Among all the iOS 14 features that Apple announced at WWDC 2020, the one that got users most excited was mentioned in passing in a concluding slide — the ability to change the default browser and mail app on iPhone and iPad. This means you can use email apps like Outlook and Gmail and browsers such as Google Chrome and Firefox as the default ones instead of Mail and Safari on the iPhone.
iOS 12 brought the flexibility to delete the default iOS apps from the iPhone. But it still forced consumers to use the default apps for email and web-browsing requirements. For example, if you tap on an email ID in a conversation, the system will ask you to compose the mail using the default Mail app instead of your preferred one. This behavior is changing now with the iOS 14 update.
The Mail app on the iPhone is not lacking by any means, but it’s not perfect either. Plus, it is always good to have options. If you happen to have a Windows laptop or Android tablet then there is no way to enjoy the same email experience on those devices if you use the Mail on iPhone. Thankfully, Apple has had a change of heart and it’s allowing users to set their preferred mail app as the default one on the iPhone with iOS 14. Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to change the default email app on the iPhone.
How to Change Default Mail App on iPhone
For now, the feature only works with Microsoft Outlook and Spark Mail but the steps are going to be the same for any third-party email app that you want to use — it just needs to be updated to support this feature. Remember that all third-party email apps will have to be updated first to take advantage of this feature in iOS 14.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on the iPhone.
Step 2: Scroll down to Outlook > Default Mail App.
Step 3: Select Outlook from the following menu.
That’s it. From now on, your iPhone will use Microsoft Outlook as the default email app. It will also open the selected email app when you tap on an email address in any conversation.
The ability to change the default email app is one of the many features Apple announced at the online-only WWDC event. Don’t forget to check out the 100+ new iOS 14 features for iPhone that we have discovered so far. Are you planning to move on from Mail to a third-party alternative? Which email are you going to choose and why? Sound off in the comments section below.
You can also check out the video below to know how to change the default mail app on your iPhone.
Learn how to use the cool new iOS 14 features with our step-by-step guide:
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- How to Hide Home Screen Pages on iPhone
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- iOS 14: How to Use Apple’s New Translate App on iPhone
- iOS 14: How to Get Cycling Directions in Apple Maps on iPhone
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