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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To make Safari your Mac’s default browser, open the macOS setting for the default web browser and choose Safari. On macOS Ventura 13 or later, use Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock. On older macOS releases, use Apple menu > System Preferences > General.
What changing the default browser does
The default browser is the app macOS uses when you click a web link. Selecting Safari tells the operating system to send links to Safari instead of another browser.
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The setting applies at the system level, but it is not an absolute rule for every app. Apple cautions: “Some apps open webpages in a browser other than your default browser.” If one application continues to use another browser after you select Safari, that behavior may be controlled by the application itself rather than by the Mac’s default-browser setting.
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Choose the instructions for your macOS version
| macOS version | Open this location | Final control |
|---|---|---|
| Ventura 13 or later | Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock | Default web browser > Safari |
| Earlier macOS versions | Apple menu > System Preferences > General | Default web browser > Safari |
The two routes use different names because Apple replaced System Preferences with System Settings in newer macOS releases. If the first path does not match what you see, use the second path and look for the older System Preferences interface. Apple’s versioned instructions are in Change the default web browser or email app on Mac.
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Set Safari as the default on macOS Ventura 13 or later
- Open the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of the screen.
- Choose System Settings.
- In the sidebar or main settings view, select Desktop & Dock.
- Scroll down if necessary until you reach Default web browser.
- Open the Default web browser menu.
- Select Safari.
Once Safari is selected, macOS uses it for web links that follow the system default. Apple documents this current settings path in the Safari User Guide.
If you cannot see the setting immediately
Desktop & Dock contains more controls than the browser choice, so you may need to scroll within the pane. The control is labeled Default web browser; it is not the similarly worded default email-app control.
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Set Safari as the default on an earlier macOS version
- Open the Apple menu .
- Choose System Preferences.
- Select General.
- Open the Default web browser menu.
- Choose Safari.
This is the route Apple specifies for macOS versions that use System Preferences rather than System Settings. The browser selection is still made from the Default web browser menu, but the menu is located under General.
How to tell which path applies
The quickest practical test is the name of the settings app in the Apple menu:
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- If it says System Settings, open Desktop & Dock and use the newer path.
- If it says System Preferences, open General and use the earlier path.
Ventura 13 and later use System Settings > Desktop & Dock for this control. Earlier releases use System Preferences > General. You do not need to install a separate utility or purchase a browser to make the change.
Check what happens after the switch
After choosing Safari, click a web link from an app that normally hands links to the macOS default browser. The link should open in Safari. This check confirms the setting from the perspective that matters: the application has passed the link to the system.
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A different result in a particular app does not necessarily mean the setting failed. Apple explicitly notes that some apps open webpages in a browser other than the default browser. In that situation, the app may be following its own browser choice or opening a built-in web view. Test with another link source before changing the system setting again.
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What the setting does not change
- It does not uninstall another browser.
- It does not remove bookmarks, history, extensions or saved data from another browser.
- It does not force every app to use Safari when that app chooses a different browser.
The macOS control only changes which browser is designated as the default destination for links that respect the system choice.
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Troubleshooting by symptom
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| You opened System Settings but cannot find Default web browser | You may be in the wrong pane, or the control is farther down the Desktop & Dock page. | Choose Desktop & Dock and scroll down until the Default web browser menu appears. |
| Your Mac has System Preferences instead of System Settings | You are using an earlier macOS version. | Open General in System Preferences and select Safari from Default web browser. |
| One app still opens pages somewhere else | Some apps do not follow the system default. | Apple identifies this as an app-specific exception; check the behavior with another app or link source. |
| Safari is listed but another browser opens links from one source | The source app may be opening webpages outside the system default. | Do not assume the Mac-wide selection was undone; the app may be using its own browser behavior. |
Requirements and cost
This change requires a Mac running macOS and access to its system settings. Safari can be selected directly in macOS settings without buying anything. No browser subscription, accessory or separate installer is needed for the procedure.
If another person manages the Mac or limits access to settings, you may need the account access required to open and change System Settings or System Preferences. The Apple instructions do not specify an additional purchase or hardware requirement.
Official Apple instructions
For the version-specific procedure, see Apple Support’s Change the default web browser or email app on Mac, published December 19, 2025. Apple’s Safari User Guide: Make Safari your default web browser on Mac documents the current System Settings route and explains that some apps may open webpages in another browser.
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