Safari is the default web browser app in iPhone which uses Google for searching and getting you results. If you don’t like Safari for any reason, then it is possible to use any other third-party browser app and set that as your default browser.
Why You Need to Change Browser?
Here are some of the prominent reasons to look for Safari alternative in iPhone:
- You may want to sync browsing activities across devices using Google or Microsoft account.
- Safari becomes slow over period.
- Some webpages do not work properly in Safari as the page might be designed to work with Chrome.
- You do not like the app’s interface and features.
Install Alternate Browser App
There are plenty of alternatives available for Safari. However, you need to consider whether you want to only change the browser or the search engine also.
- Consider DuckDuckGo app which uses its own search engine. This will help to get rid of Google and Microsoft tracking your activities through their search engines.
- Think about Edge which uses Bing search engine if you want to sync all activities across your devices using Microsoft account.
- Finally, Chrome with Google search engine is the option if you do not worry about privacy.
Change Default Browser App
Let’s say, you have installed DuckDuckGo browser app.
- Open Settings app and go to DuckDuckGo app’s settings page.
- Tap on “Default Browser App” option.
- Select DuckDuckGo from the list and close the Settings app.
If you have installed any other app, follow the same steps by going to that app’s settings page. Henceforth, any links you tap in your emails or social apps will automatically open in the default browser. You can also keep the default browser in the dock for easy access.
Note: If the browser app does not have in-built search engine (like Chrome or Firefox), then you can choose the search engine within browser app’s settings (not the iOS app’s settings page). Below is an example from Firefox Privacy browser where you can choose the search engines by going to “Hamburger icon > Settings > Search Engine” section.
Hiding Safari App
Now that you have Safari app redundantly available on your iPhone. Unfortunately, you can’t delete it as it is part of iOS. However, you can hide it using Screen Time settings so that you can forget about it.
Learn more on how to set up Screen Time in iPhone and hide Safari app from home screen.
