iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 Bug Resets Default Apps to Safari and Mail After Every Reboot

Apple in iOS and iPadOS 14 allows users to set third-party apps as alternatives to the default mail and browser apps on iPhone and iPad, but a widespread bug appears to revert these settings to Apple's default apps whenever the user's device is rebooted.

ios14 and default outlook feature 1
The issue was discovered by several users who reported it on social media, and Apple has since confirmed the bug's existence in a statement given to CNET.

"We are aware of an issue that can impact default email and browser settings in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14. A fix will be available to users in a software update," Apple said in a statement.

Until Apple resolves the issue, suffice to say if you've set a preferred third-party browser or mail app over Safari or Apple Mail, you should probably avoid shutting down or restarting your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌, otherwise you'll have to re-select your preferences again each time you boot up your device. Of course, that's unavoidable if your device runs out of battery.


Currently, Chrome, Edge, DuckDuckGo, and Firefox can be set as default browsers, while Spark and Microsoft Outlook can be set as default Mail apps. Users who don't get on with Safari or Apple's native Mail app can choose an alternative and it will be opened automatically whenever the system requires it. As long as they haven't restarted their device, that is.

Related Forum: iOS 14

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Leak Reveals All-New Design

Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app. Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
2024 App Store Awards

Apple Explains Why It Removed TikTok From the App Store in the U.S.

Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action. Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website. Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50. We have outlined some examples below: Device New Value Old Value iPhone 15 Pro Max Up to $630 U ...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.3 Beta 3

Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features. Notification Summary Changes Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines. For...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Rumored to Be Compatible With These iPhones

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:28 am PST by
iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr. The report cited a source who said iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that can run iOS 18, which would mean the following models: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhon...
iPhone SE Dynamic Island Majin Bu

iPhone SE 4 Leak Shows Dynamic Island, Casts Doubt on Rumored 'iPhone 16E' Name

Monday January 20, 2025 9:01 am PST by
A new iPhone SE is widely rumored to launch this year, and the device has potentially been confirmed today by known leaker Evan Blass. In a private social media post, Blass shared an image of what appears to be source code mentioning an iPhone SE (4th Gen), which casts doubt on the alternative "iPhone 16E" name rumored for the device. However, the name in the source code could be a...
airtag 4 pack blue

AirTag 2 Launching This Year With These 3 New Features

Sunday January 19, 2025 8:11 am PST by
After a four-year wait, a new AirTag is finally expected to launch in 2025. Below, we recap rumored upgrades for the accessory. A few months ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was aiming to release the AirTag 2 around the middle of 2025. While he did not offer a more specific timeframe, that means the AirTag 2 could be announced by the end of June. The original AirTag was announced...
iPad Pro vs iPhone 17 Air Feature

Here's How Thin the iPhone 17 Air Might Be

Friday January 17, 2025 3:38 pm PST by
For the last several months, we've been hearing rumors about a redesigned version of the iPhone 17 that Apple might call the iPhone 17 "Air," or something along those lines. It's going to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as Apple's fourth iPhone option, and it will be offered alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We know the iPhone 17 Air is going to be super slim, but...

Top Rated Comments

markfc Avatar
57 months ago
"Bug"
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
57 months ago
"Bug, feature... potato, potato" - Apple :D
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
12643 Avatar
57 months ago
This does not bode well for iOS 14. A very basic bug, very easy to find, not caused by some weird, uncommon device usage. And they didn’t catch it before release?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
markgpearse Avatar
57 months ago
The Apple giveth and the Apple taketh away!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brandon Edling Avatar
57 months ago

Just shows they didn’t really want people using another browser or email client
Or maybe it’s just a bug? Doesn’t have to be nefarious.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PBG4 Dude Avatar
57 months ago
Come on people, it’s obviously Apple’s first attempt at jail breaking iOS. With any luck, they’ll have an untethered solution that survives reboot within a few months.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)