It's time to dump Chrome as your default browser on Android

2 years ago 247

Jack Wallen makes his lawsuit for Android users to power from Chrome arsenic their default browsers. He besides shows you how.

I'm going to beryllium honorable here, I don't usage a web browser precise often connected Android. Most often I instrumentality with circumstantial applications. Now, I get that immoderate of those applications are Single Page Web apps that are astir apt utilizing bits of Chrome nether the hood. But arsenic acold arsenic utilizing a full-fledged web browser, it's lone sporadic connected my phone.

SEE: BYOD Approval Form (TechRepublic Premium)

Until astir apt a twelvemonth ago, I didn't caput utilizing Chrome connected Android. It was built in, offered seamless functionality and didn't truly origin immoderate problems. But a twelvemonth is simply a agelong clip successful tech terms, and a batch has happened successful those months.

At immoderate constituent successful 2021, I switched my default Android browser to Firefox. After all, I was utilizing the open-source browser connected my desktop (which I walk astir of my workday on), truthful it made cleanable sense. I could support my desktop and mobile web browser successful sync and everything functions arsenic I expect.

During my clip with Firefox connected Android, I haven't had immoderate issues. On the juncture that I needed a web browser, it functioned perfectly. And not utilizing Chrome connected Android was a no-brainer for me.

For others, this mightiness beryllium little of a no-brainer. After all, the bulk of mobile users simply privation everything to relation arsenic expected and don't attraction to instrumentality other steps to bash thing arsenic elemental arsenic presumption a web leafage connected a phone.

But it's time.

It's truly time.

Actually, it's past time.

I'm not going to bore you with statistic oregon tech-speak here, due to the fact that I privation you to recognize (without having to crook to your technically inclined friends) wherefore this is important.

SEE: Google Chrome: Security and UI tips you request to know (TechRepublic Premium)

Chrome has a people connected its backmost

Google Chrome has billions of users worldwide. According to Statcounter, Chrome has a 64.67% stranglehold implicit the planetary marketplace share. The adjacent browser is Safari with lone 19.06%. That's a monolithic gap.

What does this mean? Essentially, it places a people connected the backmost of Chrome, and hackers everyplace recognize if they privation to drawback users unaware, their champion changeable is via Chrome. Google knows this and regularly issues warnings to users to update their browsers asap. Some of those warnings are dire (or should beryllium taken arsenic such). And immoderate idiosyncratic that doesn't perpetually cheque for Chrome updates is playing a unsafe crippled of chickenhearted that they volition yet lose.

This is simply a crippled that volition not extremity immoderate clip soon. Chrome has ever been vulnerable. And beyond the accustomed vulnerabilities, backmost successful March, it was discovered that Google collects much information than immoderate different browser.

Consider this: Google is successful the concern of monetizing data. That's Google's breadstuff and butter. It's what's made them the astir wide utilized hunt motor connected the planet. Every concern wants to summation the Google edge, and users find the hunt close and easy. But erstwhile you mates Google's request to cod information with its browser that collects much information and requires predominant updates to spot an ever-growing fig of vulnerabilities, you person a look that is not lone unsafe but an affront connected privacy.

And that is why, months ago, I made the power to Firefox arsenic my default Android browser.

I'm not saying you should power to Firefox (although it's a coagulated choice), but you should determination distant from Chrome to different browser. Fortunately, Android has plentifulness of coagulated options, specified arsenic Opera, Vivaldi and Brave.

How to power your default

Making the power is rather simple. Open the Android Settings app and spell to Apps | Default apps. In the resulting model (Figure A), pat Browser app.

Figure A

In the adjacent model (Figure B), portion the browser you'd similar to usage arsenic your default, and you're bully to go.

Figure B

At this point, immoderate clip you pat a nexus the recently acceptable default browser volition open, alternatively of Chrome.

Your adjacent measurement would beryllium to motion retired of Chrome and crook disconnected Sync. You tin bash this by doing the following:

Open Chrome
Tap the 3 vertical dots successful the precocious close corner
Tap Settings
Tap the email code associated with your account
Tap Sign retired and crook disconnected sync (Figure C)

Figure C

At this point, determination is nary elemental mode to region Chrome from Android. That's to beryllium expected. But arsenic agelong arsenic you tin debar utilizing Chrome arsenic your default (and support it signed retired of your account), your information volition beryllium a spot safer.

Any measurement you tin instrumentality to support yourself connected a mobile level should beryllium considered a measurement forward. Until Chrome nary longer has a glaring people connected its backmost and Google ends its signifier of collecting much and much idiosyncratic data, I volition ever usage a antithetic browser connected Android, and you should, too.

5G and Mobile Enterprise Newsletter

5G networks and devices, mobile security, distant support, and the latest astir phones, tablets, and apps are immoderate of the topics we'll cover. Delivered Tuesdays and Fridays