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

Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Will Bring Biggest Design Overhaul Since iOS 7

Monday March 10, 2025 12:17 pm PDT by
Apple is planning for a major design overhaul of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac interfaces with the introduction of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 later this year, reports Bloomberg. The update will "fundamentally change" the look of Apple's operating system, introducing a more consistent cross-platform experience. Apple plans to update the style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system...
ios 18 4 carplay

Apple Upgrades CarPlay in Two Ways

Wednesday March 12, 2025 6:05 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone includes a smaller but meaningful improvement for Apple's in-car iPhone mirroring system CarPlay. Specifically, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra with a...
Apple One Apps Feature 2

Apple One's Best Plan Now Includes Two More Perks For Free

Monday March 10, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Apple One allows you to subscribe to up to six Apple services for one discounted monthly price. There are three Apple One tiers: Individual, Family, and Premier. Over the last month, the highest-end ‌Apple One‌ Premier plan has gained two additional perks. Here is what Apple One Premier already included, for $37.95 per month:Apple Music Apple TV+ Apple Arcade Apple News+ Apple Fitness+...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 11, 2025 3:26 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...
iOS 18

12 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.4

Monday March 10, 2025 9:28 am PDT by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.4 in early April, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a neat new capability to iPhone 15 Pro devices, new emoji, and more. While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.4 still introduces enhancements that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've listed 12 new...
iphone 17 mockups idevicehelp

Video Shows iPhone 17 Mockups Based on 'Internal Documents'

Monday March 10, 2025 4:41 am PDT by
YouTuber iDeviceHelp on Friday posted a video that shows off mockups of Apple's forthcoming iPhone 17 models that are purportedly based on "internal documents." We're sharing the video here since it was made in collaboration with leaker Majin Bu, who last month published similar iPhone 17 renders that were widely corroborated by separate leakers with links to Apple's Chinese supply chain....
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.2 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Monday March 10, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple employees are internally testing iOS 18.3.2 for iPhones, according to our website's visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released in the next week or two. iOS 18.3.2 will be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Don't expect any new features. iOS 18.3.2 will be an interim...
Apple Maps vs Google Maps Feature

iOS 18.4 Adds a Highly-Requested Setting to iPhones — But Not in U.S.

Wednesday March 12, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
iPhones are finally getting a much-requested setting, but availability is limited. The upcoming iOS 18.4 update introduces an option to set a default navigation app, other than Apple Maps, but unfortunately this new setting is limited to users in the EU. There, you can now set an app like Google Maps or Waze as your default navigation app on the iPhone by opening the Settings app and tapping ...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.3.2 With Bug Fixes

Tuesday March 11, 2025 10:33 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.3.2 and iPadOS 18.3.2, minor updates for the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.3.2 and iOS 18.3.2 come a month after Apple released iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1. 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...

Top Rated Comments

jhwalker Avatar
15 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
15 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
15 months ago
Choosing a browser when you have more than one citizenship?



Attachment Image
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghostface147 Avatar
15 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
15 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
15 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)