Set Chrome as your default browser in three steps

Making Chrome your default browser means that when you click a link in an email, document, or app, it opens in Chrome instead of whatever browser is currently set. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Windows, Mac, or Android, but each takes less than a minute.

On Windows and Mac, you change the default through your operating system settings, not through Chrome itself. On Android, you can set it directly in Chrome's settings. The process is straightforward once you know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, open Settings, go to Apps > Default apps, find your web browser, and select Chrome from the dropdown menu.
  • On Mac, open System Settings, click General, select Default web browser, and choose Google Chrome from the list.
  • On Android, open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings > Notifications, scroll to "Manage all notifications", and look for the default browser option in your phone's system settings instead.
  • After you change the setting, test it by clicking a link in an email or document to confirm Chrome opens.
  • If Chrome does not appear in your default browser list, make sure Chrome is fully installed and restart your computer.

Set Chrome as default on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Open the Windows Settings app by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then press Enter. Click on Apps in the left sidebar, then select Default apps from the menu that appears.

Scroll down until you see Web browser listed with your current default browser shown next to it. Click on that browser name to open a dropdown list of installed browsers. Find Google Chrome in the list and click it once. Windows will confirm the change immediately — you do not need to restart your computer.

If Chrome does not appear in the dropdown, it may not be fully installed. Download Chrome from google.com/chrome if you have not already, run the installer, and restart your computer before trying again.

Set Chrome as default on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions). Click General in the left sidebar, then look for Default web browser near the bottom of the window.

Click the dropdown menu next to "Default web browser" and select Google Chrome from the list. The change takes effect immediately. If you do not see Chrome in the dropdown, make sure it is installed by checking your Applications folder, then restart your Mac and try again.

Set Chrome as default on Android

Open the Chrome app and tap the three vertical dots (menu icon) in the bottom-right corner. Tap Settings, then tap Apps and notifications. Tap Default apps or Default browser app — the exact wording varies by Android version.

Select Chrome from the list of browsers. If you do not see a default browser option in Chrome's settings, open your phone's main Settings app instead, go to Apps, find Default apps, and select Chrome as your default web browser from there.

Test that Chrome is now your default

The easiest way to confirm the change worked is to click a link outside of Chrome. Open your email, a text message, or a document that contains a link, and click it. Chrome should open automatically with that link loaded.

If a different browser opens instead, the change did not take. Go back through the steps above and make sure you selected Chrome and confirmed the choice. On Windows, check that you clicked the browser name itself, not just looked at the dropdown. On Mac, verify that Chrome appears highlighted in the default browser menu.

What to do if Chrome does not appear as an option

If Chrome is not showing up in your default browser list, it usually means the installation is incomplete or corrupted. Uninstall Chrome completely, restart your computer, then download it fresh from google.com/chrome and run the full installer.

On Windows, you can uninstall through Settings > Apps > Apps and features, find Google Chrome, click it, and select Uninstall. On Mac, drag Chrome from your Applications folder to the Trash, empty the Trash, then restart. After reinstalling, Chrome should appear in your default browser options.

Why you might want to change your default browser

Your default browser is the one that opens automatically whenever you click a link outside of a browser window. If you use Chrome for most of your browsing, setting it as default saves you the step of manually opening Chrome each time. It also ensures that links from emails, documents, and other apps open in the browser where you have your bookmarks and passwords saved.

You can change your default browser back at any time by following the same steps and selecting a different browser instead. Windows, Mac, and Android all allow you to switch defaults as often as you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have multiple default browsers?

No. Your operating system allows only one default browser at a time. When you click a link, it will always open in whichever browser you set as default. You can switch which browser is default whenever you want, but only one can be active at a time.

Will changing my default browser affect my bookmarks or passwords?

No. Your bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history stay in Chrome regardless of whether it is your default browser. Changing the default only controls which browser opens when you click a link outside of a browser window.

What if I want different browsers for different types of links?

Your operating system does not support that. You can only set one default browser. If you want to use different browsers for different tasks, you can manually open the browser you want and paste the link into it, or right-click a link and choose "Open with" to pick a specific browser.

Do I need to restart my computer after changing the default?

No. Windows, Mac, and Android all apply the change immediately. You can test it right away by clicking a link in an email or document.

Why does my phone keep asking me which browser to use?

This usually means no default browser is set. Go to your phone's Settings app, find Apps or Default apps, and select Chrome. If you see a prompt every time you click a link, the setting did not save — try the process again and make sure you see Chrome highlighted as the default before closing the settings.