Apple’s Mac computers, both laptops and desktop computers, arrive with the Safari browser installed, and also with it set as the default browser that will open any link you press from another app like Telegram, Messages or any other . Now, did you know that you can set any other web browser of your choice as the default browser on macOS? The process is extremely simple and then we will see how to carry it out.
Safari is the most popular browser among those of us who develop our personal and professional activity within the Apple environment or ecosystem. The reasons are multiple but basically it is a very fast web browser, capable of synchronizing the tabs, bookmarks, history, reading list between all devices (Mac, iPhone, iPad), you can continue from where you left off in others devices with Hand Off, that is, open a page that you left open on another computer, for example, and more.
Certainly many of these features are also present in other web browsers such as Chrome or Firefox. Thus, some users may prefer to use a different web browser. Follow the instructions below to learn how to do this on your Mac.
First, open the System Preferences app, then tap General.
Then click on the drop-down next to “Default Web Browser”. As standard, it’s Safari that’s selected in this option, but if you have other browsers installed on your computer, you can choose the one you prefer. Simply tap on the box and choose the browser of your choice.
From this very instant, every time you click a link in the Mail, Messages, Notes, Pages, Word, Telegram app, or anywhere else on your computer, it will open automatically in this browser, rather than Safari.
If for whatever reason, you prefer to reuse Chrome, Firefox, Tor or any other browser, the procedure to follow is very simple. Here’s how we can change the default browser (Safari) on OS X:
- First we digest ourselves to System Preferences, located in the apple menu at the top left of the screen.
- Within System Preferences we head to the General tab.
- Within General we have to look for the default Web Browser option, and click on the arrow located in the default browser at present.
- Then it will show all the browsers that we have installed on our Mac, we just have to select the one we want and close the window.
From this moment on, every time we click on a link, instead of opening Safari, the website will open with the browser we have selected.
Alternatives to Safari Browsers for Mac
this list is made up of browsers that you probably already know. Why? Because it is very difficult to list the best browsers for Mac OS X without naming the most common ones. The thing is, each of them has their merits and their problems, so we’ll talk a little bit about each of them.
Firefox
Firefox offers a set of really robust features, with one of the best tab management available in any browser. Page rendering is fast. Firefox also excels in download management, since its native download manager eliminates the need to install any other third-party application that you might need with other browsers.
The browser also incorporates all the usual functionalities such as bookmark management, private browsing, web form management, editing console, spell checking and specific security options for each page, among other things. Because it’s available for multiple platforms, you can also take advantage of creating a Mozilla account to synchronize browser data across all your devices.
Download link: Download Firefox here.
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is an excellent browser, if you use Google Apps, you will hardly find such a smooth browsing in any other browser. Chrome has one of the most robust extension galleries to greatly improve the usefulness of this web browser. There are a lot of apps available for Chrome. In addition, if you’re a web developer, the console to inspect Chrome code along with developer tools, offer you a much more powerful and detailed solution than any other browser you may have tried. Also, keep in mind that you can also sign in to Chrome with your Google Account to sync your data with your data with those on other platforms on which you use Chrome. You’ll also be able to fix tabs, something you miss a lot in Safari.
Download link: Download Chrome here.
Opera
Opera is a secure browser, its interface is attractive and minimalist and the pages load quickly. It has support for extensions, although its number is relatively limited. If you also use Opera on your phone or tablet, you’ll also benefit from the sync options in the Mac version, as they will sync from tabs to bookmarks and passwords. It also includes the typical: search bar, download management, spell checking, private browsing, custom security settings for each website and more. Opera is also now based on the Chromium browser, like most.
One feature that stands out in Opera is the RSS reader that it incorporates and that will allow you to keep up with the latest developments in the topics that interest you. The quick access area in the upper-right corner of the screen, next to the address bar, will also allow you to place what you think is most important for your work or entertainment.
Download link: Download Opera here.
Maxthon
Maxthon is a browser very integrated with Cloud technologies. This cross-platform browser is intended for a smooth and synchronized browsing experience on all your devices, whether you’re using iPhone, iPad, Android or a Windows, Mac OS or Linux PC.
it has facilities to share files with the people you prefer, as long as they use this browser. Another of Maxthon’s supposed stellar features is the support for dragging and dropping elements using gestures, allowing, for example, to select a word or phrase and drag it to the navigation bar for a quick search. Gestures also allow you actions such as refreshing the current page or going to a previous or next tab, whether you’re using a mouse or Touchpad. Yes, stellar functionality but no one uses, really.
Download link: Download Maxthon here. It’s also available on the Mac App Store
Yandex
Yandex’s browser is very similar. This browser has a mostly transparent interface to make everything seem neater, as long as you are appearances. Even the navigation bar in which you enter the URLs is minimalist, being located at the bottom of the browser, something that is contrasted with the other existing browsers.
The best thing about this browser is that the interface and other visual elements appear only when they are needed, so if you move the mouse cursor at the top of the page, you will be able to see all the usual toolbars.
Download link: Download Yandex here.