How to change the default browser to Xiaomi: all the ways for MIUI 12, 13, 14 and 15

Why Xiaomi is Hard to Change the Default Browser and What to Do About It

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones are known for their deep customization of Android, but some settings are so cleverly hidden that users lose hours searching. One of the most common questions is how to change the default browser, because the system stubbornly returns the Mi Browser even after explicitly choosing another application. The reason lies in Xiaomi’s aggressive policy to promote its own services: firmware blocks changes at the system level, and after updates resets the settings.

In this article, we’ll look at all the working ways to change the default browser on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from standard settings to workarounds for stubborn versions of MIUI. Particular attention will be paid to the Xiaomi 13/14 series, Redmi Note 12/13 and POCO F5/X5 models, where the algorithm is different from older devices, and you will learn how to permanently disable forced link opening in the Mi Browser, even if the system tries to return it.

We warn you right away: on some firmware (especially the Chinese versions of MIUI), full locking of Mi Browser is impossible without root rights. But in 90% of cases our instructions will work - checked on MIUI 12.5-15.

Method 1: Standard change through Android settings

Let's start with the most obvious method that should work on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI based on Android 10 and later. However, due to the features of the firmware, this method often fails - the browser is reset after a restart or update. Here's how to do it correctly:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select the Default Apps.
3. Find the Browser section and select the desired application (e.g. Chrome, Firefox or Edge).
4. Confirm the choice by clicking Set by default.

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 13/14 After this step, the system may display a notification saying, "Mi Browser provides better integration with Xiaomi services." Ignore it - this is a marketing trick to bring you back to the standard browser.

Make sure links open in your browser |Reboot your phone and check again |Open Settings → Applications → Default Apps and confirm that your browser is not reset |Try to open a link from another application (e.g. Telegram or WhatsApp)

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If the browser resets to Mi Browser after the reboot, move on to the next method, which means that your version of MIUI actively resists changes.

Method 2: Forced change via "Open supported links"

This method works even on the most stubborn versions of MIUI, where the standard change doesn't help, and here we manually prevent Mi Browser from opening links by redirecting them to another browser:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Mi Browser on the list and tap it.
3. Choose Open by default (or Open supported links on new versions).
4. Disable all switches in the Open Supported Links section (should be gray).
5. Go back and repeat steps 1-3 for the browser you want to make the primary (e.g. Chrome).
6. Turn on all the switches for the selected browser.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) After this method, Mi Browser can disappear completely from the list of applications by default. This is normal - just select another browser manually when you first open the link.

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If after these manipulations, links stopped opening at all, clear the cache and data of the Settings application (Settings → Apps → Settings → Storage → Clear cache / data).

Method 3: Use ADB-switch-off

If previous methods didn't work, you'd have to connect to your smartphone via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is an advanced way, but it's guaranteed to disable the Mi Browser as the default browser.

• 🖥️ Computer with ADB-tools installed.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap according to the version → return to additional settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and allow debugging (a request will appear on the smartphone screen).
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices Wait for the serial number of your device to appear.
4. Follow the default browser reset command: adb shell cmd package set-home-activity com.android.chrome/com.google.android.apps.chrome.Main (replace com.android.chrome with your browser package if you are not using Chrome).
5. Reboot your smartphone.

Packages of popular browsers for the team:

Method 4: Disable Mi Browser through the application settings

If you don’t need to use the Mi Browser at all, you can turn it off completely, which will prevent the default browser from automatically resetting, but beware: on some firmware, this can lead to errors in the operation of system services (for example, Xiaomi Cloud).

How to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Mi Browser and tap it.
3. Click Disable (or Remove Updates if the Disable button is inactive).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 14/15 After the Mi Browser shutdown, it may stop working:

• 🔗 Quick links to Xiaomi Community.
• 📄 Preview PDF-file-wire.
• 🛒 Some promo banners in Settings.

If these features are important to you, use ADB Freeze instead of disabling:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.browser

Mi Browser|Google Chrome|Mozilla Firefox|Microsoft Edge|Opera|Other-->

Solving problems: browser resets after update

One of the most common complaints of Xiaomi users is that the browser is reset by default to the Mi Browser after the system update, which is due to the fact that MIUI forcibly resets some settings when installing new versions.

• 🔄 Automatic Updates: Turn off Auto Update MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Auto-update.
• 📥 Manual installation: Download firmware manually from the official site and install through System Update → Select a firmware file.
• 🔧 Recovery Script: Use Tasker or MacroDroid to automatically return your browser by default after a reboot.

If the problem occurs after each update, try the following trick:

1. Before updating, set the browser by default (any of the methods above).
2. Download the firmware, but do not install it immediately.
3. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Xiaomi Cloud and turn off settings sync.
4. Install firmware and do not connect to the Internet before the first turn on.
5. After booting the system immediately return the browser by default and only then connect to the network.

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Disabling the synchronization of settings with Xiaomi Cloud is a key point to prevent a browser reset after the update.

Features for different Xiaomi models

MIUI firmware behaves differently on devices of different lines, and this is what you need to know for owners of specific models:

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for Russia (e.g. Redmi) 12C or POCO M5s) You may not have the option to change the browser in the settings due to local restrictions. ADB or.

Frequently asked questions