Apple Further Explains iOS 17.4's New Default Browser Prompt in EU

After updating to iOS 17.4, which is currently in beta, iPhone users in the EU will be prompted to choose a default web browser when they first open Safari. In an email today, Apple shared additional details about how this process will work.

Apple EU iOS Changes
Apple said iPhone users in the EU will be presented with a list of the 12 most popular web browsers from their country's local App Store at the time, and noted that the options will be shown in random order for every user.

Apple shared an alphabetical list of the browsers that will currently be shown in every EU country. It is a very long list, so we have elected to highlight browsers that will be shown in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain as examples.

  • France: Aloha, Brave, Chrome, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Edge, Firefox, Onion Browser, Opera, Private Browser Deluxe, Qwant, and Safari
  • Germany: Aloha, Brave, Chrome, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Edge, Firefox, Ivanti Web@Work, Onion Browser, Opera, Safari, and You.com AI Search Assistant
  • Italy: Aloha, Brave, Chrome, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Edge, Firefox, Ivanti Web@Work, Onion Browser, Opera, Safari, and You.com AI Search Assistant
  • Spain: Aloha, Brave, Chrome, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Edge, Firefox, Onion Browser, Opera, Safari, Vivaldi, and You.com AI Search Assistant

There are 23 other countries in the EU that this change applies to. Notably, this no longer includes the UK, which withdrew from the EU in 2020.

It has already been possible to change an iPhone's default web browser through the Settings app since iOS 14. Apple has now gone a step further and added the default browser prompt in Safari to comply with new regulations under the EU's Digital Markets Act.

In the EU, iOS 17.4 also allows web browsers to use web engines other than Apple's WebKit.

Apple said iOS 17.4 will be released to the public in March.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 8 New Features

Thursday January 9, 2025 5:45 am PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of January 2025: More aluminum: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models ...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Launching This Year With One Thing in Common

Wednesday January 8, 2025 6:18 am PST by
It was recently reported that new Apple TV and new HomePod mini models will launch this year, and the devices are expected to have one thing in common. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month reported that the new Apple TV and the new HomePod mini will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. Gurman said the chip supports Wi-Fi 6E, so that could end up being a key upgrade...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

New iPhone SE and iPad 11 Launch Timing Allegedly Revealed by Leaker

Tuesday January 7, 2025 11:12 am PST by
A new iPhone SE and an iPad 11 might be coming very soon. In late December, a private account on X with a track record of leaking accurate iOS-related information said devices codenamed "V59" and "J481" will be released alongside iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has previously reported that "V59" is a new iPhone SE, and that "J481" is a new entry-level iPad. iOS 15.3, iOS ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

5 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's MacBook Pro

Wednesday January 8, 2025 6:33 am PST by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...
airpods pro 2 botw

Hearing a Mysterious Chime From Your AirPods Pro Case? It's a Feature

Thursday January 9, 2025 3:42 pm PST by
If you've been hearing a chiming sound from your AirPods Pro 2 case when the AirPods are charging, it's a feature that Apple added with the launch of Hearing Health last year. In a support guide, Apple says that the AirPods Pro may play a sound every so often while in the case to ensure the microphones and speakers are working as intended. From Apple: To help ensure that your AirPods...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.2.1 With Bug Fixes

Monday January 6, 2025 10:07 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.2.1 and iPadOS 18.2.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems. iOS 18.2.1 and iPadOS 18.2.1 come almost a month after Apple released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, iOS 18.2.1...
airpods 4 blue

Apple's Student Offer With Free AirPods Returns in These Four Countries

Thursday January 9, 2025 7:18 am PST by
Apple's annual "Back to School" or "Back to Uni" promotion has returned this week in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and South Korea. From January 8 through March 13, qualifying higher-education students and staff in these countries can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation with the purchase of any new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac, or a free Apple Pencil Pro or Apple...
LG UltraFine 6K Display TB5

LG Unveils UltraFine 6K Display With Thunderbolt 5 Support

Tuesday January 7, 2025 3:56 am PST by
LG has shown off a new Ultrafine 6K monitor at CES 2025. The 32-inch display is the first of its kind to support Thunderbolt 5, which Apple introduced late last year with the launch of new Mac mini and MacBook Pro models powered by M4 Pro chips. Details are scant, but we do know that the LG UltraFine 6K monitor (model 32U990A) features a Nano IPS Black panel, delivering a wide color gamut...

Top Rated Comments

jhwalker Avatar
13 months ago

how petty... they know safari would be further down than chrome if it was alphabetical so they make it random...
If they HAD put it in alphabetical order, they would be accused of favoring browsers at the top of the alphabet more than others ?‍♂️
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iOS Geek Avatar
13 months ago

how petty... they know safari would be further down than chrome if it was alphabetical so they make it random...
Petty? Why? If it's not randomized, the crybabies in the EU will probably whine about favoritism. Sure, alphabetical makes sense. But I can hear it now! "Customers have to scroll down to find and select Vivaldi! And it's below Safari! That's not fair! They should be able to select it as easily as Aloha, without having to scroll!"
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
13 months ago
Choosing a browser when you have more than one citizenship?



Attachment Image
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghostface147 Avatar
13 months ago

This is funny, because all are in fact the same browser underneath, Safari :D
Not anymore. They can all bring their own engines now. No more relying on WebKit.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
till Avatar
13 months ago
The randomization is required by law. I'm not sure why the number is as high as 12, which is probably going to include a lot of garbage even after real browser engines are allowed.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
13 months ago
Eventually it's going to be like filling in that doctor's questionnaire every time you start your phone, open an app, visit a web site, send a text, make a phone call.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)