New to iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, we can select third-party software as our default email and browser apps. There was a widespread bug in September, causing those settings to revert to Apple’s apps after a reboot. That bug was squished, but another has raised its ugly head. Now, default apps reset in iOS 14 after a third-party app is updated.
Default Apps for Email and Browsing in iOS 14
Customers had been asking for years to be able to set different apps for things like email and browsing. Safari and iOS Mail are solid apps, but don’t have all of the features some of us want or need.
For that reason, it was a huge relief when Apple added a way to change these default settings in iOS 14. Apps like Chrome, Edge, DuckDuckGo, and Firefox can become your default browser. For email, you’re able to choose such apps as Gmail, Spark, and Microsoft Outlook.
A Great Feature Plagued with Bugs
Unfortunately, the process of making this possible hasn’t been smooth. Last month, many of us saw our settings revert after a reboot. To call this annoying and inconvenient would be an understatement, especially for those who frequently reboot their devices.
In iOS 14.1, which just recently released, your chosen app gets removed from the default slot whenever you update it. The Verge has confirmed this, and it’s definitely a source of frustration. It may or may not be as big of an issue as the defaults reverting after reboot. However, since most of these apps are frequently updated, this latest bug may actually pose more of an inconvenience than last month’s.
The good news is that Apple appears to have already fixed the problem in iOS 14.2. I’m currently running iOS 14.2 beta 4, and have not observed this behavior.
In the meantime, if you’re running iOS 14.1, you’ll need to re-select your preferences when your third-party app gets an update.