Almost every family has one. They’re the only ones who know which remote turns on the TV and which controls the volume and channels. They know what an HDMI cable actually does and where to plug it in. They’ve even fixed multiple phone issues within seconds through a little-known, well-kept secret procedure (turning it off and back on).
Perhaps they are a parent, tech-savvy sibling, cool aunt or uncle, or close family friend. Whatever the relation, the role stays the same. They are the unpaid, on-call tech specialist for every relative’s forgotten password, printer jam, and device settings update.
If this sounds like you, we would first like to thank you for doing a job you never signed up for. Second, we would like to share a simple way you can help your family and friends protect their privacy and security without adding more to your plate.
A small settings change that makes a big difference
With Android and iPhone’s latest releases, and Black Friday deals rapidly approaching, many people are upgrading their current phone to a newer model. As the family’s go-to tech helper, you’ll likely be setting up a few new devices in the near future. You already know the routine: connect to Wi-Fi, choose a language, and transfer data from the old phone to the new one. But beyond the steps you are prompted to take when setting up a new phone lies a quiet decision many people never think twice about: their default browser.
While people in some regions, like Europe and Japan, get to choose their default browser when setting up a new phone, this is not the case everywhere. Most phones ship with a browser preinstalled and set as the default, ready to start collecting data and monetizing off user activity the minute it’s opened. Unless deliberately changed, that’s the browser that will be used moving forward. Not because it’s the best option, but because it’s already there.
But remember, everyone can choose the browser they use, and as the designated tech whiz of the family, you can help inspire others to choose the right one.
Choosing Firefox means choosing privacy from the very first tap.
The browser is where the data lives
A browser is the door to everything you do online, and depending on how it’s designed, it can see a lot. Every site visited. Every phrase searched. Every link tapped. As we socialize, work, and explore on our phones, the browser can be the biggest funnel of personal data leaving that device, and how it’s built determines who collects that data, who can sell it, and how long it sticks around.
Privacy is the starting point for our browser, not an afterthought. Firefox is built on the principle that not even Mozilla should know which websites you visit or what you do there.
Why Firefox is the right call
Firefox is backed by Mozilla, a nonprofit-backed company with no shareholders to report to. Instead of chasing financial returns for a small group, Mozilla aims to provide an internet that truly puts people first. This means we limit the data we know about you and give you more choice about what data you share and when.
This commitment to user privacy is built into the browser itself. On both Android and iOS, Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) is enabled by default, blocking known trackers every time you browse. This helps prevent advertisers and data brokers from following people across sites, no setup required. You can also adjust ETP to fit different needs, including turning it off altogether or activating Strict mode for even stronger protection.
Control and choice are built in, too. Firefox has an easily accessible AI controls section where people can customize how AI features show up in the browser, or turn them off entirely – because AI should always be a choice, not a requirement.
To carry these principles and protections across every link opened on a new phone, set Firefox as the default mobile browser in just a few taps.
How to set Firefox as the default browser on Android and iOS
Downloading the Firefox mobile app isn’t enough on its own, since most phones will keep opening links in whatever browser came preinstalled unless told otherwise. Here’s how to make Firefox the browser that actually opens by default. Make sure Firefox is installed on the device you’re working with before you begin.
On Android:
- Open Firefox
- Tap the three-dot menu button.
- Tap Settings.
- In the General section, locate the Set default browser option.
- Tap the toggle next to Set as default browser to turn it on.
- Select Firefox from the listed options.
- Tap Set as default.
On iOS:
- Open phone Settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Tap Default Apps.
- Tap Browser App.
- Select Firefox from the listed options.
Once Firefox has been selected as the default browser, links tapped from messages, email, social media, or anywhere else will open in Firefox automatically. No additional steps required by your less tech-savvy family members and friends, and no relying on them to open the “right” browser every time they want to access the internet.
A little help on day one, lasting benefits later
The way a device is initially set up tends to stick. Whichever browser is already selected as default and whatever privacy settings are (or aren’t) adjusted on day one often just…stay that way. That’s a lot of reliance on whatever defaults the phone is purchased with.
So this fall, whether you are setting up a shiny new Google Pixel 11 for your aunt, an iPhone 18 Pro for your brother, or any other model for any one of your non-paying tech support “clients,” take an extra five minutes to help them download Firefox and set it as their default browser. They can start their new device journey browsing with privacy, choice, and control built in. And you can check one more thing off your unofficial family IT to-do list.
The post An open letter to every family’s designated IT support appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.
