Most phones come with pre-installed apps out of the box, of which you may use only a few. If you prefer your own suite of apps for making calls, sending texts or browsing the web, Android gives you the freedom to change the default apps on your phone, and here's how to do it.
What are default apps on Android?
As the name says, Default apps are apps that can open on their own whenever you interact with a link, message or phone call. When you first set up a phone, your smartphone brand chooses a set of default apps for your phone. For instance, if you own a Samsung phone, its default browser app will be Samsung Internet, while on Oppo or OnePlus phones, it's Internet Browser.
Fortunately, Android gives you a way out of this, and you can choose your preferred app as the default for numerous scenarios. This way, if you like to use Brave as your web browser or your carrier's app as the caller ID app, you can set them as default apps so they open whenever a relevant action is executed.
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Common default apps you can change
The Default apps screen inside Android settings shows the following sections on most phones. Do note that some sections or their naming may slightly differ between Android versions and skins. The number of options inside each of these sections depends on the kind of apps you have installed on your phone, and if a section doesn't show an app you prefer, it's probably because it may not have been installed yet.
| App Category | What It Does | Default App |
|---|---|---|
| Browser app | Open external links from other apps | Google Chrome on most phones, with brand-specific offerings on some devices |
| Caller ID and spam app | Read caller information and identify whether received call is spam | Google Phone (Samsung Phone in One UI) |
| Digital assistant app | Accessed upon long-pressing the Power button | Google Assistant, on most phones |
| Home app | Hosts the installed apps and app drawer | Varies based on phone brand |
| Phone app | Make and receive phone calls | Google Phone (Samsung Phone in One UI) |
| Search engine app | Accessed when submitting queries from home screen search bar | Google Chrome on most phones, varies based on phone brand |
| SMS app | Open SMS messages and show alerts | Google Messages |
| Wallet app | Store and access credit and loyalty cards and make transactions | Google Wallet |
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How to change default apps on Android
The following steps should work on all Android phones, but some option names or placements may differ between Android skins. Here's how you can change the default apps on your Android phone:
- Open the Settings app and go to Apps > Default apps.
- Here, choose the section where you wish to change the default app from these sections: Browser app, Caller ID and spam app, Digital assistant app, Home app, Phone app, Search engine app, SMS app and Wallet app.
- Inside the selected category, choose your preferred app you want to set as its default.
Once selected, everytime an app or website requests permissions for accessing the relevant category, the chosen default app will open on its own.
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Choose how Android handles opening links
Android allows apps to host webpages on their own, and any external link that you access within it is opened right within the app. However, if you want a certain app to open links inside your default browser app, you'll need to configure it accordingly.
- Go to the Settings app > Apps > Default apps and select Opening links.
- Here, choose an app you want to configure and tap on In your browser.
You'll have to repeat step 2 for every app you don't want external links to open in. Doing so will ensure any link you tap on within these apps are launched inside your default web browser. Likewise, if you want an app to open links without accessing the default browser app, you can select In the app inside the Open by default screen.
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How to change default contacts storage
By default, Android stores and syncs all the saved contacts on your phone to your primary Google account. If you don't wish to save your contacts to Google or want to use a different account, here's how to do it:
- Launch the Settings app on your Android phone and go to Apps > Contacts storage.
- Here, you can choose from the following options: Device only or Add account.
Device only will make sure that any new contact you add to your phone isn't synced to your Google account. If you choose Add account, you'll have to sign in to your secondary Google account where you want to sync your contacts.
Note: Android only lets you sync contacts to Google at the moment.
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How to remove default apps on Android
If you wish to clear an app from being the default app for a certain action, you can follow the steps below:
- Launch the Settings app on your Android phone and go to Apps > Default apps.
- To clear a default app, select any of these sections: Caller ID and spam app, Digital assistant app or Wallet app.
- Next, tap on None to remove a default app from this section.
It's important to note that only the aforementioned sections allow you clear default apps. Android doesn't allow you to remove default apps for Browser, Home Phone, Search engine and SMS categories. So, you won't see the None option appear inside any of these sections.
Frequently Asked Questions
My phone asks, "Which app to use?” every time. Why?
The "Which app to use?" prompt shows up if you had previously cleared the default app on your Android phone. To ensure it opens an app of your choice, ensure you've not selected None for any categories inside Settings > Apps > Default apps.
How do I change the default messaging app on Android?
To switch the default messaging app on Android, head over to Settings > Apps > Default apps > SMS app and choose your preferred app from the list of options.
How do I change my default browser on Android?
You can change the browser app to default to your preferred choice inside Settings > Apps > Default apps > Browser app.
Why do links still open in the wrong app?
By default, apps are supposed to open supported links within themselves. So, even if you have selected a preferred browser, an app might be able to open some links without accessing another app. To fix that, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Opening links > choose which app opens links by itself and select In your browser.
Why can’t I change the default app on my phone?
Some Android skins only allow you to choose an alternate app for specific categories. So, if you're unable to change the default app for a certain action, your phone's brand might have restricted it.
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