Apple released iOS 18.2 to developer beta users earlier this week. This version shipped with a number of AI features, including Gemmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration, but the company also shipped a new default menu for changing the default apps. You’re also not limited to web browsers, as you can change the default app for messages and calls.
Previously, the company only allowed changes to the default email and browser apps. These settings were located in the Safari and Mail menus. iOS 18.2 provides a dedicated menu for changing all default apps.
The Default Apps menu description says, “Manage your iPhone’s default apps, including choosing which apps to use to open links on the web, send emails, make contactless payments, and more.”
Here’s how to access it:
- Moved to the New Apps section of Settings in iOS 18.
- Tap on the “Default apps” option below it.
- You can now choose new default apps for email, messaging, calling, call filtering, and web browsers.
The default app menu also lists the number of apps related to passwords and codes and the number of keyboard apps you have installed. Tap on that menu and you’ll see a list of all apps in those categories. You can also choose what you want to access when you enter a password or enter text.
Note that this option is currently available to iOS 18.2 developer beta users. Apple just released the first beta version of iOS 18.2 this week. It will be several weeks before everyone can download it. We’ll update the story after we roll it out to a broader user base.
