Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face intrusive behavior of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system. Even if you installed Google Chrome from the Play Market, the system can stubbornly suggest opening links in the built-in browser or asking for an app choice at every click, which annoys and slows down the work with content on the Internet.
The problem lies in the deep integration of Xiaomi’s own services and its aggressive battery saving policy, which is modified by the manufacturer to make sure that links from instant messengers, emails and social networks automatically open in Chrome, you need to perform a number of specific settings.
In this article, we’ll take a look at not only the standard path through the settings menu, but also deeper configuration methods. You’ll learn how to prevent resets after a reboot and why the Mi Browser keeps crying.
Why the system resets browser selection
The MIUI operating shell is known for its specific work with background processes. The system seeks to minimize power consumption by forcibly shutting down applications it believes are not in use right now. When you choose Chrome as the primary but rarely open it manually, Android may find it inactive.
Xiaomi is also actively promoting its services, including Mi Browser, and some firmware versions give priority to the native app, if the system finds that the standard browser has not been updated for a long time or has been deactivated, the user will be able to use the app.
Another cause of failures is access rights: If Google Chrome has been stripped of permissions to access the network or work in the background, the system will not be able to use it to open external links. User scripts often ignore this aspect, focusing only on the default button.
⚠️ Note: In some regions, global firmware versions MIUI A mandatory set of applications is pre-installed. Complete removal of the system browser may require the use of ADB and influence the work of news widgets.
Understanding these mechanisms helps to avoid the situation when settings fly off after another security update, and the stability of work depends on how correctly you “present” the browser to the system.
Basic configuration through the application menu
The easiest and most obvious way to change priorities is to use the standard Android settings menu, which works 90% of the time on current versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14.
To start, open your smartphone settings. Find a section called Apps. Depending on the version of the shell, this item may be in the main menu or hidden inside the category Additional. The interface may differ on Redmi Note models and Xiaomi flagships.
Inside the menu, find All Apps. This shows the full list of installed software. Search in the Google Chrome list. If the list is long, search at the top of the screen or sort by name.
- 📱 Click on the gear icon or the name of the application to enter the control menu.
- ⚙️ Find the default settings (default settings).
- ✅ Activate the switch or select Open supported links.
- 🔗 In submenu, select the Open Links option and make sure the tick is “In this app».
Once you do this, the system will receive a clear command to use Chrome for web content, but if you have Mi Browser installed, it may have a higher system priority.
💡
The main point or conclusion of this section
💡
Activating the “Open Links” option within the settings of a particular application is more important than the overall selection in the system menu.
Resetting the priorities of the system browser
If the previous method didn't work, it means that the system has a strict priority for Mi Browser. Android can't assign two default apps to one action at the same time.
Go back to Settings → Apps → All apps. This time, find the Mi Browser (or “Browser” with a compass icon) and go to its settings.
Find the default section. You'll see an active button or a sign indicating that the application is being used to open links. Your task is to click Reset default or Clear default.
☑️ Verification of prioritization
After resetting the next time you click on the link, the system will ask you again than to open the URL. At that point, select Chrome and be sure to click Always. Don't confuse it with the One-Time button.
⚠️ Note: After resetting, Mi Browser may stop opening links from the Ribbon widget or system notifications until you assign a new program.
This procedure ensures that Xiaomi will no longer automatically redirect traffic to its browser.The forced selection will now be retained.
Setup link opening inside Chrome
Sometimes the problem isn't with the system, but with the Google Chrome settings themselves.The app can be blocked from handling certain types of links, a common occurrence after major Android updates.
Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Chrome. Select Open by default. Here you will see a list of the types of links that the application can handle (e.g. http, https, intent).
Make sure the Open Supported Links switch is active. If there is a list of domains below (e.g. google.com, youtube.com), check that they are opposite Open in that app, not Always Ask.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact on work |
|---|---|---|
| Supported references | Included. | Allows you to launch from other applications |
| Link types (http/https) | Open up | Processes standard web traffic |
| Deep links (deep links) | Open up | You need to work inside the applications |
| Ask every time. | Off. | Remove unnecessary dialog windows |
Also worth checking is the browser's internal settings: Open Chrome, click three dots in the corner, and select Settings. Scroll down to Systems or Additionals. Make sure there are no restrictions on background work.
What is Deep Links?
The effect of energy saving on the operation of the browser
Xiaomi is known for aggressive battery optimization. If the system puts Chrome to sleep, it won't be able to intercept a link from another app, a common reason why settings reset themselves.
Go to Settings → Battery and Performance (or simply Battery). Go to Google Chrome. Click on it to open a detailed energy saving menu.
Select No Limits mode. The standard Battery Savings mode can block background activity required to instantly open links. This is critical for the default browser to work smoothly.
- 🔋 Open Task Manager (Swig Up and Hold).
- 🔒 Click on the lock icon next to the Chrome window to lock it in memory.
- 🚫 In the battery settings, turn off "Optimization" MIUI» for this application.
Also check autorun. In the Security app (green zipper icon), find the Permissions → Autorun section. Make sure Chrome is included in this list. Without this, after the phone is rebooted, the browser may not start in the background.
Solving Mi Browser and Widget Problems
Even after all the settings, you may notice that the Google Discover widget or Xiaomi newsfeed continues to open in the built-in browser, which is because some system components are hard-wired to use the Mi Browser.
For the Google widget, try to clear the widget itself. Press the widget on your desktop, select the widget settings (if available), or delete it and add it again. When you add a new widget, the system can request a browser choice.
If nothing works, you can try disabling Mi Browser. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → Mi Browser. If the Disable button is active (not grey), press it. The application will stop starting and interfering.
⚠️ Note: Disabling the system browser may cause errors in some built-in functions MIUI, which depend on its engine (for example, preview links in settings).
As a last resort, if Mi Browser cannot be disabled, use third-party launchers or switching apps that force the system-level link handlers to change, although this requires root rights or Shizuku use.