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Mac 101: Changing the default web browser in OS X

Apple introduced the Safari browser in January of 2003. Since then, it's matured to include extensions, an RSS reader and even a Windows counterpart. Still, many users prefer another browser. Since Safari is set as the default on every new Mac, you'll have to make the switch manually. Otherwise, Safari will launch whenever a browser is called for (clicking a link in an email message, for example), instead of your preferred browser. Here's how to change that.

First, launch Safari. From the Preferences menu, select General. At the top of the screen you'll see a drop-down labeled "Default Web Browser." Click it, hit Select and then navigate to your choice. That's it. From that point on, your Mac will use your selection as the default.

If you're in the habit of switching back and forth between default browsers (for example, to test your website for different users), the $12 Choosy utility may give you the flexibility you need.



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Mac 101 Safari

Apple introduced the Safari browser in January of 2003. Since then, it's matured to include extensions, an RSS reader and even a Windows...
 

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diogratia

There's also the 32 bit preferences panel MisFox
http://mac.clauss-net.de/misfox/

December 11 2010 at 6:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andrew

Again, instead of using the expensive Choosy, I use MultiBrowser available at http://sites.google.com/site/tesseractsoftware/multibrowser
Been using it for a while now, and it is great! And FREE!

December 11 2010 at 1:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ngmo.jp

A little bit off topic, but I've been using Safari on my Mac since apple released Safari in the first place, a couple years ago I bought a netbook just for the fun,of it "a tiny computer, Woah!" and have been wondering, whenever I use links from iTunes it always uses IE, gross! It's horrific and slow, how would I set the default to Safari in iTunes?

December 10 2010 at 10:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lari

Instead of the expensive Choosy you can download the free Choose Wisely from http://blog.tigion.de/2010/02/16/software-choose-wisely/ The webpage is in german but the program is in english too.

December 10 2010 at 2:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
info

*I use Chrome as my default browser and have made the change in Safari settings*

One problem I keep having is that when I am in Mail.app and try to search something in an email , let's say a tracking number. When I highlight it and select "Search with Google" it always starts up Safari. Anyway around that?

December 10 2010 at 2:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to info's comment
Grant Buell

That has something to do with the fact that Mail and Safari are both Cocoa apps, and they're using the Services menu, which Chrome doesn't do. Or something. I'm fuzzy on the details.

December 10 2010 at 2:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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