How to reset android’s application launcher to the default

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Pro tip: Resetting Android default apps

Pro tip: Resetting Android default apps

Jack Wallen shows you an easy way to reset default apps on the LG G3 smartphone and how to reset the apps on other Android devices.

There are times when you select an app to be used as the default, and you wind up wanting to either select a different third-party app or reset to the default. This could be as simple as your default web browser or even your home screen launcher. No matter what the app, you still have to know how to make the change — that is, if you want to gain the simplicity and ease-of-use that comes along with having the correct default app.

With Android, there are different ways of doing this. How you do it will depend on two variables:

• If you’re installing a new app to serve as the default
• Which device you have

Since it’s the easiest, let’s first deal with the installation of a new app. When you install a new app, such as a browser, the first time you try to launch a URL, you’ll be asked what browser you want to use as the default (Figure A). This happens any time you install an app where another app serves the same function on the device.

Figure A

Setting the default browser on a Verizon-branded HTC M8.

Select the browser you want to use, tap Always, and the default is set. Easy.

But what happens when you’re not installing a new app? How do you reset the default? That will depend on the device you have. Some devices, such as the LG G3, make it very easy to reset all defaults from a centralized location. For this device, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings
2. Locate and tap the App Manager
3. Tap the menu button (three vertical dots in the upper right corner)
4. Tap Reset default apps
5. Go through the listing of the apps (Figure B), and tap clear for all the defaults to be reset

Figure B

Resetting defaults on the LG G3.

If your device doesn’t offer a feature like the LG G3 Reset default apps system, you have to reset the default apps individually. Let’s say you’ve installed Firefox and want to go back to using Chrome as the default. Here’s how:

1. Open Settings
2. Locate and tap the App manager
3. Locate and tap the Firefox app
4. Scroll down and tap Clear defaults (Figure C)

Figure C

Resetting your browser defaults in Android.

The next time you tap on a URL, you’ll be asked which browser to use as the default.

Resetting the default apps on your Android device isn’t terribly hard. There might even be some app types where you don’t want to set a default. In that case, tap Just Once when prompted, and you can then select which app to use for that action… every time.

What is your Android default browser of choice? Do you prefer the built-in Chrome? Firefox? Opera? Another choice? Most importantly, why do you prefer that particular browser? Share your experience in the discussion thread below.

Jason Fitzpatrick is the Senior Smart Home Editor at How-To Geek. He has over a decade of experience in publishing and has authored thousands of articles at How-To Geek, Review Geek, LifeSavvy, and Lifehacker. Jason served as Lifehacker’s Weekend Editor before he joined How-To Geek. Read more.

Playing around with new application launchers on Android is pretty fun, but it isn’t exactly clear how to switch back to the default Google launcher. Read on as we show you.

Switching default applications can be a bit confusing. In fact, switching the default launcher was confusing enough that starting in Android 4.4, Google added a much more obvious way to go about doing it. It largely stayed the same until Android 7.0, when Google changed things just a tiny bit. We’ll outline how to change the launcher in all versions of Android, starting with the latest release first.

Changing the Default Launcher in Android 7.x Nougat

In Nougat, you can find the setting for the default launcher in the same place as every other default app. It makes sense when you think about it, but it might not be the first place you look–especially if you’re used to the old, pre-Nougat method.

The first thing you’ll need to do is jump into the Settings menu. Pull the notifications shade twice, then tap the cog icon.

From there, navigate down to “Apps,” then hit the cog icon in that menu.

A little way down that menu, you’ll see an entry fro “Home app”–tap that, change your launcher, and you’re finished.

Changing the Default Launcher in Android 4.4 – 6.x

Changing the launcher in Android 4.4 – 6.x is actually even easier. Pull the notifications shade twice, then tap the cog icon to go to Settings. Then scroll down and tap the Home option. That’s it. It’s worth noting that this option will only show up if you have multiple launchers installed. If you’re still using the stock option, this entry will not be there.

NOTE: Many Samsung devices won’t have the “Home” option in the root Settings menu. If yours doesn’t have this choice, then it’ll actually be more like the Nougat instructions above–just head into Settings > Applications > Default applications.

Within the Home menu you’ll find a super convenient application launcher selection screen.

From the Home menu you can select a new launcher as well as delete launchers you no longer want. The default launcher will always have the delete option grayed out (or no icon at all, depending on Android version). Older Android devices will have a default launcher named, simply enough, “Launcher,” where more recent devices will have “Google Now Launcher” as the stock default option. And this is, of course, contingent on manufacturer build, as well–for example, the default option is called “TouchWiz.” On LG devices, it’s just called “Home.”

Changing the Default Launcher In Pre-4.4 Android

If you’re running a device with any version of Android prior to 4.4, you’ll need to take a slightly different (and less intuitive) approach to changing your default launcher.

First, you need to navigate to Settings > Apps > All.

Scroll down and look for your current application launcher. In the case of our example device, the default launcher is the Google Now Launcher.

Click on the current default launcher and then scroll down to the “Launch by Default” section.

Tap “Clear defaults” to remove the default launcher flag. Then, press the home button on your device to trigger the launcher function.

Select the launcher you want and then select “Always” if you’re ready to commit to the selection or “Just once” if you want to play around with it.

That’s all there is to it! Whether you’re trying to switch back to the third launcher you tried out or the default you started with, it’s just few clicks in the right menu to sort things out.

It’s a problem you might run into regularly. You tap a file that you really want to open with a particular app, but for some reason, Android keeps opening it with some application you couldn’t care less about. That’s because you’ve got the wrong app selected for that type of file. You’re in the right place, however. In this brief guide, we’ll walk you through the process of changing default apps on Android.

QUICK ANSWER

To change default apps in Android, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps and pick which category you want to set a default app for. Then select the app you want to use for this category.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS (you can change the wording of this)

Editor’s note: These instructions were put together using a Pixel 4a with 5G running Android 12. It’s a great device to base any guide on, but some steps might differ depending on the device and software you use.

How to manage default apps

The process used to be much more complicated, but Google has turned managing default apps into an effortless task. It’s baked right into the settings. Go into your Settings app, select Apps, and then go into Default apps.

From there, you can pick your default browser, call redirecting, caller ID, digital assistant, home launcher, phone, and SMS default applications. You can also go into Opening links to edit individual apps on your phone.

Step-by-step instructions to manage default apps:

1. Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
2. Go into Apps.
3. Select Default apps.
4. Pick the apps you want for each option.

Manage defaults as you go

Important: This feature is no longer available in Android 12. You’ll have to resort to changing your default apps using the guide in the previous section if you have the newer OS version. Those with Android 11 and prior versions can still use this method.

The Android operating system uses a pretty slick concept called “implicit intent.” Basically, if the user or an app calls for the device to do something like “take a picture,” the operating system will look for an app that can get the job done. If more than one option exists, and no default has been selected (or if a new possibility has been installed since the last time a default was set), then Android will ask the user which app they would prefer to use. This makes the process of setting default apps easy and intuitive.

Next time you open any link or action, and Android gives you options for which app to use, select your preferred default app. You can choose Just once or Always. Select Always if you want to make that app the default one. The operating will remember your preference from then on.

The only issue with doing this is that sometimes people accidentally set a default app they didn’t intend to. You can follow the steps in the previous section to change your preference. Once you get to the Default apps section, go into Opening links. Find the app you want to change your preferences for and go into it. You’ll get all the options you need there.

Step-by-step instructions to manage defaults as you go:

1. Open a link to a website or action you want to set a default app for. I’m using BestBuy as an example.
2. Android will ask you which app you want to use.
3. You can pick to use this app Just Once or Always.
4. Pick Always to set it as the preferred method.

Nuclear option: Reset all default apps

If you can’t figure out which app default is giving you fits and the option to choose a new default isn’t appearing no matter what you do, there’s still hope!

However, remember that going through with this procedure will also enable all disabled apps, reset any app notification options, remove any background data restrictions or permission restrictions placed on specific apps. You won’t lose any data, but if you play around with your apps’ settings a lot, you might have to do a fair amount of reconfiguring to get things back to how you like them.

If you’re ready for an app settings reset, go into your Settings app. Select Apps & notifications, and tap on See all apps. Hit the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner. Tap on Reset app preferences. Confirm by tapping on Reset apps.

Step-by-step instructions to reset default apps:

1. Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
2. Go into Apps.
3. Tap on the See all apps option.
4. Hit the three-dot menu button.
5. Tap on Reset app preferences.
6. Confirm by selecting Reset apps.

Did you just get a new Android phone? There are a few other things you should do to improve your experience. Check out our guide on the first things to do with your new Android phone for more tips.

Few third-party launchers have an “exit” option. So how do you undo this change?

Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET’s popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook “I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie”).

One of the cool things about Android is the way you can replace the stock app launcher with any number of third-party alternatives.

During my recent dalliance with the Moto X, for example, I tried a number of them: Espier Launcher 7, Nova Launcher, and, most recently, Aviate. And if you’re new to Android yourself, or just looking for a way to give your phone a makeover, launchers can be a lot of fun to experiment with.

Just one problem: It’s not always clear how to switch back to the default launcher if you decide you don’t like the new one (and elected to make it the new default by selecting “Always” after tapping the Home button).

Fortunately, even if the new launcher lacks a clear exit strategy, you can get the old one back. Here’s how. (For purposes of this tutorial, I used a Motorola Moto X running Android 4.4. The process should be very similar on other Android devices, though it could vary in screens and/or nomenclature.)

Step 1: Run the Settings app.

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Step 2: Tap Apps, then swipe over to the All heading.

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Step 3: Scroll down until you find the name of your current launcher, then tap it.

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Step 4: Scroll down to the Clear Defaults button, then tap it.

Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Step 5: Now, when you tap the Home button, you should see an option to choose the launcher you want (just as you did after installing the new one). Tap Launcher (i.e. Android’s native one), then tap Always.

And that’s it! Now that you have this little tip in your pocket, feel free to go nuts with other launchers. If they don’t work out, it’s no problem to revert back to the original, even if it’s just temporarily.

Playing around with new application launchers on Android is pretty fun, but it isn’t exactly clear how to switch back to the default Google launcher. Read on as we show you.

RELATED: How to Set Default Apps on Android

Switching default applications can be a bit confusing. In fact, switching the default launcher was confusing enough that starting in Android 4.4, Google added a much more obvious way to go about doing it. It largely stayed the same until Android 7.0, when Google changed things just a tiny bit. We’ll outline how to change the launcher in all versions of Android, starting with the latest release first.

Table of Contents

Changing the Default Launcher in Android 7.x Nougat

In Nougat, you can find the setting for the default launcher in the same place as every other default app. It makes sense when you think about it, but it might not be the first place you look–especially if you’re used to the old, pre-Nougat method.

The first thing you’ll need to do is jump into the Settings menu. Pull the notifications shade twice, then tap the cog icon.

From there, navigate down to “Apps,” then hit the cog icon in that menu.

A little way down that menu, you’ll see an entry fro “Home app”–tap that, change your launcher, and you’re finished.

Article post on: us.dinhthienbao.com

Changing the Default Launcher in Android 4.4 – 6.x

RELATED: How to Install Nova Launcher for a More Powerful, Customizable Android Home Screen

Changing the launcher in Android 4.4 – 6.x is actually even easier. Pull the notifications shade twice, then tap the cog icon to go to Settings. Then scroll down and tap the Home option. That’s it. It’s worth noting that this option will only show up if you have multiple launchers installed. If you’re still using the stock option, this entry will not be there.

Within the Home menu you’ll find a super convenient application launcher selection screen.

Article post on: us.dinhthienbao.com

From the Home menu you can select a new launcher as well as delete launchers you no longer want. The default launcher will always have the delete option grayed out (or no icon at all, depending on Android version). Older Android devices will have a default launcher named, simply enough, “Launcher,” where more recent devices will have “Google Now Launcher” as the stock default option. And this is, of course, contingent on manufacturer build, as well–for example, the default option is called “TouchWiz.” On LG devices, it’s just called “Home.”

Changing the Default Launcher In Pre-4.4 Android

If you’re running a device with any version of Android prior to 4.4, you’ll need to take a slightly different (and less intuitive) approach to changing your default launcher.

Article post on: us.dinhthienbao.com

Scroll down and look for your current application launcher. In the case of our example device, the default launcher is the Google Now Launcher.

Click on the current default launcher and then scroll down to the “Launch by Default” section.

Tap “Clear defaults” to remove the default launcher flag. Then, press the home button on your device to trigger the launcher function.

Select the launcher you want and then select “Always” if you’re ready to commit to the selection or “Just once” if you want to play around with it.

That’s all there is to it! Whether you’re trying to switch back to the third launcher you tried out or the default you started with, it’s just few clicks in the right menu to sort things out.

Article post on: us.dinhthienbao.com

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This tutorial is about How to Reset Default Apps on Android Phone. Recently I updated this tutorial and will try my best so that you understand this guide. I hope you guys like this blog, How to Reset Default Apps on Android Phone. If your answer is yes after reading the article, please share this article with your friends and family to support us.

• Check How to Reset Default Apps on Android Phone
• stock android
• Reset preferences for a single app
• Reset all app preferences at once
• samsung smartphones
• Reset preferences for a single app
• Reset all app preferences at once
• Final remarks: How to Reset Default Apps on Android Phone

Check How to Reset Default Apps on Android Phone

One of the best features of an Android phone is the ability to customize your default apps. If you’ve ever opened a file or Internet link with a certain app and selected Always when prompted, that type of file will open with that app every time, saving you time by not having to tap that app every time. But what if you’re not sure or discover a superior app that you’d like to set as default? Don’t be afraid to experiment with different options; Android lets you commit to your choices or switch to another app, so you don’t have to go back and tweak everything.

Whether you have a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or a stock Android phone, we’ll show you how to restore your app settings on Android.

stock android

Reset preferences for a single app

• Look for Settings in the app drawer.
• Once there, select Apps & notifications > See all apps and choose the app you want to reset.
• Once selected, go to Advanced and then tap on Open by default.
• Tap Clear Defaults.

Reset all app preferences at once

• Go to Settings > Apps.
• Tap the More menu () in the top right corner.
• Select Reset App Preferences.

samsung smartphones

Reset preferences for a single app

• Go to Settings > Apps and tap on the three dots in the top right corner.
• In the pop-up menu, tap Default apps.
• Choose the app you want to reset.
• Select the alternative app you would like to use.

Reset all app preferences at once

• Go to Settings > Apps.
• Tap on the three dots in the top right corner.
• Select Reset App Preferences.
• Read the warning – it will tell you everything that will be reset. This typically includes disabled apps, notification restrictions for apps, background data restrictions for apps, and permission restrictions, as well as default apps.
• Tap Reset Apps to confirm your decision.

Final remarks: How to Reset Default Apps on Android Phone

I hope you understand this article, How to Reset Default Apps on Android Phone. If your answer is no, you can ask anything via the contact forum section related to this article. And if your answer is yes, please share this article with your friends and family to give us your support.

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Pro tip: Resetting Android default apps

Pro tip: Resetting Android default apps

Jack Wallen shows you an easy way to reset default apps on the LG G3 smartphone and how to reset the apps on other Android devices.

There are times when you select an app to be used as the default, and you wind up wanting to either select a different third-party app or reset to the default. This could be as simple as your default web browser or even your home screen launcher. No matter what the app, you still have to know how to make the change — that is, if you want to gain the simplicity and ease-of-use that comes along with having the correct default app.

With Android, there are different ways of doing this. How you do it will depend on two variables:

• If you’re installing a new app to serve as the default
• Which device you have

Since it’s the easiest, let’s first deal with the installation of a new app. When you install a new app, such as a browser, the first time you try to launch a URL, you’ll be asked what browser you want to use as the default (Figure A). This happens any time you install an app where another app serves the same function on the device.

Figure A

Setting the default browser on a Verizon-branded HTC M8.

Select the browser you want to use, tap Always, and the default is set. Easy.

But what happens when you’re not installing a new app? How do you reset the default? That will depend on the device you have. Some devices, such as the LG G3, make it very easy to reset all defaults from a centralized location. For this device, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings
2. Locate and tap the App Manager
3. Tap the menu button (three vertical dots in the upper right corner)
4. Tap Reset default apps
5. Go through the listing of the apps (Figure B), and tap clear for all the defaults to be reset

Figure B

Resetting defaults on the LG G3.

If your device doesn’t offer a feature like the LG G3 Reset default apps system, you have to reset the default apps individually. Let’s say you’ve installed Firefox and want to go back to using Chrome as the default. Here’s how:

1. Open Settings
2. Locate and tap the App manager
3. Locate and tap the Firefox app
4. Scroll down and tap Clear defaults (Figure C)

Figure C

Resetting your browser defaults in Android.

The next time you tap on a URL, you’ll be asked which browser to use as the default.

Resetting the default apps on your Android device isn’t terribly hard. There might even be some app types where you don’t want to set a default. In that case, tap Just Once when prompted, and you can then select which app to use for that action… every time.

What is your Android default browser of choice? Do you prefer the built-in Chrome? Firefox? Opera? Another choice? Most importantly, why do you prefer that particular browser? Share your experience in the discussion thread below.

When you first use your brand new Android smartphone, there’s a good chance you might download some of your favorite apps to replace some of the native apps that come bundled on your device. Changing your default browser and music player is one of the more common changes we’ve seen, along with changing your launcher and keyboard.

But what if you’re experimenting with the various apps and decide you want to wipe the board and just go back to the default apps? Maybe there are some bugs with your current apps that aren’t fixed yet, or maybe you decide that the bundled apps on your phone are still the best choice possible.

Thankfully, resetting your default apps isn’t that difficult and here’s what you need to know if you want to reset your apps back to the default when you first got your device.

Reset all default apps

1. Launch the Settings app on your phone
2. Tap on Apps
3. Tap the three-dot icon located at the top right corner of the screen. Keep in mind that depending on your device, you might need to tap on “See All Apps” first
4. Tap on “Reset app preferences”
5. Tap on “Reset apps” when the prompt comes up
6. All your apps should now be set to what it was when you first used your phone

Reset default apps for specific apps

In case you don’t want to reset all your apps again, maybe you only want to change a few, then follow this method below.

1. Launch Settings and tap on Apps
2. Depending on your phone, you might need to tap on “See All Apps” first if you can’t find the app you’re looking for
3. Tap on the app whose default you want to reset
4. Go to Advanced and look for “Open by default” and tap on it
5. Tap Clear Defaults

Once an app’s default is cleared, you might be prompted again in the future if you want to set it as your default app when it launches. You can now choose a different app, whether it be the native app or a third-party app if you prefer.

Android 11 hasn’t exactly been shy of bugs. Multiple users are now reporting an issue when using third-party launchers. In this, the default launcher preference occasionally gets reset automatically.

Now, this bug must obviously feel quite irritating, and the number of complaints testifies to that.

Source

I installed Nova launcher but for some reason every once in a while when I use the gesture to go to the home screen it’ll open the stock pixel launcher. When I go back into the Nova settings it’ll show the option for “Default launcher” as “not set” and it’ll keep doing the same thing no matter how many times I set Nova as default. Anyone know if there is a fix this or is it just an Android 11 bug?
Source

I have the same issue. Started on my 3A after upgrade to 11. Have a new 4A and it’s now doing it as well. It doesn’t even ask me which launcher I want. It just sometimes switches directly back to stock when exiting apps with swipe up. When I go to set the default app back to Nova no launcher is selected.
Source

The issue seems to be pretty widespread and has been reported on several devices like the Pixels and some OnePlus devices. They have one thing in common though – all of them run Android 11.

Or at least most of them. A few Samsung users are affected as well, yet their devices are on Android 10. Could this suggest that the issue is more widespread than earlier thought? Probably.

Initially, it seemed that the issue is limited to Nova Launcher only. However, newer complaints showed that the problem occurs when using other launchers as well.

Take it easy, though, as we got a couple of workarounds for you to try.

Workarounds for Android 11 default launcher reset issue

1. Officially recommended workaround: The first thing you can do is trying this officially recommended workaround.

Source

Actually stumbled on what seems to be a fix. If you set the pixel launcher as default, then go in and make your preferred launcher default, it seems to fix it. Still bloody annoying!
Source

2. Modify system settings permission: If that didn’t work for you, you many also try giving your launcher permission to modify system settings if available.

A couple of Nova Launcher users have reported that this fixed the issue for them. This permission can be toggled on from your respective launcher’s “App info” section, as shown in the image below.

The modify system settings permission toggle

I just found what might be a solution to this problem. Go to app settings for Nova Launcher and check the permissions it has. Give it permission to modify system settings. Since I did that I haven’t been prompted to set the default launcher.
Source

And that’s all for now. Let us know in the comments below if the above solutions worked for the Android 11 default launcher reset issue. Hopefully, Google will fix the issue soon, if the problem is from their side.

Be sure to also check out our dedicated Android 11 bug tracker for further coverage on such problems.

And for OnePlus specific Android 11 bug tracker, click here.

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If you’ve ever installed two different applications that essentially do the same thing (music players, web browsers), you’ll likely be presented with a small pop-up menu when trying to play a song or open a web page, asking you which application you’d like to complete the action with. Allowing the user to choose different applications to open certain content shows Android’s flexibility, but it also slows you down. Luckily, you can tap “always” and never be bothered when performing that action again.

But what if you change your mind? What if an app update makes you reconsider which Twitter client, for example, you want to use to open Twitter links?

While setting a default application is very simple, clearing default apps is not as straightforward.

Note: I’m going to use home launchers as an example, but the steps are the same for any type of application, from browsers to Twitter clients to image viewers.

Setting default applications

In this example, I’ll show you how to set a default application with two different home screen apps, Google Now Launcher and Nova Launcher. Since Google Now Launcher was pre-installed on the phone, it will always default to it when I press home, but after installing Nova Launcher, pressing the home button will present this pop-up menu.

To set Nova Launcher as the default application, simply tap its name, and then tap on Always. You’re done! Now, every time you press the home button on your phone or tablet, Nova Launcher will automatically open instead of the menu you see above.

Clearing default applications

So lets say you set Nova Launcher as your default home screen replacement, but want Google Launcher back. Or, you try out a new image gallery, and don’t like it, and want to go back to using the stock Gallery app. Any time you want to clear your default choice for an application type, all you have to do is pop into Settings.

Go into Settings and tap on Apps. Swipe left and right to change the list filtering between Downloaded apps, Running apps, or All apps.

Scroll down until you see Nova Launcher and tap on it.

Scroll until you see Clear Defaults button, tap it, and you’re done. Now you’ll be given the Select a home app menu again when you press the home button on your phone or tablet.

The procedure is the same for any app that sets itself as the default for performing a particular action, like an app that makes phone calls (such as Skype) making itself the default instead of your regular phone dialer. Just find the app in question in Settings > Apps, select it, and choose Clear Defaults.

Blake has been an Android fan since the G1 days, tinkering with any device he can get his hands on. When he’s not geeking out on Android devices, you’ll likely find him playing video games or watching a laundry list of horror movies.

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How to reset Android defaults using the Task Manager

How to reset Android defaults using the Task Manager

Have you ever wanted to quickly unset a default application in Android? Jack Wallen has found a shortcut that will save you some time.

There are times when you install an app you know you’re going to love and you immediately set it as the default app. After a while, you grow to dislike the app and decide to set the original (or something even newer) as the default. So, you go to Settings | Applications, locate and tap the app, and tap Clear Defaults. It’s a circuitous route to a very simple task.

Thankfully, there’s an easier way to do this. With the help of the built-in Android Task Manager, you can quickly unset the default for a particular app. Let’s walk through this process.

If you’re using a device like the Samsung Galaxy S4, you can long-press the home button, tap Task Manager, and you’ll be greeted by the right tool for the job. From here (Figure A), tap the Clear defaults tab, and then tap the Clear button associated with the defaults that you want to clear.

Figure A

Task Manager running on a Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy S4.

Once you’ve tapped Clear, the next time the action of that app is required, you’ll be asked if you want to set the defaults. Quick and painless.

Now, if you’re using a device like the Motorola Moto X, you’ll notice a long-press of the home button doesn’t give you the option of opening the Task Manager. With this device (and other devices by Motorola), you have to go through the longer process. For those who like to try out new home launchers, the Moto X does have one very handy feature. If you open up Settings | Home, you can easily select which home launcher you want to use as the default (Figure B).

Figure B

The Verizon-branded Motorola Moto X home launcher selector.

If you only have the default home launcher installed, the Home section in Settings will not appear. Once you install a second home launcher (like Atom Launcher), the Home section will appear in Settings.

Honestly, changing and setting defaults on the Android platform couldn’t be easier.

Have you found a handy shortcut in Android you wish to share? Or have you found the platform lacking in certain types of shortcuts? Let us know in the discussion thread below.

The Google Play Store has millions of free and paid apps and games. They fall into various categories and allow us do multifarious tasks easily. In most cases they compensate for a missing feature on an Android device, while sometimes they might even be better that the stock apps that come preinstalled on your device. The hunger for a better app with rich features makes us keep ransacking the Play Store. We try apps, compare them and then keep only those that appear to us to be useful.

We download home launchers, dialers, web browsers, gallery, music and video apps and so on. There are certain apps that can handle a particular action or open a specific file. For example, if you have several video plays installed on your device and you open a video file, you will be asked to select a default app to open a video files found on your phone. The same thing goes with all other actions that can be performed by more than one app installed on the device. This is indeed a great feature because after setting a given app as default for a particular action, you do not have to see the selection popup again and again.

On some Android devices, you might see prompts like “Complete action using”. This lets us select our favourite app for completing a given action. It also allows us to set an app as default or for the time being. To avoid this message, we generally pick an app and set it as default preference for the action. While it is a great feature in Android, sometimes it puts us into strange situations. I know a guy who, when prompted, accidently selected pop Up Browser” as his default app for opening links on his Galaxy Note 2 and after that whatever link he tried to open, it launched only with the Pop Up Browser. Sometimes we might deliberately select a default app for an action but at other times we might want the same action to be performed by another app. It is here, one might get irritated because the device keeps opening a certain app using the same app we selected as default action.

Once set as a default app, can we undo it or reset it to previous state where we are asked again to select an app? It is here that knowledge and understanding of Android comes to help. If you have been facing helpless because you are not able to change a default app for an action, here is the solution. In fact, it is very easy and your phone suggests it just after making the default choice itself (see below).

So, the above screenshot should be just enough to get you to the solution! However, here are the detailed steps:

1. Open Settings on your device and go to Apps/Applications/Application Manager.
2. On Galaxy devices with Android 4.2.2, go to Settings> More> Application Manager.
3. Wen the Application manager is opened, swipe your finger on the screen from right to left till you can see “All” apps page.
4. Now find the app that is set to launch by default for a particular action and tap on it.
5. Here you will see options like Force Stop, Disable, Clear Data, Clear Cache, etc.
6. Scroll up a little and you will see another option called “Clear Defaults”.
7. Just tap on this option and you are done!

You’ll now be able to set choose another app for opening a fie type, link, etc.

To clear default app preferences easily, you can download a free app called Clear Defaults from the Play Store:

The Android platform has been widely used because of its user friendly and developer friendly policy. Users have complete freedom to change everything on their device from the user interface to the appearance of the device. Users may sometimes want to switch to a new interface and homescreen, while there are situations where users may want to revert to the original Stock.

Users looking to restore Stock launcher on their Android devices can do so by going through the following steps. IBTimes UK reminds users it will not be held responsible for any consequences.

• Navigate to Settings
• Tap on the Apps icon
• Choose Manage Apps
• Click on the launcher that you installed (Apex, Nova and ADW are the most commonly used launchers)
• Tap on ADW launcher will take you to the ADW settings with options such as Force Atop, Uninstall in the top and details about storage, Cache and option of clearing Storage and Cache with one click
• Navigate to the bottom of the page. You will see Launch by Default option that contains Clear Defaults button
• Tapping on Clear Default button will remove the default and running launchers
• Tap on Home button and go the home page
• You will now see a pop up asking you to select the launcher to use
• Tap on the Stock launcher icon to restore the Stock launcher from Android
• You can see a tick box now which needs to be ticked to ensure that your Stock launcher used if you restart the device

If you choose never to use Custom ROM or Launcher, then your task is yet to be completed. You will now have to uninstall the launcher completely. To do so, go to Settings > Appications and then choose the launcher app to be uninstalled. On doing so, the page would show up two options – Force Stop or Uninstall the app.

Joe Fedewa is a Staff Writer at How-To Geek. He has been covering consumer technology for over a decade and previously worked as a News Editor at XDA Developers. Joe loves all things technology and is also an avid DIYer at heart. He has written thousands of articles, hundreds of tutorials, and dozens of reviews. Read more.

Cameron Summerson is ex-Editor-in-Chief of Review Geek and served as an Editorial Advisor for How-To Geek and LifeSavvy. He covered technology for a decade and wrote over 4,000 articles and hundreds of product reviews in that time. He’s been published in print magazines and quoted as a smartphone expert in the New York Times. Read more.

When you have multiple apps that do the same thing, Android asks you which one you want to be the “default.” This is one of Android’s best features and you should take advantage of it. We’ll show you how.

There are a number of different default app categories. You can set a default web browser, search engine, phone app, messaging app, home screen launcher, and more. When something happens that requires one of these apps, the one you chose as the “default” will be used.

The good news is this process is essentially the same on every Android device. First, swipe down once or twice from the top of the screen—depending on your phone—to open the notification shade and tap the gear icon.

Next, go to “Apps.”

Select “Default Apps” or “Choose Default Apps.”

Here are all the different categories of default apps. Tap one to see the options.

You’ll see a list of all the apps you have installed that can be set as the default. Simply select the one you want to use.

That’s all there is to it! You can go through and do this for all the different categories.

Whenever you install a new app that can be set as a default–like a home screen launcher or web browser—this will effectively reset your default preference for that category, allowing you to set the newly-installed app as default without having to go through much hassle. If you want to change it back, just follow these instructions again.

One of the great things on the Android operating system is that there are millions of apps available on the Google Play Store. However, there are several alternatives available as well and if you install two or more similar apps, you might have to decide on the app that you want to use regularly. This brings up the possible need to change default app settings on Android.

For example, if you have several music players installed, you should choose a default app for opening all your music files. While setting this up is easy, a lot of Android users don’t know how to change the default app once it has been set. Continue reading to find out how you can easily change the default app settings on your Android phone.

Why Change The Default App?

There can be several instances where you might want to change your default app.

• There’s a better alternative available on the Google Play Store. If there’s an app that provides a better experience, then you should make it your default app.
• You’re tired of using the same old app. For instance, if you’ve been using your phone’s stock music player for a long time, you might be interested in switching to the Google Play Music app for a different user interface.
• The current default app is having problems after the update. For example, your browser might start crashing after the update.

Method 1: Default Method For Changing App Settings

This is the easiest way for setting up a new default app and clearing its settings in order to choose a different default app. You’ll be able change your default app in just several seconds and you don’t need to install any third-party apps from the Google Play Store.

Step 1

In order to set up the app, open any file for which you want to set up the default app. For example, if you want to set up a default app for your music, open any audio file from your file manager. If you have more than one music app installed, you’ll see a Complete action using popup. Select the the app that you want to use and tap on Always.

If you select Just once, the app will not be set as the default app. The same applies with videos and web page links. If you want to set up a default launcher, press the Home button and you’ll get the Complete action using popup.

Step 2

For removing the default app, go to Applications or Application manager in your Settings app and select the app that you previously set up as the default app. For example, if you want to remove Google Chrome as the default app, select Chrome from the app list.

Step 3

Scroll down to the Launch by default tab and tap on Clear defaults. That’s it! You have successfully removed the app as your default app.

Step 4

Follow Step 1 in order to set up another default app.

Method 2: Default App Manager

This method uses a third-party app from the Google Play Store for changing your default apps. The app doesn’t bring a totally new way for changing your default apps, but it simply makes using the stock method a bit easier.

The app features a simple user interface for easy navigation and offers various different categories for selecting default apps, including audio, videos, browser, launchers, emails and messages. If you’re interested in changing default apps frequently, then this might be the perfect app.

Step 1

Download and install Default App Manager on your Android tablet or smartphone. You can get the app through the Google Play button below.

Step 2

Open the app and go to the category for which you want to set or change the default app. For example, if you want to change the default app for all your music files, go to the Audio category.

Step 3

Once you go to a category, you’ll see all the apps installed for opening files from that category. In order to set up a default app, tap on the Set Default button.

Step 4

Select the app that you want to set as the default app in the Complete action using popup and tap on the Always button. The default app will now be set.

Step 5

For removing a default app, go to the category for which you want to remove the default app and tap on the Clear Default button.

Step 6

You’ll now be taken to the App info screen. Scroll down to the Launch by default tab and tap on Clear defaults.

Step 7

For setting up another default app, follow Step 2, Step 3 and Step 4.

Conclusion

Android devices can do almost everything that most PCs can do and I personally don’t have any problem with using my Android phone as my PC other than the lack of a full keyboard. While the Android operating system offers so much, there can be complications as well, especially if you have a lot of apps installed.

A while back, I was also having problems with changing default app settings for my web browser and if you’ve been facing the same problem, then you can use any of the methods above in order to set up and change your default apps. Once you do this a couple of times, you’ll get used to it and changing default apps will only take a couple of seconds. Make sure that you follow all the steps properly on how to change default app settings on Android and feel free to shoot any questions in the comments section below.

Jagdish is an Android troubleshooter who loves talking tech and discussing technology’s impact on humanity. He is passionate about writing and fond of technology—with a zeal for Android problem-solving. When Jag isn’t writing or discussing tech and marketing, he’ll be smashing cricket balls or shooting hoops on the basketball court.

Unlike stock Android and other custom Android ROMs, MIUI has a different way of handling the default applications on Xiaomi devices like Mi 3, Redmi Note 7 Pro, and Redmi Note 8. Instead of offering default program settings to open a file or webpage, MIUI forces users to use the pre-installed applications. Unlike a typical Android phone, Xiaomi phones don’t let you choose a specific user-installed app and then show the Always or Just Once option.

This can be annoying in case you want to open URLs using Chrome browser but they always launch in the default MIUI Browser. Even if you Clear defaults for the stock apps, then still MIUI won’t show the ‘Open with’ option and you will be forced to use the defaults apps only.

Perhaps, if you looking to switch the default launcher in MIUI to Nova launcher, etc., or set Chrome as the default browser in MIUI, then that can be easily done.

How to change default app settings in MIUI

In MIUI 6

To change the default app settings in MIUI, go to Settings > Apps (Installed apps in MIUI v6). Select the ‘Default app settings’ option and switch the desired apps as default.

A dialog box will open asking to confirm, simply select Replace.

You can change default app settings for Launcher, Dialer, Messaging, Browser, Camera, Gallery, Music, and Email. The next time you open a file or a link, it will directly open up in the selected default app.

In MIUI 10 (v10.2)

1. Go to Settings.
2. Open Installed apps (under App Settings) > Manage apps.
3. On the Manage apps screen, tap the 3-vertical dots at the upper right and select “Default apps”.
4. Now select the desired service who default app who want to change. For instance, you can change the default Voice assistant, video player, and camera.
5. Then choose the app you want to set as default.

Set default apps in MIUI 11

1. Navigate to Settings on your phone.
2. Open Apps > Manage Apps.
3. Tap the 3 dots in the top right corner and open “Default apps”.
4. Now change the default app settings as per your preference.

Hope you found this tip useful.

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New Moto G launched in India, 16GB at Rs. 12,999

Mayur Agarwal

Mayur Agarwal is the founder and editor-in-chief of WebTrickz. As a Technology enthusiast and an Internet addict, he loves sharing useful How To’s and Tips & Tricks.

New Moto G launched in India, 16GB at Rs. 12,999

Comments 22

Does not work for browser. Even with chrome set as the default browser, miui will still launch the miui browser when uding sesrch box

That’s an issue with MIUI, I guess it’s fixed now in latest update.

Doesn\’t work. I am on latest version.

It looks like Xiaomi have \”fixed it\” so you are not able to change default application any more. The really want to force the launcher, browser etc on to you. I don\’t like their launcher but I can\’t replace it, at least not for long because it will always be their default launcher that will start… Looks like root is not available any more either. Would not have bought Mipad if I had known this…

Hi there. You need to update google services and youmwill be able to choose google start launcher. Go on 🙂

After updating my Redmi2s, Google chrome and Opera does\’nt work any more. Can anyone help me solve that problem?

It\’s good but how to change video player.

Veryyyy thank full to you

Yes, I would also like to know how to change the Video Player.

Xiaomi mi4c with the miui 6 os.

Someone recommended using the MX player as the videos will not play in the app I am using.

I installed mx player and set it as default player, uninstalled and reinstalled HS, rebooted device … It simply doesn\’t work.

Videos still try to open in the default app which gives an \”error occurred\” error.

go to playstore searching for \’app freezer\’ and you can freeze any annoying stock app from MIUI…. then just left your favourite app 😉

Finally I got the solution 🙂 Thank You! Your screenshot was useful

You can choose another launcher as default, if you have at least 3 launchers installed. Try it.

So, I install a messaging app via the app store of redmi and i am using a redmi note 2, my problem is the messaging app that i installed doesn\\’t show up in the default messaging app list, it only shows up the facebook messenger, hang outs and the default messaging app of redmi i thought once you download any kind of messaging app it should show automatically but it didn\\’t. so when i use the new app that i install it doesn\\’t allow me to send the messages it says sending but it never get through and the previous text i sent couldn\\’t even appear on the screen so i have no choice but to use the boring default messaging app that xiaomi installed i hope you can help me figure out how this thing works then that would be very awesome if xiaomi can do that since i am aiming for an iphone look a like messaging app at the moment.

miui 8 default launcher doesnt change i installed smart launcher – it launch perfectly but when i double click on home middle button it goes back to miui defaul launcher same thing happen in nova launcher also.

Can some one please guide me how to change the default dialer in mi max running on MIUI GLOBAL 8.0.
Thanks in advance.

One of the easiest ways to change up your Android experience is by swapping out the stock launcher with a new one. The word “launcher” is Android lingo for “home screen app,” and it’s a common term because of how easy it is to switch to a new one. So if you’re looking to revamp your home screen, this guide’s for you.

The cool thing about using a custom launcher is that you’re in control of your experience, so you’ll have plenty of chances to try out different ones and find your match. If you’re looking for one that has all the tweaks you could ever want, there’s plenty to fill that void without question. If you’re looking for something a bit cleaner and more simplistic, there’s that too, of course.

Step 1: Find Your New Launcher on the Play Store

Before you can begin using a custom launcher, you’ll need to browse the Play Store to find a few different candidates that sync up with your personal style or needs.

For starters, do a search for “home launcher,” which will bring back a relevant list of many popular home launcher apps. Nova Launcher, Action Launcher, and CPL are three of our favorites if you need a starting point.

Since you’re interested in changing up your home screen experience, you’ll most likely want to download multiple different launchers, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll keep the number low for now. Download a handful of home launcher apps (maybe 2 or 3), then you can exit the Play Store and move onto the next step. You can always repeat the process and test more later.

Step 2: Change Your Default Home App

As with anything relating to Android, there are multiple ways to do the same thing, and swapping out your home launcher is no different. Both of the methods listed below are super simple to carry out, it just depends on which way works best for you or what you’re trying to accomplish.

Pretty much all phones now allow you to search the system settings. So open the Settings app from your app drawer, then tap the search box or icon at the top of the screen. Here, type in “default apps” or just “default,” and then tap the “Default apps” entry.

The “Default apps” main page will be displayed, where you can see all of the apps your phone is using by default for every action. Tapping the “Home app” option will display all the launcher apps currently installed on your device. Tap the app you want to use, then it will be your new default launcher. Then it should immediately send you to the home screen of the new launcher.

If you ever want to switch back, just repeat these steps, but select the default launcher in the above menu. You can also uninstall all custom launchers to revert to the stock home screen.

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It’s very exciting to unbox your brand-new phone and start exploring all the apps and features. One of the first things most people do is set up the default settings. Sure, this process is slightly less interesting when you’re doing it after a factory reset. But still, you have the same default app preferences as anyone else.

The Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone users who have MIUI as the operating system can also change the default apps on their phones. Usually, it’s the default browser, gallery app, or the default SMS app that you want to change.

Changing the Default Apps

The system apps you have in your MIUI phone are often fine, or sometimes even more than that. But they still don’t match the standard you expect from them. Or they’re certainly not what you’re used to. It’s possible that there are several apps you’ve been using on all of your smartphones over the years and you’re not interested in changing that.

Let’s say that your preferred Internet browser is Google Chrome. Understandable, as it’s considered one of the best and fastest browsers available. And you have Chrome installed in your MIUI phone, so that should be enough, right? Not exactly.

Unless Chrome is set as your default browser, every time you click on a link on a website or in a messaging app, the MIUI system browser will open. Here’s what you need to do to change that:

1. Grab your Xiaomi phone and open Settings.
2. Under “App Settings” select “Installed apps”.
3. In the top right corner select Menu (three vertical dots).
4. Select “Default apps”.
5. You’ll see the list of options. Select “Browser”.
6. You’ll be directed to another screen where the list of all system and downloaded browsers on your phone will appear.
7. Select Chrome or any other browser you want. And then exit Settings.
8. To confirm that your browser of choice is set, click on any link and see if it opens what now should be the default browser.

You can always go back and change the default browser as many times as you want. In fact, changing the browser is probably one of the first and most common things MIUI users change. But you can also follow the same steps to change the default messaging app, gallery app, music app, and email client.

Another Way to Do It

Setting the default apps on MIUI only consists of a few taps on the screen and that’s that. Once it’s done, you don’t have to worry about the system apps getting in the way. But sometimes you might want to have more options and not stick to one default app. Sure, you might end up using the same app over and over, but you don’t want to commit to it.

Alternatively, there might be some types of images and videos that you prefer to open in a different app. When this is the case, what you want to be asked is which app to use when performing an action. This can be beneficial when you’re not sure which app you want to set as default. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Go to MIUI Settings and then “Installed apps”.
2. Select the app you want to change and scroll all the way down.
3. You will see the “Clear defaults” option.

Now, instead of going back to set a different default app, you just leave it like that. Next time when you tap on the app on your screen, you’ll be asked which of the apps in your MIUI phone you want to use to complete the desired action. When you’re sure of the one you want, just check “Remember my choice” that will appear on the same screen.

Changing the Default Launcher

Using a third-party launcher has become very common. And when you’re certain that you want your MIUI smartphone running on Nova Launcher, for example, you have to make sure that it’s set as the default launcher. There are two ways you can do this. The first one is to follow the same steps, changing all the other apps by going to Settings>Installed apps>Launcher.

But you can also approach this differently. After you download and install the launcher of your choice, go to “Home screen & Recents” and select “Default Launcher” and then tap on the launcher that you’ve downloaded. And now instead of the MIUI system launcher, you’ll have as the default launcher the one that you’ve installed.

Brining Your Defaults to MIUI

The default apps that aren’t of your choice can feel strange and awkward. Sure, you can figure them out and use them if you have to, but why would you? All of these settings are easy to go through and important because who has the time to go through apps that don’t feel familiar or intuitive?

Which default apps do you use on your mobile devices? How do MIUI system apps compare to the ones you prefer? Let us know in the comments section below.

Article ID: 38840929

Issue / Question

How to set the Enterprise Home Screen (EHS) as default launcher using StageNow Tool?

Applicable To

Enterprise Home Screen

Resolution / Answer

StageNow is the fast and easy way to automate and error-proof staging of your Zebra Android-based mobile computer. Read More>>

Steps:

1. Open StageNow Tool in Administrator mode.
2. Create new Profile. Select MX version 4.3.
3. Select Xpert Mode then hit [Create]

4. Enter profile name. Example “Set_EHS_as_Default_Launcher” then hit [Start]
5. Under Settings tab, select AppMgr then hit [+]
6. Config tab should list AppMgr. Hit [Add] to proceed

7. Set Action to ‘Set as Default Launcher‘ and ‘Package Name‘ to ‘com.symbol.enterprisehomescreen‘.

8. Hit [Continue], review if needed then hit [Complete Profile>]
9. Test the completed profile.

10. From the Zebra Android device, launch the StageNow client.

11. Scan the barcode from step 9.

12. After the device has been successfully stage, close StageNow client.

13. At this point, the default launcher is not set to Enterprise Home Screen.

One of the best selling points on Android is the flexibility to change default apps to open web links, send text messages, view your pictures, or pretty much anything else your phone is capable of doing. Don’t like Chrome? Grab a new browser from the Play Store. Wish you could customize your home screen? Download a launcher and knock yourself out. But, what if you want to make that new browser or launcher the default application as opposed to the stock option?

Find out how after the break.

With that being said, sometimes you play with a new default app for a few days and decide it just isn’t for you. Maybe you want to keep it around, but you’d rather go back to having Chrome open all of your web links.

If you want to make any changes to default apps, head to the settings menu on your device.

If you have a device running a new version of Android, you should see an entry in settings for Apps. That’s what we want.

After tapping Apps, you should see a list of everything installed on your device. Here you can find the specific app you need to clear. Using Chrome as an example you’d pick Chrome in the list, then select the “open by default” entry, then the “clear defaults” button.

That’s the direct way to clear a specific app, but if you have a ton of apps you might want to see everything you have set as a default action. If we go back to the main app list and tap the gear icon in the top right, we’ll get a better overview.

This takes us to the configuration screen with your apps where you’ll see everything you have listed as default. If we wanted to change the default browser, tap the entry for “browser app” and you’ll get a list of everything that can open web links on your device. Pick the one you want to go with and you’re set!

If you want to quickly get back to this screen, you can use the search function in the main page of settings and simply search for “default.”

That should save a few taps and help you adjust default apps in just a few seconds.

Quick and easy. Now go test out some new apps without worrying about getting stuck with something you don’t like.

Related

Born in southern Alabama, Jared spends his working time selling phones and his spare time writing about them. The Android enthusiasm started with the original Motorola Droid, but the tech enthusiasm currently covers just about everything. He likes PC gaming, Lenovo’s Moto Z line, and a good productivity app.

Just like in Windows, we have multiple software to open a particular file type, we have a number of apps in Android to take care of a single file type. For example, we can have multiple audio/video players installed on the Android device that can play all types of media files.

Google Play Store has a plethrora of applications to better open different media files. Be it a new app to make calls, your new web browser, a swift messaging app or a swanky music player — an Android user is always on the lookout for a new app to adorn his or her home screen.

Now, let’s say you use different apps to play videos and listening to music but you accidentally hit Set default and created default action to use a player to play all the media files.

When you choose an app to be the default application to open a particular file type, it will do so whenever any third-party app is trying to access that particular file type as part of the default settings.

Change Default Application for File Types in Android Phone

Listen up Android users, if you have set a mistakenly default app to open a particular file type and want to undo the action, here’s what to do.

Step 1:

Open Android Apps settings. Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) users can open Settings > Apps while the former builds can open Settings > Application > Manage applications.

Different versions of Android may also show different names of the tabs mentioned above. So, whether you are stuck with Android Marshmallow or are more upbeat Android Nougat, these instructions may vary.

Note: This path might be different in the cases of some mobile brands such as Samsung, Huawei, and etc. Android users using Samsung Galaxy devices

Step 2:

Now search for the app you want to change the default settings for and tap on the app settings to open the info page of that application.

Step 3:

Scroll down the page to find the button Clear defaults. If the app is a default app for any of the file type on your device, the button will be enabled, otherwise disabled. Simply tap on the button to clear all the files associated with the app.

That’s All, Folks!

Next time you try to open the same file type, you will get all the suggestions to choose from again. Just make sure you make the right decision this time.

Last updated on 03 February, 2022

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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by Sophie Green Updated on 2020-12-24 / Update for Android Tips

Android auto start app makes it easier for you to manage your phone’s resources effectively. With this feature on your phone, you can automatically start your favorite app with one click. You can install different autostart applications to streamline your phone activity. In this guide, we’ll cover everything about autostart apps.

Part 1: What Is Auto-start in Android App?

The Android autostart management is used to ease you in starting your favorite applications on your device through one click. These types of applications make it easy for you to manage resources on your phone.

The application allows you to pick one app that’ll be launched whenever you reboot your device. You can install such applications from the App Store or install autostart apk from Google. If your phone isn’t rooted then you can install an autostart no root apk.

Part 2: How to Enable Auto-start Apps in Android 10/9/8

If you’re looking for an answer to your question, “How to enable auto start apps in android programmatically?” then, here’s how you can enable an autorun app on android.

Go to your phone’s Settings.

In the Settings screen, scroll down, and look got the Security feature.

In the security menu, look for the Auto-start Management option.

Part 3: How to Disable Auto-Start Apps in Android 10/9/8

These are five different methods to help you disable auto start of Apps in Android 8, 9, 10 and Android 11.

Method 1: Turning off the doze feature

Android versions such as the Marshmallow system use the Doze feature to limit the effectiveness of background apps. Turning off the doze features is very easy with the following steps:

• Go to settings and then Battery.
• On the upper right-hand corner, tap on three dots.
• Select Battery Optimization.
• Tap on “Not Optimized” and then select the “All Apps” option.

Select any app, then select optimize, and tap on the Done button.

Method 2: Turn on Developer Options

Follow these steps to turn on Developer Options to disable auto-start applications on your phone.

• Go to Settings and then tap on the About Phone option.
• Tap on the Build Number option several times till you see the “You are now a developer!” message.

Head to Develop Options and tap on the Background Process Limit option.

Method 3: Use Startup Manager

If you’re wondering, how to disable auto-start apps in android, auto-start management, then you can use a startup manager. You can use a startup manager on your phone if it’s rooted. The startup manager allows you to manage your autostart no root apk app. You can download thiscapplication from the Google Play Store for free. It’ll make it easy for you to select the apps that’ll auto-start on reboot.

Method 4. Use Startup Auditor to disable auto-start apps

Like the startup manager, you can use startup auditor to restrict apps from autostart after rebooting your phone.

You can download the Startup Auditor application from the Google Play Store and install it. The application allows you to select apps and restrict them from performing background operations.

Method 5. Install any third-party task killer app

There are dozens of applications available on the App stores that can help you to prevent auto-launch app android from performing background operations. Android users always have the privilege to use third-party task killer apps to perform task management operations. You can download them from the Google Play Store or any other online app store.

Extra Tips: How to Fix Your Android Auto-Start Not Working?

Tenorshare ReiBoot for Android is a professional Android system repair software. You can use it to repair your Android system with a few clicks. Below are the steps to use the tool:

Download ReiBoot for Android and connect your Android device to the computer with the USB cable. Click “Repair Android System”.

Next, click “Repair Now” and select your device information.

ReiBoot for Android will auto download Firmware package for you. Once done, click “Repair Now” again.

Next, follow the steps on interface to enter Download mode. Once done, your device will be repairing by ReiBoot for Android.

Last, wait for a while and your device will be fixed.

Summary

Android auto start app allows you to optimize your phone and restricts app that automatically performs background operations when your phone reboots. In this guide, we discussed different applications that you can use to get rid of auto start no root apk or enable these apps. You can use ReiBoot for Android to clear your phone’s cache.

People Also Asked about Android Auto-start App

Q1: What does force stop mean for an app?

Force stop for an app terminates the current operation of the app. It also means that an app can no longer use your phone’s cache files.

Q2: How do I force to start an app?

To force start an app, you need to go to Settings>Apps>Startup. Before performing these steps, you must ensure that the app you’re trying to run at startup is turned on.

Q3: What system apps can I delete on my Android?

You can remove several system apps including weather, Amazon, device help, usage manager, locker app, caller id, dropbox, drive, and many others.

Updated on 2020-12-24 / Update for Android Tips

iOS 14 introduced an option to change the default email client and browser. Android has done this for years, allowing for all pre-built system apps to be replaced with third-party solutions of your choice. Touché, Apple. Jokes aside, you can tweak many things and, while doing so, make some changes to permissions, links, or notifications for all installed apps.

But how to restore them to default values without losing any app data? The answer is to use the Reset app preferences option on Android. If you want to learn what it exactly does and how to use it, read below.

What is the Reset app preferences option?

Primarily, this option is there to reset all default apps. So, if you, for example, want to restore all system apps to be your default browser, phone, or gallery, this option allows that. Also, it will restore default link assignments for apps. This is probably the most important and cumbersome procedure if you try and do it by hand for many apps.

But it goes much further by re-enabling all disabled apps and restoring default permission values to apps. The ones that were granted to them after the installation. This includes notification settings, as the procedure will restore default notifications for all apps.

Furthermore, resetting app preferences will also disable all background data usage limitations you have set. An important thing to remember is that the Reset app preferences option won’t delete any app data. No need to worry about that.

Now, you might ask, when is this action recommended? It can come quite handy when you are experiencing issues with either system or third-party apps. Also, if you want to instantly restore default apps, resetting app preferences is the way to go.

How to Reset app preferences on Android?

The procedure is rather simple. Although varies a bit on different devices from different OEMs, it shouldn’t be an issue finding it. You can usually find it under the 3-dot menu in the All apps list. Once you tap on it, the dialog box will inform you about changes that will be made if you go through with it.

Here’s how to reset app preferences on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps & notifications (Apps).
3. Tap All apps (App manager or Manage apps).
4. Now, tap on the 3-dot menu and select Reset app preferences.
5. Confirm the selection.

You can restart your device after this procedure and check for improvements if you used this procedure to fix some app issues. As simple as that.

That’s it. Thank you for reading, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and make sure to leave a comment below. Do you find this feature useful or it makes too much of a hassle to restore individual permissions and notification settings afterward?

Video tutorials (in English language, with subtitles)

BIG Launcher User Manual (English only)

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

How do I set BIG Launcher as the default launcher?

When you press the Home button after installing, you will be offered to choose a default launcher from all available. Make sure you select the ‘Use default’ or ‘Always’ option. If this menu doesn’t appear, you have to do it manually – press the Menu button, go to System settings » Apps » Default apps » Home screen and choose “BIG Launcher”.

How can I revert back to my old launcher?

You can reset the default launcher setting in the Preferences. If this doesn’t work, press the Menu button, go to System settings » Apps » Default apps » Home screen.

I’ve purchased BIG Launcher in the past and now I have only the free version. How to restore my license?

Send us your order number (from the email receipt you’ve received upon purchasing) and your email address used for purchasing and we will help you to restore your license for free for all BIG Apps Suite apps.

Why was BIG Launcher divided into 3 separate apps?

On March 9th, 2019, a new Permissions Policy was introduced, which applies to all Google Play Store apps. Since then, BIG Launcher (as a launcher) couldn’t access SMS messages and phone calls anymore, as these permissions were allowed only for the apps which have them as their primary functionality – not launchers. In order to comply with this policy, corresponding features were removed from the BIG Launcher app and put into separate apps – BIG Phone and BIG SMS. You have to download and install them separately.

How do I set up multiple screens in BIG Launcher?

You can set up multiple screens in the Preferences menu. You have to link your newly created screens to the existing buttons, otherwise, you won’t be able to access them. Or you can turn on the option to swipe between screens in the Preferences menu. Please read the User Manual for more details.

How do I delete a message/contact/call log item?

Due to security reasons, deleting is disabled by default. You can enable the deleting of the particular items in the corresponding sections of the Preferences. Please read the User Manual for more details.

There is no ring sound on an incoming call.

Go to the Preferences » Phone and enable “Fix: no ringtone sound” option. If this doesn’t help, write to us at [email protected]

SMS messages aren’t received at all.

Go to the Preferences » Messages and enable “Fix: alternative SMS receiver” option. If this doesn’t help, write to us at [email protected]

How to turn on the button blinking for other apps like Whatsapp, Gmail, Facebook Messanger, etc.?

When enabled, if any third-party app creates a notification and you have a shortcut to this app assigned to one of the BIG Launcher’s buttons, it will blink until you launch the app. To enable this feature, go to the Preferences » Screens’ options and enable the “Blinking button when an app shows a notification”. In the following screen, enable the Notification access for BIG Launcher.

How to set up or turn off the incoming SMS notification sound?

Go to the System settings » Apps. Find the “BIG SMS for Seniors” app, select it and choose “Notifications” on the next screen.

How do I set an alarm?

Touch the clock or date on the home screen. If any alarm is set, the bell icon is displayed next to the clock. You can assign a different alarm app in the BIG Launcher’s button editor.

What are the limitations of the free versions of the BIG Apps Suite?

BIG Launcher free version limitations
– you can customize only the right column of buttons
– only 5 additional screens allowed
– password protection of the configuration and the preferences is not possible
– a screen reminding you to buy the full version is shown from time to time

BIG Phone free version limitations
– only 5 most recent items in call log are visible
– keypad disabled during the phone call

Sometimes you may have multiple apps installed on your Android device that may be set as the default application for a certain file or data type. Maybe you have installed multiple media players or web browsers. Fact is, only one app can be the default app that opens up when you launch a file type or protocol on your device. If none has been set, you will instant get an action prompt where you are asked to select the app you want to open your selection with.

It can happen that you may want to change the handler for a file type, for instance when you have installed a new app that you’d like to use instead of the old one.

I’m going to show you two ways to reset and change default apps on Android devices.

Manual way

This should work in all recent Android versions. Note that the terminology may be different depending on the phone or tablet you are using.

1. Open the settings of your device and there the application manager.
2. Switch to the All listing here by swiping to the right.
3. Scroll down until you see the app that you no longer want to use as the default handler for a specific file types or protocols.
4. Tap on the app to open its settings.
5. Scroll down here until you see Launch by default.
6. The clear defaults button is active if the app is set as a default handler on Android.
7. Tap on the button to clear this privilege so that no app is set as the default handler right now.

Next time you try to open a file or protocol without association, you may pick another one. You can launch the file only once with a select application, or make it the new default handler for this file type. Select an app from the list and tap on always to make it the default app for the file type or protocol, or just once so that the complete action using menu opens up the next time again on the screen.

Using Default App Manager

The free app (also available as a paid app without ads) Default App Manager Lite improves the management of default apps in Android significantly. It can display all defaults on a single screen so that you can clear defaults right away without having to go manually through the list of installed and stock apps on your phone.

Just tap on the clear button to start the process. You are taken to the apps profile page where you can click on the clear defaults button to disassociate it with all file types and protocols.

You can then switch to the category listing that displays a list of categories such as audio, browser or calendar and whether they have a default app associated with them or not.

A tap on a category enables you to change the default handler for it. This is only possible if you have at least two apps installed on your system that can be set as default handlers for the selected type.

It takes three taps to change the default app for a selected type which makes this process more comfortable than if you would have to make the changes using the manual approach listed above.

Video tutorials (in English language, with subtitles)

BIG Launcher User Manual (English only)

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

How do I set BIG Launcher as the default launcher?

When you press the Home button after installing, you will be offered to choose a default launcher from all available. Make sure you select the ‘Use default’ or ‘Always’ option. If this menu doesn’t appear, you have to do it manually – press the Menu button, go to System settings » Apps » Default apps » Home screen and choose “BIG Launcher”.

How can I revert back to my old launcher?

You can reset the default launcher setting in the Preferences. If this doesn’t work, press the Menu button, go to System settings » Apps » Default apps » Home screen.

I’ve purchased BIG Launcher in the past and now I have only the free version. How to restore my license?

Send us your order number (from the email receipt you’ve received upon purchasing) and your email address used for purchasing and we will help you to restore your license for free for all BIG Apps Suite apps.

Why was BIG Launcher divided into 3 separate apps?

On March 9th, 2019, a new Permissions Policy was introduced, which applies to all Google Play Store apps. Since then, BIG Launcher (as a launcher) couldn’t access SMS messages and phone calls anymore, as these permissions were allowed only for the apps which have them as their primary functionality – not launchers. In order to comply with this policy, corresponding features were removed from the BIG Launcher app and put into separate apps – BIG Phone and BIG SMS. You have to download and install them separately.

How do I set up multiple screens in BIG Launcher?

You can set up multiple screens in the Preferences menu. You have to link your newly created screens to the existing buttons, otherwise, you won’t be able to access them. Or you can turn on the option to swipe between screens in the Preferences menu. Please read the User Manual for more details.

How do I delete a message/contact/call log item?

Due to security reasons, deleting is disabled by default. You can enable the deleting of the particular items in the corresponding sections of the Preferences. Please read the User Manual for more details.

There is no ring sound on an incoming call.

Go to the Preferences » Phone and enable “Fix: no ringtone sound” option. If this doesn’t help, write to us at [email protected]

SMS messages aren’t received at all.

Go to the Preferences » Messages and enable “Fix: alternative SMS receiver” option. If this doesn’t help, write to us at [email protected]

How to turn on the button blinking for other apps like Whatsapp, Gmail, Facebook Messanger, etc.?

When enabled, if any third-party app creates a notification and you have a shortcut to this app assigned to one of the BIG Launcher’s buttons, it will blink until you launch the app. To enable this feature, go to the Preferences » Screens’ options and enable the “Blinking button when an app shows a notification”. In the following screen, enable the Notification access for BIG Launcher.

How to set up or turn off the incoming SMS notification sound?

Go to the System settings » Apps. Find the “BIG SMS for Seniors” app, select it and choose “Notifications” on the next screen.

How do I set an alarm?

Touch the clock or date on the home screen. If any alarm is set, the bell icon is displayed next to the clock. You can assign a different alarm app in the BIG Launcher’s button editor.

What are the limitations of the free versions of the BIG Apps Suite?

BIG Launcher free version limitations
– you can customize only the right column of buttons
– only 5 additional screens allowed
– password protection of the configuration and the preferences is not possible
– a screen reminding you to buy the full version is shown from time to time

BIG Phone free version limitations
– only 5 most recent items in call log are visible
– keypad disabled during the phone call

Made a mistake when selecting a default app for an action? No problem, follow these steps to clear the default setting and get your app choices back.

Nicole Cozma has an affinity for Android apps and devices, but loves technology in general. Based out of the Tampa Bay Area, she enjoys being a spectator to both sunsets and lightning storms.

When experimenting with different applications from the Google Play Store, you might come across a pop-up that asks if you want to set an application as your default choice. If you accidentally choose the wrong one, it may not be obvious how to change it again. For instance, let’s say you’re trying out the Google Chrome beta on your phone and accidentally set it as your default Web browser. If you want to be able to choose between the stable version of Google Chrome, the beta and the original browser each time you open a link, these steps can help:

Open the Settings menu. Nicole Cozma/CNET

Step 1: From the Home screen, press Menu > Settings.Your Settings icon may be located in the notification shade, depending on the version of Android you’re using or whether you have a Menu button.

Open the Applications menu. Nicole Cozma/CNET

Step 2: Find the Application section in Settings, then look for the app that is being used as the default for an action and tap on it. You may need to switch to the tab that displays all applications if you don’t see it in the initial area.

Tap the Clear Defaults button. Nicole Cozma/CNET

Step 3: Press the Clear defaults button at the bottom of the app details screen.

The next time you go to perform an action that can be completed by multiple apps, you will see the choices pop up again. If you don’t check the box at the bottom of the pop-up (or you don’t tap Always, depending on Android version), you will continue to see this prompt.

Editors’ note, December 1, 2014: This How To post was originally published on June 16, 2011, and has been updated to include new information.

Are you ready to sell your device or hand it down to a new owner? Maybe your phone isn’t working correctly, or you need a fresh start. Whatever the case may be, sometimes your best bet is to factory reset Android to get it back to how it was the first time you turned it on (at least software-wise). Let’s show you everything there is to know about the process.

QUICK ANSWER

Factory reset Android phones by going to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset) > Erase all data. Enter your PIN and confirm by hitting Erase all data.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS (you can change the wording of this)

Editor’s note: This guide to factory reset Android is put together using a Google Pixel 4a with 5G running stock Android 12. Manufacturers often change the UI and methods for performing specific tasks. Setting layouts and button combinations might differ depending on which device you own and which version of Android it uses.

A word of warning

First things first: let’s get the disclosure out of the way. Performing an Android factory reset will delete all your data and get the software back to its original state. This means all apps and data stored on your device will be deleted. Make sure to back up all critical files and data before going through this process. We have a guide on backing up your Android phone linked right below.

Try to find another solution first

We know having to start fresh can be a hassle. The backup process isn’t simple, and re-downloading all your data can be time-consuming. Not to mention it can take a toll on your data if you aren’t connected to Wi-Fi. This is why we often recommend finding a simpler solution before you factory reset Android.

If you are going to factory reset Android due to phone malfunctions, you can try finding your problem in our guide for Android problems and how to fix them.

If none of those solutions work, you can always try a restart or a soft reset (hold down the power button for 30 seconds), which won’t delete all your data. If you have exhausted all troubleshooting and need to reset Android, keep reading.

Factory reset Android using the Settings

If you’ve decided to factory reset Android, the most user-friendly way to do it is through the Settings app.

How to factory reset an Android phone using the settings:

1. Ensure the device is plugged in or has enough battery to go through the reset process.
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Select System.
4. Go into Reset options.
5. Hit Erase all data (factory reset).
6. Tap on Erase all data.
7. Enter your PIN if prompted.
8. Select Erase all data and let the phone do its thing.

Factory reset Android using Recovery Mode

Some users might not be able to access their settings. This could be due to the phone or software malfunctioning. Luckily, there’s a way to do it without accessing the consumer UI.

How to factory data reset an Android phone using Recovery Mode:

1. Make sure the phone is off.
2. Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously.
3. Continue pressing them until the screen starts.
4. A screen with the word “Start” pointing at the power button, text, and navigation instructions will appear.
5. You can now use the Power button to make selections and the Volume keys to navigate.
6. Hit the Volume Down button until you see Recovery Mode.
7. Press the Power button to select it.
8. The phone will restart and show an Android robot in trouble.
9. Press and hold the Power button, then press the Volume Up button while still holding the Power button.
10. Using the Volume buttons, highlight Wipe data/factory reset.
11. Press the Power button to select the option.
12. Confirm by selecting Factory data reset and let the phone do its thing.
13. Once done, select Reboot system now.

Will factory resetting a phone clean malware, viruses, and other harmful software?

Most times, yes. That said, there are some exceptions. Factory resetting your phone will bring it back to its factory state (software-wise), so it should clean any harmful software like viruses, malware, etc. This may not be the case if your phone is rooted, though. Hackers can sometimes code malware into the system, and it can sometimes stick around after a full wipe.

Will I have to re-download all my apps and files after a factory reset?

Yes. Thankfully, we have plenty of backup tools you can use to make the process easier.

Can a factory reset bypass security measures?

This depends on your phone. Sometimes a factory reset will eliminate all information and allow thieves to use stolen or lost phones. That said, manufacturers like Samsung and LG are making it harder to access a phone even after a factory reset. These will often require entering a password, PIN, or confirming your identity.