Recommended Free Tools
“Android keeps opening Google” is not one setting. A search result can open in the Google app’s built-in viewer, a link from another app can launch Chrome because Chrome is the system default, Chrome can continue sending searches to Google, or a particular website can be claimed by an installed app through Android App Links. Identify which of those happened before changing anything.
The fix is usually targeted: turn off the Google app’s in-app web viewer, choose another browser in Android’s Default apps screen, change Chrome’s separate search-engine setting, or adjust the offending app’s supported-link association. Your replacement must be installed, enabled and able to handle the action or URL.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
First identify where the page opened
Look at the interface, not just the destination. A page that looks like a Google result may have been rendered by the Google app, Chrome or an entirely different app. Android applies different controls to each route.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
| What you tapped | Where the page appeared | Control to change |
|---|---|---|
| A result in the Google app | Inside the Google app, with its own toolbar or menu | Google app’s Open web pages in the app preference |
| A link in email, chat, a document or another app | Chrome or another browser | Android’s default Browser app |
| Text entered in Chrome’s address/search field | Search results from the engine selected by Chrome | Chrome’s Search engine setting |
| A link for one particular service | The service’s installed app, or a chooser | That app’s Open by default/Open supported links and domain selections |
These controls are independent. Changing Chrome’s search engine does not select a different Android browser. Selecting a new default browser does not necessarily stop the Google app from displaying a result internally, and neither setting overrides every app-owned deep link.
#1 Best Overall
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
A Google Search Help Community post asks, “How can I make websites open inside the Google App?” That wording illustrates the ambiguity; it is not evidence that a particular behavior is widespread. You can read the original question at Google Search Help Community.
Before changing a setting, note the exact starting app and the URL you tapped. Repeat the test from a message or note, then from the Google app, because two links that look identical can follow different routes. Also check whether the phone is using a personal profile or a work profile; apps installed in one profile are not automatically handlers in the other.
Stop search results opening inside the Google app
If you started in the Google app and the result stayed in that app, change its internal page-view preference. This does not change Android’s default browser or Chrome’s search provider.
- Open the Google app.
- Tap your profile picture or initial in the upper-right corner.
- Choose Settings, then General.
- Turn off Open web pages in the app.
Google documents this path in Manage your preferences for web pages in the Google app. App versions can move the switch or use slightly different wording. If a page is already open in the Google app, open its More menu and choose Open in browser or Open in Chrome, when offered. That one-time command is useful for testing which browser Android will use next.
After disabling the switch, run another search from the Google app and tap a normal web result. It should hand the URL to Android’s browser choice. A site that still opens in its own app is following an app-specific link association, so continue to the App Links section below.
The setting affects pages opened from Google results, not every web view displayed by every application. An email client, social network or shopping app may intentionally keep links in its own in-app viewer. If its menu includes an option such as “open externally,” use that to test the system browser; changing the Google app preference cannot force another app to relinquish its own viewer.
Make another browser the Android default
When a link from another app opens in Chrome, the relevant setting is Android’s default browser, not Chrome’s search engine. The exact labels vary by phone maker and Android release, but the documented route is:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rank #2
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Tracfone plan required, activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- DISPLAY: Immersive viewing on a 6.7-inch super-bright 120Hz display with powerful stereo speakers and Bass Boost for cinematic entertainment.
- CAMERA SYSTEM: Advanced 50MP Quad Pixel camera captures sharp, detailed photos and videos in any lighting condition
- PERFORMANCE: Lightning-fast 5G connectivity paired with a powerful processor and RAM Boost for smooth multitasking.
- BATTERY LIFE: Long-lasting 5000mAh battery with TurboPower charging technology delivers hours of power in minutes.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Open Default apps or Choose default apps.
- Tap Browser app.
- Select the browser you want Android to launch.
Android Help describes this process in Learn how to change your default browser. The replacement browser must already be installed and enabled; Android only lists apps that declare themselves capable of handling web browsing. If it is missing from the selector, opening a random link will not make it appear. Check that the app is installed for the current user or work profile and is not disabled, then return to the selector.
Test with a link from a different app, such as a message or note. If that link opens in the selected browser, the system default is working. If links from one service still launch an app, that service is probably using a verified domain association rather than the general browser default.
Some phones expose the selector through Settings → Apps → Default apps, while others place it under a “Choose default apps” heading or a search result for “default browser.” Do not infer that Chrome is still the default merely because Google remains the search provider inside Chrome. Verify the browser name in the selector and then test an ordinary HTTP or HTTPS link.
Change the search engine used by Chrome
Chrome has its own search-provider setting. It affects words entered into Chrome’s address bar or search field; it does not decide which browser Android opens for links and does not control the Google app’s internal viewer.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Open Chrome.
- Tap More (the three-dot menu).
- Choose Settings.
- Tap Search engine.
- Select an engine from the available list.
The Android Help instructions are in Change your default search engine & add or disable apps. The list is limited to engines that the installed Chrome build makes available in your region. Changing this option will not make links from Gmail, a messaging app or the Google app open in a different browser; use Android’s Browser app selector for that.
A useful distinction is the starting gesture: typing a phrase into Chrome’s address bar invokes Chrome’s selected search engine, while tapping a hyperlink invokes Android link handling. A page reached through either route may look identical once loaded, but the settings that produced it are unrelated.
Control one website’s links with Android App Links
A URL can open an installed app because Android has associated that app with the URL’s domain. App Links are verified relationships between a website and an Android app. They are separate from the global browser default and can apply only to particular domains.
Rank #3
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Android’s user-facing controls are usually under the app’s system page:
- Open Settings and then Apps.
- Select the app that keeps capturing the link.
- Tap Open by default, Open supported links or a similarly named option.
- Turn supported-link handling on or off, and review the listed domains. On versions that provide domain checkboxes, select only the domains you want this app to claim.
Manufacturers can place the control under an overflow menu or use a different label. Android Developers explains the association model in About App Links and the user and developer configuration in Create deep links.
What changes on Android 12 and later
For generic web intents on Android 12 and newer, a URL normally resolves to an app only when that app is approved for the specific domain as an App Link. If no installed app is verified for that domain, Android sends the URL to the user’s default browser. This is why a browser change can affect ordinary websites while a verified shopping, video or banking domain continues to open its associated app.
Older Android releases can present a chooser when more than one app is eligible, or remember an earlier “Always” choice. Clearing the selected app’s defaults from its system page can restore a chooser, after which you can make a new choice. The platform’s verification behavior and testing guidance are covered in Verify App Links.
Domain handling is granular. One app may be approved for shop.example but not example.com, or may claim only selected paths. Test a URL on the same domain that keeps launching the app and a normal URL on another domain. If only the associated domain bypasses your browser, changing the global browser default is not the right remedy.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Confirm that the replacement app can handle the task
“Replacement” can mean different things. Android does not have one universal replacement switch for every Google service. Match the setting to the action you are changing.
| Task | Android or app setting | What must be true |
|---|---|---|
| Open ordinary web URLs | Settings → Apps → Default apps → Browser app | The browser is installed, enabled and registered as a browser |
| Search from Chrome’s address bar | Chrome → More → Settings → Search engine | The engine is offered by that Chrome installation and region |
| Open a specific site in an app | Capturing app → Open by default/Open supported links | The app supports that domain and its association is enabled |
| Open mail, calendar or another content type | The relevant default-app category, when Android exposes one | An installed app must advertise support for that content type |
If Android never offers your preferred app in the relevant selector, it cannot become the handler through a browser-default change alone. Some apps can display web content internally rather than handing it to the system browser; that is an app behavior, not proof that Android ignored your default.
Rank #4
- PRIVACY DISPLAY: Automatically hide your screen from those beside you. The built-in privacy display can be preset¹ to turn on when receiving notifications, typing passwords, or using specific apps
- TYPE IT IN. TRANSFORM IT FAST: Enhance any shot in seconds on your smartphone by using Photo Assist² with Galaxy AI.³ Add objects, restore details, or apply new styles by simply typing or tapping
- NIGHTS, CAPTURED CLEARLY: From gigs to city lights, record and capture moments after dark with clarity using Nightography so your photos and videos stay crisp and clear on your Samsung Galaxy
- MAKE IT. EDIT IT. SHARE IT: Turn everyday moments into something personal with creative tools built right into your mobile phone, whether it’s a special contact photo, custom wallpaper, an invitation or more⁴
- HELP THAT KEEPS UP: Stay in the moment while Now Nudge with Galaxy AI helps you respond faster and stay organized with smart suggestions⁵ that appear exactly when you need them on your phone
Installing two browsers does not make both interchangeable for every action. Android lists only apps that declare support for the requested category, and a browser may be disabled by device policy or by the user. Likewise, a search engine offered in Chrome is not necessarily available as a standalone Android handler. Check the selector for the exact action instead of judging by an app’s name.
Should you disable a preinstalled Google app?
Disabling is a last resort for a supported device, not the first fix. Android Help says some preinstalled apps, including Chrome, Gmail and Calendar, can be disabled from their app-information screen:
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute- Open Settings → Apps.
- Select the preinstalled app.
- Tap Disable and confirm.
On devices that permit it, the same screen offers Enable to restore the app. Google warns that disabling a system app can make other apps misbehave and can delete data associated with the disabled app. Read the warning, confirm that another app handles the functions you still need, and prefer the targeted browser, search-engine or supported-link setting first. The documented guidance appears in Change your default search engine & add or disable apps.
Do not assume every preinstalled package can be disabled. The button may be unavailable, and a managed phone may prevent the change. Disabling Chrome, for example, is broader than choosing another browser: links or features that explicitly expect Chrome may fail, and data tied to the disabled app may be removed. If the result is undesirable, return to the same app-information screen and tap Enable, then restore a narrower preference.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Android chooses a destination
When you tap a link, Android evaluates the action and URI, the apps installed for the current profile, any user-selected defaults, and domain verification. The practical sequence is:
- The originating app may handle the URL itself, as the Google app can do with its in-app web-page preference.
- If it sends a normal web intent, Android looks for eligible handlers.
- A user-selected default handler is used when one exists.
- If there is one eligible app and no competing choice, Android can launch it directly; with multiple eligible apps, it may show a chooser.
- For web URLs on Android 12 and later, an app must be approved for that exact domain to receive the link as an App Link. Otherwise the default browser handles it.
This model explains why a single global change cannot override every route. A Google result opened internally, a Chrome address-bar search and a verified link to an installed service are three different decisions.
An “Always” selection in a chooser is also a stored user preference, not proof that the chosen app is the only eligible one. Clearing that app’s defaults can make Android ask again. Conversely, a verified App Link can continue to open its app even after you change the browser default because verification is evaluated for that domain.
Best Value
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- ACTIVATION Promotion: Includes 1500 min, 1500 texts & 1500 MB Data + add more as you need it
- CAMERA SYSTEM: 50MP Quad Pixel camera. Capture sharper, more vibrant photos day or night with 4x the light sensitivity.
- PERFORMANCE: Blazing-fast Qualcomm performance. Get the speed you need for great entertainment with a Snapdragon 680 processor and 4GB of RAM.
- 64GB built-in storage. Get plenty of room for photos, movies, songs, and apps. Made for US
Troubleshooting when the first fix did not work
The Google app switch is off, but results still look like Google
- Check whether the page is actually in Chrome by opening Chrome’s menu. If it is, change Android’s Browser app default.
- If the address bar is in Chrome, change Chrome’s Search engine; this is independent of the Google app switch.
- If the URL immediately launches another installed app, inspect that app’s Open supported links domains.
- If the page is inside another app’s web view, use that app’s external-opening command or its own settings; the Google app switch cannot control it.
The preferred browser does not appear in Browser app
- Install the app in the same Android user or work profile where the link is being tapped.
- Check Settings → Apps to make sure it is enabled.
- Confirm that it is a full browser capable of handling ordinary HTTP and HTTPS links; an app that only opens its own content will not qualify.
- Check for a device-management restriction on a work phone, then reopen the Default apps screen after installation or re-enabling.
Only one website keeps opening an app
- Open the capturing app’s system page and review Open by default or Open supported links.
- Turn off supported-link handling or deselect the specific domain if your Android build provides those choices.
- Retest with a different domain. If other sites follow your default browser, the behavior is domain-specific rather than a system-wide browser problem.
A chooser appears every time
That usually means Android has more than one eligible handler and no permanent default for that action. Select the preferred app and choose Always when the dialog offers it. If the chooser is for a verified domain, changing the general browser default may not remove it; adjust the domain association instead.
Disabling an app caused side effects
Return to Settings → Apps → the disabled app and tap Enable. Then restore the narrower preference that matches your goal. Because Android warns that disabling a system app can affect other apps and associated data, do not use it as a substitute for the default-browser or supported-link controls.
A practical decision checklist
Use this order so you change the smallest setting that can solve the problem:
- Locate the page. Was it inside the Google app, in Chrome, in another browser, or in a site’s app?
- Name the action. Are you changing web browsing, searches typed in Chrome, mail or calendar handling, or links for one domain?
- Verify the replacement. Is the app installed, enabled and listed for that action?
- Change one control. Use the Google app’s web-page switch, Android’s Browser app selector, Chrome’s Search engine setting or the app’s supported-link screen.
- Test with a second link. Use a normal web URL and, separately, a URL from the site that was being captured. Different outcomes reveal whether App Links are involved.
- Only then consider disabling. Do so only on devices that allow it and only after reading the system warning.
Once the originating app, action and domain are identified, Android’s behavior is predictable: each replacement controls the category it was designed to handle, while internal viewers and verified App Links remain separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does changing Chrome’s search engine not stop Google from opening links?
Chrome’s Search engine setting changes searches typed into Chrome’s address bar. Android’s Settings → Apps → Default apps → Browser app selector controls which browser opens ordinary links, while the Google app has its own in-app web-page setting.
Why does one website still open its app after I changed the default browser?
That domain may be an Android App Link verified for the installed app. Open the app’s Settings page and check Open by default or Open supported links, then turn off the association or adjust its domain selections if your phone offers those controls.
What if my preferred browser is missing from Android’s Browser app list?
Install it for the same Android user or work profile, make sure it is enabled, and confirm that it supports ordinary HTTP and HTTPS links. Android lists only apps registered as eligible browsers.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Can I disable Chrome or another preinstalled Google app?
Some supported devices allow disabling preinstalled apps under Settings → Apps. Android warns that disabling a system app can make other apps misbehave and delete associated data, so use the targeted browser, search or supported-link setting first.
How do I make Android ask me which app to use again?
Clear the selected app’s defaults from its system app page. When more than one eligible handler remains, Android can show a chooser again; select Always only after you are satisfied with the choice.
The Bottom Line
Diagnose the route before changing settings. Turn off the Google app’s in-app viewer for Google results, choose a browser under Android’s Browser app default for ordinary links, change Chrome’s Search engine only for Chrome searches, and adjust Open supported links for a single site. Keep replacement apps installed and enabled, and treat disabling a system Google app as a risky last resort.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
