HT201607: Set the default email app and web browser on your Mac

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wby

Q: Why is Apple *still* resetting browser preference after every Safari update?

After every update of Safari, seems like my default browser gets reset back to Safari. Wasn't Apple required not to engage in this kind of anti-competitive behavior? Either way, it's irritating, and seems like something that's very easy to fix on the technical side.

Posted on Aug 5, 2015 12:18 PM

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Q: Why is Apple *still* resetting browser preference after every Safari update?

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  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Aug 5, 2015 12:27 PM in response to wby
    Level 5 (7,527 points)
    Notebooks
    Aug 5, 2015 12:27 PM in response to wby

    I think the 'anti-competitive behaviour' was actually Microsoft not Apple…

    http://windows.microsoft.com/browser-choice

    Apple never made the OS require the browser to perform system updates whereas Microsoft did.

     

    Complain to Apple if you want them to hear, we are just other users.

    http://apple.com/feedback

  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Aug 5, 2015 1:12 PM in response to wby
    Level 10 (121,958 points)
    Apple Music
    Aug 5, 2015 1:12 PM in response to wby

    That shouldn't happen.

     

     

    Open System Preferences > General


    Select the browser you want to use from the Default web browser:  pop up menu

  • by wby,

    wby wby Aug 5, 2015 1:36 PM in response to Carolyn Samit
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 5, 2015 1:36 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

    What version are you on? I'm on 10.9.5 (Mavericks). Is the behavior different in later versions?

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 5, 2015 1:39 PM in response to wby
    Level 10 (207,963 points)
    Applications
    Aug 5, 2015 1:39 PM in response to wby

    Back up all data before proceeding.

    This procedure will unlock all your user files (not system files) and reset their ownership, permissions, and access controls to the default. If you've intentionally set special values for those attributes on any of your files, they will be reverted. In that case, either stop here, or be prepared to recreate the settings if necessary. Do so only after verifying that those settings didn't cause the problem. If none of this is meaningful to you, you don't need to worry about it, but you do need to follow the instructions below.

    Step 1

    If you have more than one user, and the one in question is not an administrator, then go to Step 2.

    Triple-click anywhere in the following line on this page to select it:

    sudo find ~ $TMPDIR.. -exec chflags -h nouchg,nouappnd,noschg,nosappnd {} + -exec chown -h $UID {} + -exec chmod +rw {} + -exec chmod -h -N {} + -type d -exec chmod -h +x {} + 2>&-

    Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.

    Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:

    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

    ☞ In the Finder, select Go Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

    ☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.

    Paste into the Terminal window by pressing command-V. I've tested these instructions only with the Safari web browser. If you use another browser, you may have to press the return key after pasting.

    You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. Type carefully and then press return. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. If you don’t have a login password, you’ll need to set one before you can run the command. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.

    The command may take several minutes to run, depending on how many files you have. Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign ($) to appear, then quit Terminal.

    Step 2 (optional)

    Take this step only if you have trouble with Step 1, if you prefer not to take it, or if it doesn't solve the problem.

    Start up in Recovery mode. When the OS X Utilities screen appears, select

              Utilities Terminal

    from the menu bar. A Terminal window will open. In that window, type this:

    resetp

    Press the tab key. The partial command you typed will automatically be completed to this:

    resetpassword

    Press return. A Reset Password window will open. You’re not going to reset a password.

    Select your startup volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name) if not already selected.

    Select your username from the menu labeled Select the user account if not already selected.

    Under Reset Home Directory Permissions and ACLs, click the Reset button.

    Select

               Restart

    from the menu bar.