iOS 14 will forget that a third-party app is the default, if the app is updated

If a third-party email app is updated, iOS 14 no longer will keep it as a user-set default, and instead reverts to using Apple's own Mail.

One of the most long-awaited features of iOS 14 was the ability to replace certain default apps such as Apple Mail, with third-party alternatives. Now, following initial problems, a new issue has emerged where iOS will automatically reset the choice of mail app if that third-party one is updated.

It seems that every time an email or browser app is updated on iOS 14, it resets the default settings.
— David Clarke (@DCOneFourSeven) October 21, 2020

Twitter user David Clarke has demonstrated how accepting an update to the Gmail app meant that iOS reverts to using Apple Mail instead.

Since the iPhone was first released, there have been set default apps by Apple, which have always taken precedence over any third-party alternatives. Regardless of which app users choose, if they get a web link in an email, for example, tapping that always started Safari.

From iOS 14 onwards, users have been able to specify that such a link opens in an alternative browser. The same feature allows users to replace, say, Apple Mail with Gmail, too.

13 Comments

hoodjd73 16 comments · 6 Years

About 4 years ago

This is not a problem if you uninstall Apple’s own mail app. I use Microsoft Outlook and it remains the default email app even after the recent update. This is because iOS 14 has no other email apps to revert back too. 😏

mgrad92 12 comments · 15 Years

Is there a chance this fixed under iOS 14.1? I went so far as to uninstall my third-party default mail app this morning, then reinstalled it — and when I checked in Settings it was still the default.

CheeseFreeze 1334 comments · 7 Years

Still waiting on:

- Default Maps
- Default Music App
- Default Cloud Storage Solution

But I guess Apple rather waits to be sued for their behavior first, instead of serving customers.

Oh, and it’s 2020 and Spotify isn’t still working natively on my HomePod.

CloudTalkin 916 comments · 5 Years

CheeseFreeze said:

Still waiting on:

- Default Maps
- Default Music App
- Default Cloud Storage Solution

But I guess Apple rather waits to be sued for their behavior first, instead of serving customers.

Oh, and it’s 2020 and Spotify isn’t still working natively on my HomePod.

I'm the furthest you can get from being an Apple apologist but maybe, just maybe they're updating the feature piecemeal so they can more adequately deal with inevitable hiccups. It's a helluva lot less disruptive if the company and customers are dealing with a couple of issues with a couple of apps as opposed to a multitude of issues with multiple apps at the same time. Lessons learned dealing with default email and browser issues can be applied proactively to any future default apps.