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Troubleshooting & FAQ

Fix links that aren't being intercepted, default-browser resets after macOS updates, and other common issues.

Updated July 24, 2026

Most issues with Sylphi Route come down to one thing: macOS isn’t sending links to it. This guide covers the usual culprits and answers common questions.

If clicking a link opens your old browser instead of routing through Sylphi Route:

  1. Confirm Sylphi Route is the default browser. Open System Settings → Desktop & Dock → Default web browser and make sure Sylphi Route is selected. This is the single most common cause.
  2. Check that no rule is misrouting the link. A broad wildcard or regex rule near the top of your list may be catching more than you expect. See Creating Rules → Rule order.
  3. Make sure a default target is set so links that match no rule still have somewhere to go.

macOS reset my default browser after an update

macOS updates sometimes reset the default web browser back to Safari. If routing suddenly stops working after an update, simply set Sylphi Route as the default browser again (see Getting Started).

A browser or profile isn’t listed as a target

  • Make sure the browser is installed and has been launched at least once so macOS knows about it.
  • For profile targeting, confirm the browser actually has multiple profiles set up. If you just created a profile, quit and reopen the browser, then re-check Sylphi Route.

Permissions

Sylphi Route needs permission to act as your default browser and to launch other browsers. If something isn’t working:

  • Review any prompts you may have dismissed on first launch.
  • Check System Settings → Privacy & Security for anything related to Sylphi Route that’s awaiting approval (exact location may vary by macOS version).

FAQ

Does Sylphi Route see the pages I visit? Sylphi Route only reads a link’s URL long enough to decide which browser should open it. It doesn’t render pages or track your browsing.

Does it slow down opening links? No — routing happens in a fraction of a second before the target browser opens, the same as if you’d clicked the link there directly.

What happens if no rule matches? The link opens in your default target browser. If you haven’t set one, set it from Sylphi Route’s main window.

Can I use it with just one browser? Yes. Even with a single browser, you can route different sites to different profiles — for example, work links to a work profile and everything else to a personal one.

How do I temporarily disable routing? Set another browser as your system default in System Settings, or quit Sylphi Route. Links will go straight to whatever browser macOS considers default.

Still stuck? Double-check Getting Started and Creating Rules — most problems trace back to the default-browser setting or rule order.