Certain actions that you perform on your Mac will cause default apps to open. For example, clicking a document may open Pages. But what if you want Microsoft Word to open instead? You can also set your default web browser and email reader.

How to set your default email reader. Mail is likely the default email app on your Mac, but just in case you have others downloaded, you can set the default reader. Here's how: Launch Mail from your dock or the Finder. Click Mail in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Click Preferences. Click the dropdown next to Default Mail Reader. Microsoft Word has had the Styles feature for several versions, and the Ribbon-based versions (Office 2007 and up) kick it up a notch by offering multiple sets of standard Styles. Styles are grouped into Style Sets, and many of the Styles within the current set are available in the Quick Styles Gallery on the Home tab. In the past, when I would open a multi-page document, Word would automatically line up two or three pages horizontally so that I could easy look through the entire document - or zoom into individual pages. In 2013 I always have to click View Multiple Pages to do this - something I find very annoying.

Here's how!

How to change the default Mac app for specific file types

1. Right-click on a file that uses the file type you'd like to change the default for. For example, one with a .jpg extension (a photo).
2. Click on Get Info in the pop-up.
3. Click Open With if the section isn't already expanded.

4. Click the dropdown and choose an app.

   Source: iMore

5. Click Change All...

6. Click Continue when the Finder asks you if you're sure.

   Source: iMore

Now any time you open a file with that extension, the Finder will automatically open it with the app you've selected.

How to set your default web browser

Microsoft Word For Mac Set Default To Multiple Pages In Windows 10

1. Launch System Preferences from the dock, Finder, or by clicking the Apple icon in the Menu bar.
2. Click General at the top left of the window.
3. Click the dropdown next to Default web browser.

4. Click the web browser you'd like to use as the default.

   Source: iMore

How to set your default email reader

Mail is likely the default email app on your Mac, but just in case you have others downloaded, you can set the default reader. Here's how:

1. Launch Mail from your dock or the Finder.
2. Click Mail in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
3. Click Preferences.
4. Click the dropdown next to Default Mail Reader.

5. Click the app you'd like to set as the default.

   Source: iMore

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below.

Updated February 2020: Updated for macOS Catalina!

macOS Catalina

Main

It's not just you, Snapchat is down right now

There are global reports of a Snapchat outage.

Note

Office 365 ProPlus is being renamed to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. For more information about this change, read this blog post.

Symptoms

When you set a font as the default font in Microsoft Office Word 2010 and Word 2013, and you then restart Word, the changes are not retained.

Cause

This can happen when you only apply the settings to the open document and not to all documents.

Resolution

Method 1

Microsoft Word For Mac Set Default To Multiple Pages List

To set and make sure that the style of the default font in Word 2010 or Word 2013 is retained or saved, follow these steps:

1. If you do not have a document open, create a new document that is based on the Normal template. To do this, click File, click New, click Blank Document, and then click Create.

2. In the Font group, click the Font flyout to open the font dialog box.

3. Select the options that you want to apply to the default font, such as font style and font size. If you selected specific text, the properties of the selected text are set in the dialog box.

4. Click Set As Default.

5. Select All documents based on the Normal.dotm template?

6. Click OK.

7. This guarantees that every new document you open will use the font settings that you selected and set as the default. The default font applies to new documents that are based on the active template, usually Normal.dotm.

Method 2

Microsoft Word For Mac Set Default To Multiple Pages Online

To set and make sure that the style of the default font in Word 2013 is retained or saved, follow these steps:

1. If you do not have a document open, create a new document that is based on the Normal template. To do this, click File, click New, click Blank Document, and then click Create.
2. Click on the Design tab at the top and set all of the options that you want in your template.
3. Click Set as Default.
4. Click OK.

More Information

Need More Help?

Microsoft Word For Mac Set Default To Multiple Pages Page

You can also get help from the Microsoft Community online, search for more information on Microsoft Support or Windows Help and How To, or learn more about Assisted Support options.