Change default handler for tel URL scheme on macOS

Question

Created Sep ’25

Replies 9

Boosts 1

Participants 3

My app is a VoIP softphone for Mac that allows people to make phone calls to a regular phone numbers. The app exists since before Mac App Store. The app declares itself to the system as capable of handling tel: URLs. Until now, people could change the default handler for tel URLs in FaceTime settings (Default for calls).

In macOS Tahoe 26, this doesn't seem to be possible any more. That option is gone from the FaceTime settings.

Is it completely gone or has it been moved somewhere else? If there is no UI control for this any more, is it possible to change it programmatically?

Boost

Answer 1

jfausto OP

4d

I am also looking around and cannot find a way to change those handlers, even a terminal command would suffice. I am trying to change it to another the Teams app.

0

Answer 2

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

2d

macOS 26 has a new Phone app. Did the setting land there? [1]

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

[1] Normally I’d check this for myself but I’m not set up to that right now.

0

Answer 3

eofster OP

2d

No, the setting is not in the Phone app settings on macOS 26. Although it is on iOS 26.

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Answer 4

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

1d

Hmmm, that seems bugworthy to me.

Have you checked this on the latest 26.1 beta? [2] If it’s still a problem there then, yeah, I reckon you should file a bug about that.

If you do file a bug, please post your bug number, just for the record.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

[2] Again, I’m sorry for not checking this myself. I’ve been OOO for a few weeks and am still wrangling a significant backlog.

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Answer 5

eofster OP

1d

macOS 26.1 Beta (25B5072a) is still lacking this possibility. It's neither in the Phone app nor in the FaceTime settings.

I did file the bug on September 21, 2025. The number is FB20321931

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Answer 6

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

16h

The number is FB20321931

Thanks for that [1].

Unfortunately your bug report has got a bit lost. I’ve taken steps to get it back on the right path.

Share and Enjoy
—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

[1] In the future, it’d be helpful if you included any relevant bug numbers with your original post. In many cases that lets me quickly discover more about the issue. For more hints and tips in this space, see Quinn’s Top Ten DevForums Tips and Bug Reporting: How and Why?

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Answer 7

eofster OP

3h

Understood and thank you, Quinn!

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Answer 8

trusktr OP

2h

I'm just a regular macOS 26 user here, but I noticed this option is gone too. Whenever I try to make a call in the new native macOS 26 Phone app, it focuses my Edge browser. I'm not sure when or how I made Edge handle telephone calls (including tel: links), but it is very annoying because I am unable to change the app that makes calls, and therefore I cannot get my cross-device Phone experience to work well.

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Answer 9

trusktr OP

1h

I found a way to set it using Terminal:

osascript -l JavaScript <<EndOfScript
ObjC.import("LaunchServices")
$.LSSetDefaultHandlerForURLScheme(ObjC.wrap("tel"), ObjC.wrap("com.apple.mobilephone"))
EndOfScript

Replace "tel" with the type of URL to handle, and "com.apple.mobilephone" with the identifier of the app to handle those URLs.

To find the identifier of an app, run:

osascript -e 'id of app "Phone"'

replacing "Phone" with desired app name. F.e. "Safari" or "Safari.app".

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