How to Change the Default Apps In Android

If you have multiple apps on your Android device that do the same thing, it’s possible to set the one you use most frequently as the default app. Also, most phones come with a set of preinstalled apps (for example, Chrome), but if you have a different preference, you can change that. This tutorial shows how to change the default apps in Android.

Good to know: you can also learn how to change the default account for Contacts on your Android.

Setting Default Apps on Android via Settings

Modern Android devices allow you to modify default apps for key apps – such as Phone, Contacts, or Browser, directly from the Settings app. Follow the steps below if you have an Android 9 (or above) device. We’re using a Pixel phone with Android 13 for this tutorial.

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
2. Navigate to “Apps.” (On some devices, you may need to look for “Apps & notifications.”)

3. Swipe toward the bottom until you find the “Default apps” option, and tap on it.

4. On Samsung phones, you’ll have to tap on the three dots in the right corner on the “Apps” page, and select “Default apps” from there.
5. Select an app from the list (which includes only native apps). For this example, we’re selecting the “Browser app,” which is currently set to standard Chrome. By the way, you can spice up your browser by adding Chrome webpages and bookmarks to the home screen on Android.

6. Tap on your preferred browser. (You’ll see a list of all the browser apps you’ve installed on your device.)

7. Press the back button to save the changes.
8. Our default browser is now the Kiwi browser.

Tip: learn how to check what numbers you blocked on your Android device.

Opening Links

While you’re there, you can also check how your phone handles links. For instance, you can have a link to a news story open directly in the BBC app (if you have that installed).

1. In the “Default apps” window, press “Opening links.”

2. Make sure that “Instant apps” is enabled at the top. This allows users to open web links in instant apps if supported. If you’re not familiar with instant apps, they are lightweight versions of apps that are accessible on your Android device without the need to be fully downloaded and installed.

3. Select your desired app from the list.

4. Toggle on the “Open supported links” at the top, if it’s not already enabled. If the option is off, links will be opened in your browser.

FYI: learn how to organize contacts on your Android phone for improved efficiency.

Setting Default Apps on Android When Asked

What if you want to set a default app for the times you open PDFs or ebooks on your Android device? You can do that by following the steps below.

1. Tap on a PDF or another file you want to open on your Android device.
2. The Android system will select what it considers the most suitable app for the job. If you agree with its selection, press “Always” on the pop-up at the bottom to ensure PDFs will always be opened with that app.

3. You can also opt for another app, with alternatives listed at the bottom.
4. The next time you try opening a file with the same extension, your phone will suggest that you open it using the app you previously selected.

5. If you’d like to make the app the default from now on, tap “Always” once again.

Tip: learn how to sign a PDF on your Android device.

Setting Default Apps via a Third-Party App

If you’d prefer to set all default apps on your Android in one place, you may want to install a third-party app, such as Better Open With.

1. Download and install the Better Open With app on your Android phone.
2. Open the app to find a list of various types of files and apps you can configure. Select something of interest from the list. We’re opting for “PDF Files” in this example.

3. Select the preferred app from the list of options (apps you have installed on your phone). Tap the “Star” to make it a preferred app.

4. Tap on “Countdown time for this file type” at the bottom to set the time before a preferred app will be launched for this file type.
5. Set it to the lowest value, which is “1.”

6. Also, make sure to check the “Start preferred app without showing list,” and hit “OK.” Without this option enabled, you will see the full list of available apps to open a file and will need to select the Better Open With app from that list before the file is opened.
7. The first time you try to open a file type, you’ll need to select “Better Open With” from the menu at the bottom. Remember to press the “Always” button.

8. Try opening a PDF file. It should open using the app you’ve selected in Better Open With.
9. If you can’t see Better Open With as your first option, reset the default status of the app shown using the tutorial below.

Tip: did you know that your Android has a Reading Mode feature? Learn how to use it.

Resetting the Default Status for an App

If you’ve realized you made a mistake when you set the default apps in Android, or simply don’t want to open a certain file type using the apps you initially selected, you can easily reset the default status.

1. On your Android phone, go back to “Apps,” and tap the “See all XX apps” option.

2. Select the app you’ve set as default.

3. Tap “Open by default” on the “App info” page.

4. Scroll down and press “Clear default preferences.”

Revoking All Changes

Do you regret some of the changes you made when set some apps as the default in Android? Don’t worry, as you can reset all the settings you’ve modified.

1. Open the Settings app, and navigate to “System.”

2. Go to “Reset options” at the very bottom.

3. Tap on “Reset app preferences.”

4. Tap on the “Reset apps” button in the pop-up that appears. Note that doing this will reset all preferences for default applications, in addition to disabled apps, background data restrictions for apps, battery usage settings, and more.

FYI: need to make your keyboard bigger on Android? Learn how to do so quickly.

You can change almost anything on your Android device to suit your personal preferences. If you want to keep tweaking your smartphone, read through this list of top-notch Android live wallpaper apps that will help your device stand out. You may also want to get up to speed on how to customize your Android lock screen.

Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.