Samsung Internet is a web browser made by Samsung for its phones and tablets
Samsung Internet is a web browser that comes pre-installed on Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. It works like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari — you use it to visit websites, search the web, and watch videos. The main difference is that Samsung built it specifically for its own devices, which means it's optimized to run smoothly on Galaxy hardware and integrates with Samsung's other features.
If you own a Samsung phone or tablet, you already have Samsung Internet. You don't need to download it or pay for it. It's free and built into the device. You can use it as your default browser, or you can switch to a different browser if you prefer.
Samsung Internet is based on the same engine that powers Chrome — called Chromium — so websites look and work the same way in both browsers. The difference is in the features Samsung added and how it handles your privacy and security.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung Internet comes pre-installed on Galaxy phones and tablets and works like any other web browser.
- It uses the same engine as Chrome, so websites display the same way, but Samsung added its own privacy and security features.
- You can set it as your default browser or switch to Chrome, Firefox, or another browser if you prefer.
- Samsung Internet syncs with your Samsung account, so your bookmarks and browsing history can follow you across devices.
- The browser includes a built-in ad blocker and tracking protection that you can turn on in the settings.
How Samsung Internet differs from Chrome and other browsers
Samsung Internet and Chrome both use Chromium, the same underlying code, so they render websites identically. The differences are in what each browser adds on top. Samsung Internet includes a built-in ad blocker that you can enable in settings, whereas Chrome relies on extensions or third-party tools. Samsung also offers tracking protection — a feature that blocks many websites from following your activity across the web — without requiring you to install anything extra.
Samsung Internet also integrates with Samsung's ecosystem. If you use a Samsung phone and a Samsung tablet, your bookmarks, saved passwords, and browsing history sync between them through your Samsung account. Chrome does the same thing with a Google account, but Samsung's version is tighter with Samsung's own services like Samsung Pay and Samsung Health.
Chrome is available on every device — phones, tablets, computers — so if you switch phones or use multiple operating systems, Chrome keeps everything in one place. Samsung Internet only works on Samsung devices, so it's less useful if you own an iPhone or use Windows on your computer.
Privacy and security features in Samsung Internet
Samsung Internet includes a private browsing mode that works like incognito mode in Chrome. When you use it, the browser doesn't save your history, cookies, or passwords. Close the window and those sites forget you were there. This is useful if you're shopping for a gift or checking something you don't want on your device's history.
The browser also has a tracking protection setting that blocks many third-party trackers — the invisible pixels and scripts that websites use to follow you across the internet. You can turn this on in Settings under Privacy. It doesn't block all tracking, but it stops many common ones. Chrome offers similar protection through its Privacy Sandbox feature, though the implementation is different.
Samsung Internet also lets you manage which websites can access your camera, microphone, and location. When a site asks for permission, you can say yes once, yes every time, or no. These permissions are stored in the browser settings, and you can revoke them anytime.
Setting Samsung Internet as your default browser
If you want Samsung Internet to open when you click a link in an email, text message, or another app, you need to set it as your default browser. On most Samsung phones, go to Settings, then Apps, then Default Apps, then Browser App, and select Samsung Internet. The exact path varies slightly depending on your Android version, but the concept is the same.
You can change your default browser anytime. If you install Chrome, Firefox, or another browser and want to switch, follow the same steps and pick a different browser. Android lets you choose which browser opens links, so you're not locked into Samsung Internet.
Some Samsung devices come with Samsung Internet set as the default, but not all. If you prefer a different browser, you can change it immediately after setting up your phone.
Syncing bookmarks and passwords across Samsung devices
When you sign into Samsung Internet with your Samsung account, the browser syncs your bookmarks, saved passwords, and browsing history to Samsung's servers. If you have multiple Samsung devices — a phone and a tablet, for example — you can sign into Samsung Internet on both, and your bookmarks appear on both devices. If you save a new bookmark on your phone, it shows up on your tablet within a few minutes.
This sync only works between Samsung devices using Samsung Internet. If you switch to Chrome, you'll need to sign into Chrome with your Google account to sync across devices. If you use an iPhone, you can't use Samsung Internet at all, so you'd need to use Safari or another browser.
You can turn off syncing in the browser settings if you want to keep your bookmarks and history local to one device only. This is useful if you share a Samsung device with someone else and want to keep your browsing separate.
When you might want to use a different browser instead
Samsung Internet works well for most people on Samsung devices, but there are reasons to use something else. If you own both a Samsung phone and an iPhone, Chrome or Firefox keeps your bookmarks and passwords in sync across both. Samsung Internet only works on Samsung devices, so you'd need a second browser anyway.
If you rely on browser extensions — like password managers, ad blockers, or grammar checkers — Chrome and Firefox have larger extension libraries. Samsung Internet supports some extensions, but fewer than the other two. If you use a specific extension that Samsung Internet doesn't support, you'll need to switch.
Some people also prefer Chrome because it's the same on every device they own — phone, tablet, computer. If you use Windows, Mac, or Linux, Chrome is identical across all of them. Samsung Internet is only on Samsung phones and tablets, so it's less useful if you move between different types of devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I uninstall Samsung Internet?
On most Samsung phones, you can't fully uninstall Samsung Internet because it's a system app. You can disable it or hide it from your app drawer, but it stays on the device. You can install a different browser and set it as your default, which effectively removes Samsung Internet from daily use.
Does Samsung Internet use more battery than Chrome?
Battery usage depends on what you're doing, not which browser you use. Both Samsung Internet and Chrome use similar amounts of power for the same tasks. If you notice your battery draining faster, it's usually because of the websites you're visiting or how many tabs you have open, not the browser itself.
Is Samsung Internet safe to use?
Yes. Samsung Internet is regularly updated with security patches, and it uses the same Chromium engine as Chrome, which is maintained by Google's security team. Samsung adds its own privacy features on top. Like any browser, your safety also depends on the websites you visit and whether you click suspicious links.
Can I sync Samsung Internet with my computer?
No. Samsung Internet only syncs between Samsung phones and tablets. If you want to sync your bookmarks and passwords to a computer, you'll need to use Chrome, Firefox, or another browser that works across devices.
What's the difference between Samsung Internet and the default Android browser?
Samsung Internet is the browser that comes on Samsung devices. Other Android manufacturers like Google, OnePlus, and Motorola use different browsers. Samsung Internet is optimized for Samsung hardware, while other browsers are optimized for their own devices. The underlying technology is similar, but the features and performance vary.