How to change the default apps on your Android phone

The default app preinstalled on Android phones is designed to perform basic functions such as opening an internet link, making calls or sending text messages. In Android, if you prefer to use a third-party app instead of Google's original choice, you can change the default app.

This is not difficult to operate, it can make your mobile experience more suitable for your needs and tastes. It's also simple if you want to restore the original settings, so don't worry about changing the settings damaging your phone.

What is the default application?

Default applications are more commonly mentioned in Windows and macOS operating systems. For example, if you double-click a PDF file on your desktop, which program will be displayed? No matter what program it is, it is the default application for PDF files. Other file types, from JPEG to MP3, will have default applications associated with them.

[Related: 12 Hidden Android Features You Should Use]

This is important if you want to work as efficiently as possible on your desktop: If you are working on documents, you want them to open in the word processor of your choice. Double-clicking the file and making it open in the correct program is faster and more intuitive than starting the program first and then finding the required files in menus and folders.

Same goes for Android. You may not process a wide variety of files the same way, but the principle still applies: Whether you click on a web link from an email or open an image from a group chat, you want the preferred app to handle your ask.

Android offers more control than iOS: On iPhone, you can change the default web browser and email app, and that's all (for example, you always have to use FaceTime as the default for making video calls Way). On Android, you can switch more default apps and even change the overall look of the home screen.

How to set default app on Android

Some default apps (such as Chrome for web links) work out of the box on Android, while others are set when you need them the first time you need them. So if you open the document, you will be asked which app you want to use to handle it, and then the Android system will remember that option for future use.

To change these default applications at any time:

• Open Settings and select Applications.
• Then look for the default app options - marked as "Default App" on Pixel phones and "Select Default App" on Samsung Galaxy phones. This will take you to the list of all the default apps associated with on your current phone.
• Click any entry to make changes.

For example, to change the application that handles text messages, select "SMS Application" and select your preferred application. The option list will only contain applications currently installed on your phone and capable of handling related files or operations – so you don't need to worry about choosing an incompatible application.

If you have multiple browsers installed, you may need to switch web browsers on your Android device: Click "Browser Apps" and select from the list. Any web link you click from an instant messaging chat or email will then open in the browser of your choice.

Some of these options come with different settings. For example, select Digital Assistant Apps, you can configure how the Assistant app works, as well as choose your favorite app (maybe you want Amazon Alexa to pop up when you need help, not Google Assistant).

By the way, the "Home Screen App" is an app that manages your home screen and pops up when you "go home" on your phone. This is very useful if you want to switch to a third-party launcher to really change the look of the Android interface – we've also written about Android home screen customization if you don't know about the home screen launcher on Android at all.

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