. Setting Chrome as default does not import anything from other browsers. If you want to move bookmarks or passwords from another browser to Chrome, you must use Chrome's import feature, which you can find in Settings > Import bookmarks and settings.