Quick Answer
Opening a link directly in an app instead of the default web browser requires changing the default app associations on your device. There are a few different ways to do this depending on your device and OS:
- On iPhone and iPad, tap and hold the link, then tap “Open in News” (or the desired app). You can also go to Settings > App Name > Default Apps and change the default app associations.
- On Android, tap and hold the link, then tap “Open with” and select the desired app. You can also go to Settings > Apps > Default apps to manage associations.
- On Windows 10, right-click the link and select “Open with” > “Choose another app” to pick the desired app. You can also go to Settings > Apps > Default apps to change associations.
- On Mac, hold Control and click the link, choose “Open With” and pick the desired app. You can also go to System Preferences > General and manage default apps under “Default web browser” and other categories.
Setting a default app association for links will open them directly in the app instead of the browser going forward.
Understanding Default Apps
Links are designed to open in web browsers by default. This is because the web browser is the default application for handling links and web pages on most devices and operating systems.
When you tap or click on a link, the OS checks the file association for that type of link. Links with the HTTP or HTTPS protocol are assigned to open in the default web browser app on your device.
Other types of links may be set to open by default in other apps. For example:
- Links to PDF files (.pdf) will open in a PDF reader app
- Links to YouTube videos (.youtube.com) may open in the YouTube app
- Links to mapping addresses (.maps.google.com) will open in Google Maps or Apple Maps
The default app assignments allow links to open seamlessly in the appropriate specialized app designed to handle that type of content.
However, you may sometimes want to override the default and have a specific link open directly in a chosen app instead of the browser. Let’s look at how to do that on different devices.
Opening Links in Apps on iPhone and iPad
There are a couple of ways to open links directly in apps on iPhone and iPad:
1. Tap and Hold Individual Links
The easiest way to open a one-off link in a different app is to tap and hold the link for a second or two. This will bring up a contextual menu with an “Open in News” option, or whatever your desired app is called:
Tapping “Open in News” will open this specific link directly in that app.
You can use this method to quickly open a link in an app besides the default on a case-by-case basis. It’s useful for opening news stories in your preferred news reader or links to products in your shopping app.
2. Change the Default App Associaton
To have links always open directly in a chosen app by default, you’ll need to change the default app association on your iPhone or iPad.
To do this:
- Go to the Settings app
- Scroll down and tap on the app you want to use (e.g. News, Twitter, etc)
- Tap “Default Apps”
- Choose “Browser App”
- Select the app you want links to always open in
Now when you tap a link, it will automatically open in that app instead of Safari.
You can change the default associations back to Safari or another browser at any time by following the same steps.
Opening Links in Apps on Android
The process is quite similar on Android devices:
1. Tap and Hold the Link
Press and hold your finger on a link for a couple seconds. A menu will pop up with an “Open with” option.
Tap this and you’ll get a list of apps to choose from. Select your preferred app and the link will open directly in the chosen app.
This lets you override the default on a case-by-case basis to open an individual link directly into a specific app.
2. Change the Default App
To have links always open by default in a particular app:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Apps & notifications
- Tap Advanced > Default apps
- Tap Browser app
- Choose the app you want links to automatically open in
Now links will open directly in that app rather than Chrome or your current default browser app.
You can come back to the Default apps settings at any time to change it back to your regular browser or another app.
Opening Links in Apps on Windows 10
Windows 10 provides a couple ways to override the default browser when opening links:
1. Right-click and Open With
To open an individual link in a different app on Windows 10:
- Right-click the link
- Click “Open with”
- Choose “Choose another app” in the dropdown
- Select the desired app to use for this link
This will open the link directly in the chosen app instead of your default browser like Edge or Chrome.
2. Set a New Default App
To change the global default app association for links in Windows 10:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps
- Click “Web browser”
- Select the app you want to use as the new default
Now when you click on links they will open automatically in the newly selected default app.
You can come back at any time to change the default back to your preferred browser or another app.
Opening Links in Apps on Mac
Mac also provides flexible options for opening links in non-default apps:
1. Control-Click to Open With
To open an individual link directly in a chosen app on Mac:
- Press and hold the Control key on your keyboard
- Click the link with your mouse or trackpad
- Select “Open With” from the contextual menu
- Choose the app you want to use for this link
The link will now open in the selected app instead of your default browser like Safari or Chrome.
2. Change the Default Association
To make links open by default in an app other than your current default browser on Mac:
- Go to System Preferences > General
- Scroll down and click “Default web browser”
- Choose the app you want to set as the new default browser
Now clicking on links will automatically open them directly in that chosen app.
You can return to the Default web browser settings at any time to switch the association back or choose a different app.
Link Behavior in Apps
When you open a link directly in an app instead of a web browser, the experience may be slightly different than you’re used to.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- The app may display the content differently than a browser page would. For example, news apps usually reformat articles into their own style.
- You may not have access to browser tools and menus like reload, tabs, bookmarking, etc. The app may provide its own tools instead.
- The back/forward browser buttons will not appear. You may need to navigate back manually or use the app’s internal navigation.
- Web plugins like Flash will not work in apps. Only HTML content displays.
- You may be able to open an in-app browser to view the page in a more browser-like format.
The experience will depend on the specific app. But in general, expect a more streamlined, app-centric view rather than a full web browser experience. Test out a few links to see if opening them directly in your preferred apps provides the functionality you want.
Why Open Links in Apps?
Here are some common reasons why you may want to open links directly in apps rather than a web browser:
- Simplified reading view – News and article apps provide simplified text and layouts optimized for reading.
- Avoid browser tabs – Viewing links directly in apps prevents your browser from becoming cluttered with too many open tabs.
- Specific functionality – You may want to leverage app-specific features like saving products or sharing articles.
- Notifications – Apps can provide notifications about new content that browsers do not.
- Privacy – You may wish to keep your web browsing out of your default browser for privacy reasons.
- Save time – Apps can provide quicker, more focused access to content instead of browsing the full web.
Think about your own specific use cases and needs to decide if switching your link associations to apps makes sense. It provides more focused utility in many cases.
Changing Associations Back to a Browser
If you change your default link associations to apps but later want to switch them back, it’s easy to do:
- iPhone/iPad – Go to Settings > [App Name] > Default Apps > Browser App and select Safari or another browser.
- Android – Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Default Apps > Browser App and choose your preferred browser.
- Windows 10 – Go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Web Browser and pick the browser you want.
- Mac – Go to System Preferences > General > Default Web Browser and choose your desired browser.
Resetting your device or OS to factory defaults will also restore the default browser app associations.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with opening links directly in various apps. If you don’t like the experience, you can always switch back to your regular browser as the default.
Conclusion
Opening links directly in apps instead of web browsers can provide a more focused, app-centric experience. On both mobile devices and desktop platforms, you have the ability to override default browser behavior for links either temporarily or permanently.
Think about your use cases and try out opening links in your preferred news, shopping, social and other apps. Adjust the default associations if you want links to always open directly into apps going forward. If you change your mind, resetting to your regular browser is simple.
Direct link handling gives you more granular control over your content consumption on any device. Avoid tab overload, simplify reading, leverage app features, and customize your linking experience.