Every smartphone user has encountered a situation where, when clicking on a link or file, the device immediately opens a specific application, bypassing the usual selection menu. This happens after accidentally clicking the “Always” button in the system dialog. The system Android remembers this choice to speed things up, but sometimes this leads to inconvenience, especially if you wanted to use another app.
Fortunately, this setting is not permanent and is easily reversible. You don't need to uninstall applications or perform complex manipulations with superuser rights. It is enough to go to a certain section of the system settings and clear the default data for a specific software. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the ways to deselect always on different versions of the operating system.
The procedure may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer's shell, be it pure Android, MIUI from Xiaomi or One UI from Samsung. However, the general principle remains the same for all devices: you need to find the application that intercepted the action and reset its priority. Let's look at step-by-step guide for different scenarios.
Universal method through application settings
The most reliable method works on the vast majority of smartphones. You will need to find the application that is now opening automatically instead of being selected. For example, if links always open in the browser Chrome, and you want to choose between Chrome and Firefox, then you need to reset the settings in the browser. Chrome.
Go to the main settings menu of your device and find the section Applications or Applications and notifications. In some shells this item may be called Application Manager. A complete list of installed software is displayed here. You need to scroll through the list or use the search to find the app you need.
After you have opened the application card, pay attention to the item Open by default or Launch by default. This is where information is stored about what actions the app performs without user confirmation. Click on this section to see detailed information.
⚠️ Attention: If the “Remove default settings” button is inactive (gray), this means that for this application the “Always” selection has not yet been made by the system, or it has already been reset earlier.
On the screen you will see a button Remove default settings or a cross next to the list of actions. Clicking this button will instantly clear the binding. Now, the next time you try to open a file or link of the corresponding type, the system will again prompt you to select an application from the list.
If you cannot find the application you need in the general list, try sorting them by frequency of use or memory size - often the app you need is at the top of the list.
Reset settings for specific ones types of files and links
Sometimes the user wants not just to reset all settings, but to change the behavior of the system for specific types of content. In modern versions Android (starting from 11 and higher), link management has become more flexible. You can configure which web addresses should open automatically and for which a selection menu should appear.
In the same menu Open by defaultmentioned above, there is often a subsection Supported links. This displays a list of domains that the application is ready to handle. You can see switches next to site addresses.
- 🔗 Open supported links: this switch activates or deactivates the automatic launch of the application when you click on any suitable link.
- 🌐 Add link: allows you to manually specify a specific domain that should be opened through this application without questions.
- ❌ Do not open: an explicit prohibition for the application to intercept certain types of links, even if it claims such support.
This approach allows you to create a hybrid operating scheme. For example, you can set YouTube links to videos to open directly in the app, and links to channels or comments to offer a choice between the app and the browser. This gives maximum control over the digital environment.
| Action type | Where it is configured | Reset result |
|---|---|---|
| Opening links (http/https) | Browser settings | A browser selection will appear |
| Calls (tel:) | Phone/messenger settings | Will ask what to call through |
| PDF files | Settings reader | Selecting a reading app |
| Video files | Video player settings | Player selection menu |
Interface features on different shells
Smartphone manufacturers often modify the standard one interface Android, adding your own unique controls. This may be confusing for a user who is used to a different menu layout. The names of the items may differ, but the logic remains the same.
On devices Samsung with a shell One UI the path often looks like this: Settings → Applications. Select an application, then tap Default settings at the top of the screen or in the “Advanced” section. In some firmware versions, this item is hidden inside the menu Advanced.
Smartphone owners Xiaomi, Poco and Redmi with the shell MIUI or HyperOS must look for the item Other permissions or immediately Open by default inside the application card. The interface here is more compact, and sometimes the necessary button is hidden under the list expansion arrow.
Devices Google Pixel and smartphones on pure Android offer the easiest way. After selecting the application, the item Default settings is located immediately below the information about the battery and memory. Clicking on it immediately opens a screen with a reset button.
⚠️ Attention: On some Chinese firmware versions, item names may be translated incorrectly or missing. In this case, it is recommended to change the system language to English to search for the desired section.
What to do if there is no “Open by default” item?
If you do not find this item, perhaps the application does not have rights to open links or files, or your version of Android is so old (below 6.0) that management is carried out differently. In rare cases, this item is hidden in the “Advanced” or “Advanced Settings” menu.
Radical method: completely resetting application preferences
If you do not remember which application intercepted the opening of files, or if resetting the settings for a specific app does not help, there is a more global solution. You can reset all application preferences at once. This action will return the selection menu for all file types and links in all apps.
To do this, go to the Applications section in the settings. In the upper right corner of the screen, find the menu icon (three dots or three bars). In the drop-down list, select Reset application settings or Reset preferences.
Settings → Applications → Menu (⋮) → Reset application settingsThis operation is safe for your data. It doesn't delete photos, contacts, or the apps themselves. However, it will reset all permissions (access to camera, microphone) that you granted manually, and disable notifications for those apps where you prohibited them. You will have to re-confirm access rights the first time you launch apps.
☑️ What is reset when you completely reset preferences
Use this method only as a last resort when spot adjustments do not produce results. This is a great way to “refresh” the system if it started to behave strangely after installing a lot of new software.
Solving problems with widgets and launchers
Sometimes the problem with selecting “Always” does not concern the opening of files, but the action of widgets on the desktop or the Home button. For example, clicking on a weather widget may not open the app you intended. Or the return button to the main screen launches a third-party launcher instead of the system one.
In the case of launchers (desktop shells), the procedure is similar. You need to find the current launcher application in the settings (for example Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher) and reset its settings to default. After that, when you press the “Home” button, the system will ask which launcher to use.
With widgets the situation is more complicated, since they are often part of a specific application. If the calendar widget opens the wrong calendar, check the settings in the calendar app itself. Perhaps in its internal settings there is an “Application for viewing events” item, where the path is hardcoded.
- 🏠 Home button: reset in the settings of the Launcher application.
- 📞 Button call: reset in the settings of the Phone application.
- 💬 Message button: reset in the Messages application settings.
Remember that some system applications may be hidden from the general list. If you cannot find a standard application for resetting, try turning on the display of system processes through the menu filter in the application menu.
Full reset of application preferences is a “magic pill” that solves 99% of problems with incorrect app selection, but requires re-setting permissions.
Frequently asked questions and additional nuances
Users often ask questions about whether it is possible to restore the selection if they accidentally clicked “Always” on the wrong application. The answer is simple: yes, it is reversible at any time as long as the application is not deleted. Even if you reset the settings, but change your mind and again want to use one application for everything, you will simply click “Always” again the next time you select.
Another important nuance concerns system updates. After a major update Android (for example, from version 12 to version 13), some default settings may be reset automatically. This is normal system behavior, which is designed to ensure compatibility of new functions.
⚠️ Attention: If after resetting the settings the selection menu still does not appear, check whether you have an application installed that forcefully intercepts certain types of files (for example, antiviruses or download managers). Try disabling them temporarily.
It's also worth mentioning that in some corporate profiles or when using Guest modes, the ability to change default settings may be limited by the device administrator. In such cases, you will need to sign out of the restricted profile.
Is it possible to disable the selection menu permanently?
No, the system selection menu is a basic Android security mechanism. You can only select the default application (“Always”), but you cannot completely remove the choice itself through system settings without deep modification of the system (root access).
What to do if the reset button is inactive?
If the “Remove default settings” button is gray, it means that there are currently no active “Always” bindings for this application. You may have reset the settings previously, or the selection was made for another application that handles the same file type. Check the list of other apps that work with this type of content.
Does resetting the settings affect data inside applications?
No, resetting the “Open by default” settings only affects system file associations. All your logins, passwords, saved documents and history within applications remain completely safe. This is a purely system navigation setting.
Why doesn’t the selection appear immediately after a reset?
Sometimes the system takes a few seconds or even a device reboot to apply the changes. Try closing all background applications and trying to open the file again. If it doesn’t help, restart your smartphone.
Is it possible to configure the “Always” selection for different types of links within one application?
Yes, in modern versions of Android you can configure in detail which links to open automatically. Go to the application settings, section “Supported links”, and select the “In this application” option for specific domains, leaving the rest to “Always ask”.