What is a default application?

Setting a default application links a specific application to an action or file type so that whenever you want to take the same action or work with the same type of file the application will automatically be the one you use.

Having a default set is great when you repeat the same task or deal with the same types of files often.

Application Chooser

If no application is set as the default and you install a new application that an be used for the same purpose the next time you perform that task a pop up window will open with a list of the available applications for you to choose from. If you want to use one application every time you can select "Use by default for this action" at the bottom of the pop up and then each time you perform the same action the application you select will be launched.

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Changing Defaults

If you install a new application or just decide that you don't like the default you've chosen you need to:

Tap the Menu key (the one that looks like four squares on the bottom left of the phone) and you will see:

Select Settings and another menu will pop up. Scroll down to this section:

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Selecting Applications takes you to this screen:

Select manage Applications

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Now scroll through the list and select the application that is the current default. It will have a section that looks like the picture below when you select it to see the details.

Tap the 'Clear defaults' button. The button will turn red, but nothing else on the screen changes.

The next time you perform the action that the application was the default for you will see the application chooser box again.

Defaults Not Required

If you want the application chooser box to pop up each time so you can choose which application will run for a particular action you simply never check the "Use by default for this action" box in the application chooser.

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Keyboards Are different

Replacement keyboards are a bit different. You must enable each keyboard that you want to be available to use for input. To do this tap:

• Menu
• Settings
• Local and text (Language & keyboard on Android 2.1)

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You will see all of the keyboards you have installed in a list. For each one you want to use make sure a green check mark is next to the keyboard name. Tap to toggle the check mark on or off.

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Once you have enabled the keyboards you want to exit.

To set which keyboard is the default run any applications that has a text entry box. Long press in the text entry box.

Select 'Input Method'.

Select the keyboard you want to use.

You can switch keyboards at any time by changing the input method as described above.

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