Can this be fixed? Split between wanting to use beta (for testing and because has bookmarks) and needing to do some browsing with release version (only it allowed to be default browser).
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Just to clarify: users are disincentivized from using the beta since it can’t be made the default! Since the non-beta is the default, it’s the browser that gets launched when a link is opened anywhere in the iPhone…
…so if we want to use the BETA for testing, our browser tabs (and customizations, etc) get split across 2 different browsers (beta and non-beta), and we have to think about which browser has the desired tab.
So if we can make the BETA the default, a big obstacle to using it would be removed!
+1 for this feature request. Sometimes I can’t remember which version of the browser I opened a page in.
The beta now has a “Set as Default Browser” button, but when it redirects you to its page in the Settings app, it does not have the option to make it the default browser. This still needs fixing.
It is still not possible
Please allow us to set Brave Beta as default browser. It should be possible since Firefox Beta has the option.
Came here to report what i thought surely was a bug in latest Beta (Quite new to Brave and Beta on ios) but to my surprise i see that this is a open issue. Still.
Why would anyone keep using beta and help out with feedback since it can’t be made the default browser? I mean as a user i have to copy paste links between different apps just to use Beta. Why would i do that? Every other browser has this option, Like FF Beta. But not Brave… So again, why would i jump through extra hoops just to help out testing Beta…
Edit: Maybe not every browser, but FF does which is my browser of choice as things stand currently.
@Pjjlt I probably should try downloading the app myself but I just haven’t wanted to put beta or nightly on my devices. No special reason for that. But I wanted to ask just for clarity, on your device that you have beta do you also have the normal version of Brave installed?
I am wanting to assume that the devices are seeing Brave and are just unable to recognize the two different instances. And it’s going to go to the normal version of Brave as its default when you go to set it for a browser. But if that assumption is at all correct, then if you uninstall the normal version of Brave and use only beta then it should still let you connect Brave as the default but it would be the beta version instead.
If that is the case it would not be a solution compared to what’s being suggested but it might be an answer as to what’s going on. So whether you or anybody else wants to test it and confirm it, I thought I would throw out a theory.
I am also going to tag @Mattches (browser support) and @michal (iOS developer) on this to see if either can speak on the issue and if it’s something that can be resolved, so that multiple versions of Brave can be on the same device but differentiated so can be selected as default version of the browser.
But I wanted to ask just for clarity, on your device that you have beta do you also have the normal version of Brave installed?
Yes, Release and Beta installed.
I am wanting to assume that the devices are seeing Brave and are just unable to recognize the two different instances.
No, In system settings the Brave beta version does not even show up as a option. So not selectable. Only the regular App store version of Brave is. Just to reiterate. I have no issues running app store version of Firefox and Firefox Beta that is also installed via Testflight side by side. And both of them get recognized correctly by ios and either of them can be set as default browser.
then if you uninstall the normal version of Brave and use only beta then it should still let you connect Brave as the default but it would be the beta version instead.
Tried it too. Makes no difference. Beta is still not selectable as default.
I thought I would throw out a theory
Appreciate the input!
Just to add i´m running ios 15.6.1 but i don´t expect any difference when ios 16 is released since this is more up to the app developers to include the right entitlement so that it gets recognized as a browser option. Which i assume is missing. And looking when this thread got started my guess is it has never been included.
Let´s hope this gets solved or at least some feedback on why this is left out.
To quote Apple Developer resources:
Apps express their capability to be a default web browser by using the com.apple.developer.web-browser managed entitlement. Request permission to use this entitlement by emailing [email protected]. This starts the process of generating the necessary signing permission for your app.
We can’t request default browser permission for an unpublished app.
Brave Beta is separate from the App Store one, distributed via public link on Testflight only
The only thing we could do is to use the same app(app store one) for both prod and beta builds
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@michal
Ok, thanks for answering.
So i see that your comment has been marked as the answer with the solution and whole topic is marked as solved, which i highly disagree with, your answer is not a solution, it´s a explanation but that is it.
But to refer back to the question i had in my first post that i haven´t gotten a answer to yet:
Why would anyone keep using beta and help out with feedback since it can’t be made the default browser?
Obviously i understand that it is up to each user if they want to use a Beta or not. But my assumption was that you would like to have users on the Beta. Users who are willing to test newer functions and report back on any issues found, also all the telemetry gathered from Beta users would provide you with additional valuable data to improve your products.
So making users jump through extra unnecessary hoops just to help out i can´t get behind, it should be the other way around, you as a company would (and should imo) be eager to do what you can to help your more dedicated users use your products more frequently etc. Especially once again since it is a Beta, which i assume helps you, and all other Brave users in the long run.
Also, Opera GX had the default browser option back when it was only on TestFlight.
Hi all, you can now make Brave Beta your default browser as of 1.65 (82) and higher. Enjoy!
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