Apple will let you change the default email and web browser app in iOS 14

There was a lot to take in at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference this year, so you may have missed this important nugget of information: Apple will finally allow iOS users to change their default email and web browser apps with the arrival of the new iOS 14.

Currently, if you were to write a new email message or click on a link, your iPhone or iPad would automatically open the Apple Mail or Safari apps. Obviously, this isn’t optimal if you use a different app to surf the web or check your email.

There it is, right at the bottom of the iPadOS slide, but it's for iOS too. Credit: screenshot: mashable

There are a slew of popular third-party email clients, like Spark or even Google’s own Gmail app, and web browser apps, such as Chrome, in the App Store. Starting with iOS 14, you can change your default apps for email and web browsing to those, or to any other third-party options.

If you missed this in the 2020 WWDC keynote today, it’s not your fault. Apple didn’t exactly shout their new feature from the mountaintops. It was tucked away on a slide for the iPadOS and only popped up onscreen when Apple mentioned that the iPad would receive other new iOS features as well.

That’s right, it didn’t even appear on the iOS slide that promoted all of the new features — probably because it means there’s a chance you won’t use Apple’s own email or web browser app. It is, however, listed as the one and only new Settings option when you scroll all the way down Apple’s iOS 14 Preview webpage.

Anyway, it’s a long-awaited and welcome addition to iOS devices!