Safari is the default browser in macOS and has been ever since Apple first built its own web browser. Before that, for a while, it was Internet Explorer — but the less said about that the better, and before that it was Netscape Navigator. Remember that?
Sunflower for mac. Safari is a perfectly good web browser and offers most of the features of its competitor web browsers, including autofill for forms and credit card details, secure password storage, and the ability to request that websites do not track you. Given Apple’s recent focus on privacy, it’s not unlikely that Safari will soon be the best option all round for Mac users who want to surf the net securely and without handing over personal data.
The top of the page shows General and right underneath it there is a window available asking to make Firefox as your default browser; Click to get things done. These are few browsers that can help you in a better way than Safari if it doesn’t work well. Mac OS X devices are highly sensitive and well-designed devices. Feb 18, 2017 How to Change Default Browser on MacOS, Windows and Ubuntu Changing the Default Browser on Mac. Apple switched the default web browser setting in Yosemite to the System Preferences.So, if you need to change default web browser, see tutorial below. Make Safari your default web browser on Mac. When you click links in emails and other documents, they open in your default browser. Safari is the default browser when you first set up your Mac, but another browser you install can become the default unexpectedly. Windows and Macs differ here significantly, thanks to the default browser they come with (discounting Windows 10 and its Edge browser, of course).With macOS, you get a very, very capable browser out of the box, the mighty Safari, and for most users, that will be all they will ever need. Apr 06, 2007 How to Change the Default Web Browser in Mac OS X. Changing the default web browser in prior versions of Mac OS X is also very easy, but regardless of what browser you want to use as default, you adjust the setting through Apple’s web browser, Safari.
How long is mac and cheese good for. However, there are perfectly good reasons why you might want to use a different browser. Performance is one of them. While Safari is pretty speedy, for some users in some circumstances it’s slower than Chrome or Firefox. Or it might be that there are extensions you need that are only available in Chrome, or perhaps a website you use regularly doesn’t work properly in Safari.
What is a default web browser?
Before we get to how to change your default web browser, it’s worth considering what a default web browser is and does. Put simply, it’s the web browser that opens a link when you click on it in an email or other document. If you use Spotlight and click on a result from the web, it will open in your default browser. In fact any task that opens a URL will be performed in that web browser. It doesn’t mean, of course, that you can’t use other browsers to surf the net.
So, if you just need to access specific sites in Chrome or Firefox, you don’t need to change your default browser. Even if Safari is you default browser, you can open any link in another browser, by holding down the Control key when you click on it and selecting Copy Link, then paste it in the address bar of any browser you like.
How to set the default browser in macOS El Capitan or later, and OS X Yosemite
Apple changed the way you set the default browser in OS X Yosemite and it has remained the same since then. Previously, as you’ll see below, you had to open Safari to, say, make Google Chrome the default browser. As Apple realized, eventually, that’s plain daft. Here’s how to do it now.
- Click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
- Choose the General tab.
- Just over half way down, there’s a menu next to “Default web browser.” Click on it and choose the browser you want to set as the default.
How to change the default web browser in OS X Mavericks or earlier
- Launch Safari.
- Click on the Safari menu and choose Preferences.
- Click on the General tab.
- Choose the web browser you want to use as the default by clicking on the menu next to Default web browser.
- Close Preferences.
- Quit Safari.
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Other methods for changing your default web browser
Every browser wants to be the default — it’s the most obvious way to increase user numbers. And so whenever you open a browser that’s not the default, you’ll see a pop up window asking if you want to set it as your browser of choice. If you choose so, it will change the System Preferences setting and position itself as the default.
If you refuse and later decide you want to make it the default after all, that’s easy too. Here’s how you do it in some of the more popular browsers for macOS.
Chrome
- To make Chrome the default browser, first of all launch it.
- Click on the Chrome menu and select Preferences.
- In the web page that opens, scroll down until you see Default Browser.
- Click Make Default.
Firefox
- Launch Firefox.
- In the Firefox menu, click Preferences.
- Make sure General is selected in the left hand sidebar (it should be blue).
- At the top of the page, you should see “General” and underneath it, a message saying that Firefox isn’t currently your default browser. To the right of that, click Make Defaul.
Opera
Firefox For Mac
- Launch Opera.
- Click on the Opera menu and select Preferences.
- In the web page that opens, make sure Basic is selected on the left hand side.
- Click on Make Opera my default browser.
Vivaldi
- Launch Vivaldi.
- Click the Vivaldi menu and choose Preferences.
- Make sure Startup is selected in the left hand sidebar.
- Click on Set as Default.
3 tips to make your browser fast
Whichever web browser you use, there are some tips you should remember in order to keep it running optimally.
Solitaire for mac. 1. Always use the most up-to-date version.
Safari updates with macOS system updates, so make sure you install system updates when they become available. Most browsers automatically update themselves when you close and reopen them. But if you keep them open permanently, they won’t update. So the easiest way to keep them updated is to quit them every now and again.
2. Don’t keep lots of tabs open at once.
Open tabs, even those that are hidden, consume RAM, processor cycles, and energy. The more you have open, the slower your Mac will become. So close tabs you no longer need.
3. Keep your Mac clean of junk
Unnecessary files, including cache, cookies, language files and old updates can slow down your whole system, as they take more and more space. The simplest way to get rid of them is to use a dedicated app like CleanMyMac X. To quickly delete useless files on your Mac, follow the steps:
What Is The Default Browser For Mac Os X 10
- Download CleanMyMac X and launch it.
- Click Smart Scan.
- Click Run.
As you can see, setting your default web browser in macOS is very easy — choosing which browser to use maybe less so. Whichever browser you choose, you should maintain it to keep it running optimally, CleanMyMac X can help do that easily.
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Safari is a popular browser choice for those who live in the Apple ecosystem. All your tabs sync across all devices, you can pick up where you left off on other devices with Hand Off, among other things.
However, every user is different and sometimes you’ll want to choose a different web browser for various reasons. Follow along to learn how to do so on your Mac.
What Is The Default Browser For Mac Os X 10 11
Mac: How to set default web browser
- Fire up System Preferences, and then click on General.
- You’ll then see a selection box to choose your default web browser. By default, this will be Safari, but if you have other browsers you’d like to pick, simply tap on the box, and choose your browser of choice. Now, when you tap a link in Mail, Messages, Notes, or wherever else, it will now open in said browser instead of Safari.
Opera For Mac
For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how to guide as well as the following articles:
What Is The Default Browser For Mac Os X 1
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