- The iOS 18.2 beta update brings an all-new hub in the Settings app that lets you manage the default apps on your iPhone.
- To change the default calling app on iPhone or iPad, go to Settings -> Apps -> Default Apps -> Calling and choose the preferred app.
- To change the default messaging app, go to Settings -> Apps -> Default Apps -> Messaging and choose the preferred app.
With the launch of iOS 14 in 2020, Apple slightly opened up its long-standing closed ecosystem by allowing users to change the default web browser and email app on Apple devices. Now, with the iOS 18.2 beta, Apple has introduced more flexibility. When the Cupertino tech giant first announced that iPhone users would soon be able to change the default apps for calling & messaging, it sounded like it would be an EU-exclusive feature. Fortunately, that’s not the case. This freedom is available to all iOS 18 users worldwide. Read on to learn how to change default calling and messaging apps on an iPhone or iPad.
Change Default Calling App on iPhone
The iOS 18.2 beta update brings an all-new hub in the Settings app that lets you manage the default apps on your iPhone. For the first time ever, iPhone users can now change the default calling and messaging apps on their iPhones. Follow the below steps to change the default calling app on your iPhone:
Note: Currently, this feature is only available on Apple Intelligence Compatible devices running iOS 18.2, which is currently in developer beta.
- On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app and navigate to the Apps section.
- Here, tap on Default Apps from the top.
- Now, tap on Calling and it will show up the compatible apps available on your device.
- Choose your preferred app from the list of available options, and you’re done.
Change Default Messaging App on iPhone and iPad
Just like your default calling app, you can quickly change the default messaging app on your iPhone or iPad. Here are step-by-step instructions to do it:
- On your iPhone/iPad, go to the Settings app and navigate to the Apps section.
- Tap on the Default Apps section from the top.
- Now, tap on Messages and choose your preferred app from the list of available options.
Default Apps You Can Change in iOS 18.2
Besides, calling and messaging apps, the latest iOS 18.2 developer beta lets you change your default keyboard and password app as well. Here’s a complete list of default apps you can change in iOS 18.2:
- Messaging
- Calling
- Call Filtering
- Browser App
- Passwords & Codes
- Keyboards
It’s great to see a dedicated hub in Settings that lets you change the default apps on your iPhone and iPad. With everything available in one place, it’s super easy to manage and switch between default apps. Also, the Calling and Messaging categories are fantastic additions.
However, there is no option to make apps like Truecaller or WhatsApp as default calling and messaging apps as of now. We hope that Apple adds functionality to make popular calling and messaging apps as default apps on iPhone.
Are you going to change the default calling and messaging apps on your iPhone? What do you think about these changes? Let us know in the comments.
Abubakar Mohammed
