Direct answer
Open Settings › Apps › Default apps, choose the role—such as browser, phone or SMS—and select an eligible installed app. Menu names vary by manufacturer, but clearing all app data is not required.
What this covers
- Supported Android devices with standard Default apps controls
- Current supported consumer software as reviewed on August 20, 2026
- The symptom described in the title before a factory reset or hardware repair
What it does not cover
- ×Work profiles or manufacturer roles locked by an administrator
- ×Billing, ownership, warranty or account-recovery disputes
- ×Regional features that the manufacturer does not list for your country
Install and open the replacement app
ReversibleComplete the app’s first-run setup so Android can offer it for an eligible default role.
Open Default apps
ReversibleGo to Settings › Apps › Default apps. On some devices, use Settings search for “default apps.”
Choose the role and app
ReversibleSelect Browser app, Phone app, SMS app or another available role, then choose the installed app.
Test the associated action
ReversibleOpen a link, phone number or message action from another app and confirm Android uses the selected default.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Visible sources support the visible claims. Home Product Support records the publisher, the fact used and the review date; community reports can suggest an issue but do not become a published fact on their own.
Exact questions
Common follow-ups
What should I try first for how to change default apps on android?+
Complete the app’s first-run setup so Android can offer it for an eligible default role.
Will these steps erase apps, files or settings?+
No data-erasing step is required in this sequence. Changing a default is reversible and does not delete the previous app or its data.
When should I stop troubleshooting?+
Stop if the device reports hardware damage, becomes unusually hot, smells burnt, or the problem falls into this excluded case: Work profiles or manufacturer roles locked by an administrator.
Answer for the exact device and software version shown above.