Chrome’s Glass Ceiling on an iPhone

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Apple may prevent you from swapping out some of its own apps for your preferred defaults, but you can at least get your choices within easy reach.

By J. D. Biersdorfer

• July 16, 2018

Q. My iPhone opens up web pages in Safari. Is there a way to change the default browser to Chrome?

A. The current version of the iOS software uses Apple’s Safari browserand does not allow you to select different browser apps to automatically open links. As Google’s own support pages for the iOS version of Chromenote, “You can’t make Chrome your default browser, but you can add it to your dock.” Adding the app to the dock — that strip of icons along the bottom of the screen — will not make Chrome jump up to open links you may get in a text or an email message, but it does keep the icon within thumb range when you’d like to start browsing.

To put Chrome in the iPhone’s dock, you may need to make room for it by moving another app’s icon first. In the dock, just press and hold your finger on the app you want to move until it begins to wiggle, then drag it up to a different part of the home screen. While the apps are still wiggling, drag the Chrome icon into the dock. Press the Home button to calm the icons.

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It may not be a default app, but you can at least put the Chrome browser icon in the iPhone's dock so you can find it quickly.CreditThe New York Times

It is not impossible to change your iPhone’s default apps or tinker around with other settings, even though Apple’s official version of iOS prohibits such actions. However, to do that, you need to “jailbreak” your device and install unauthorized software on it. Apple deeply frowns on this activity and will not generally provide technical support for a jailbroken phone running someone else’s software.

Android users do have the option to choose a new default browser. To do so, open the Settings app, select Apps & Notifications and tap Advanced at the bottom of the screen. Select Default Apps, tap Browser app and pick the installed browser program you wish to use.