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When you know how to Set Default Apps on a Mac, you can make your computer work better and be more fun for you. This will be very helpful if you need to open the same file types often as part of a workflow, or if you just don’t like the app that macOS uses by default.
When you first get a Mac, you’ll find that Apple has already set the default apps for common file types, like Safari for websites, Preview for photos, etc. Most of the time, these are fine, and you’ll be fine with them. But what if you want to change the apps that are installed by default on your Mac?
How to Change the Default mac App for Specific File type
- Right-click on a file that uses the file type you’d like to change the default for. For example, one with a .jpg extension (a photo).
- Click on Get Info in the pop-up.
- Click Open With if the section isn’t already expanded.
- Click the drop-down menu.
- Click the app you want to use.
- Click Change All…
- Click Continue when the Finder asks you if you’re sure.
How to Set Default Apps Web Browser
- Launch System Preferences from the dock, Finder, or by clicking the Apple icon in the Menu bar.
- Click General at the top left of the window.
- Click the drop-down next to Default web browser.
- Click the web browser you’d like to use as the default.
What are default apps?
When you double-click a certain type of file, like an MP3 or JPG, your Mac will automatically open a programme that can be used to interact with or change the content of the file. This is helpful most of the time, but sometimes you might not want to open iTunes to listen to a few seconds of an audio file or Pages when you want to edit a Word file. In these cases, you can either change the app that your Mac uses temporarily or make it so that that file type is always opened by a different app.
FAQs
Click “System Preferences” from the Apple menu. Once the window opens, click “General” below your Apple ID profile picture. This is where you can change the “Default web browser” setting. By default, Safari is chosen, but you can click on it to switch to the browser you use.
Some apps offer a setting to make them reopen each time you log in or start up your Mac, or a setting to make them reopen windows. For example, Safari has a setting to control which windows it opens with. Make sure that the app isn’t a login item. Login items open every time you log in or start up your Mac.
Go to Task Manager by clicking the Windows icon, select the settings icon (gear symbol), then type Task Manager in the search box. 2. Select the Startup tab. Highlight any progam you don’t want to start automatically, then click Disable.