Apple adds a menu in iOS 18.2 to change default apps including messages and calls

Apple released iOS 18.2 as a developer beta users earlier this week. While there was a bunch of AI goodie shipped with this version — including Gemmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration — the company also shipped a new default menu to change your default apps. And it’s not just limited to the web browser as you can change the default apps for messages and calls.

The company only allowed changes to the default email app and browser app until now. These settings were located in the Safari and Mail menus. With iOS 18.2, there will be a dedicated menu to change all default apps.

“Manage your default apps for iPhone, including choosing the apps you prefer to use for opening links on the web, sending emails, making contactless payments, and more,” the default app menu description reads.

Image Credits: Screenshot by TechCrunch

Here is how you can access that:

• Got to the new Apps sections in Settings on iOS 18.
• Tap on the Default Apps option under that.
• Now you can select new default apps for email, messaging, calling, call filtering, and web browser.

The default app menu also lists the number of apps related to passwords & codes as well as keyboard apps that you have installed. If you tap on that menu, you can see a list of all these apps under these categories. You can also select the ones that you want to access while filling in passwords or typing in text.

Image Credits: TechCrunch

Note that this option is currently available in iOS 18.2 developer beta users. Apple just released the first beta of iOS 18.2 this week. It’s going to take a few weeks before it’s available to download to everyone. We will update the story after it rolls out to a wider user base.

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