A modern smartphone is not just a means of communication, but a full-fledged digital content management center, and the web browser plays a key role here. Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi 9 model often face the need to change the standard application for Internet access, since the preinstalled Mi Browser does not always meet the needs of advanced users for speed and privacy. The replacement process seems trivial, but the MIUI shell has its own features that can confuse the beginner.
The main challenge is the aggressive policy of the system, which seeks to keep the user in its ecosystem. When you try to open a link from a messenger or mail, the system can automatically launch the old browser, ignoring your preferences. To change this situation, you need to perform a series of sequential actions in the system settings, which we will discuss in detail in this article.
The correct default setting of the application provides not only comfort, but also security, as third-party browsers often have more advanced phishing and tracker protection systems. We will consider all the nuances of this procedure, including hidden menus and possible errors that you may encounter on a device with a Helio G80 processor.
Why Change Your Standard Browser to Redmi 9
Xiaomi’s standard browser is often criticized for the excessive amount of ads built into the news feed and the excessive amount of RAM. Users who appreciate the speed of their Redmi 9 prefer to install lighter and more functional counterparts, such as Firefox or Brave, which allows faster loading of pages and free up the CPU resources for other tasks.
In addition, many third-party solutions offer advanced sync capabilities with desktop versions, which is critical to the job.The built-in application may not support installing the necessary extensions or have a limited incognito mode.Replacing the browser is the first step to personalizing your Android smartphone.
⚠️ Note: Some system widgets and functions of "Global Search" in the MIUI They can continue to use the built-in engine even if you change the main browser.
Another important aspect is data privacy: Standard applications often collect telemetry and browsing history for targeted advertising, and by installing an alternative web client with ad blockers, you significantly improve your digital hygiene.
Preparation for the installation of a new observer
Before you start changing system priorities, you need to make sure that the alternative application is already installed on your device. APK-You can use the file through the official Google Play Market store or from trusted sources if you use modified versions.
It is also recommended to check for updates to the MIUI operating system. Sometimes bugs related to the selection of applications by default are fixed in security patches. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and click the check button.
☑️ Checklist before setting up
It is important to note that the Xiaomi Redmi 9 with MIUI 12 or later may have additional background restrictions. Once you install the new browser, give it all the necessary permissions to work correctly when switching.
Step-by-step instruction through system settings
The most reliable way to change a priority application is to use deep system settings, and to do this, open the main menu and find the Settings icon, and we are interested in a section that may be called Apps or Apps and Notifications, depending on the localization version.
Inside this menu, scroll down to "Default Apps." This section isn't deep, but in some versions of MIUI, it may be in the "Additional" submenu. Click on it to see the list of app categories.
What to do if there is no “Default Apps” item?
Find the category "Browser" or "Web browser" in the list. By default, it will indicate Mi Browser or Chrome. Click on this line, and the system will give a pop-up with a list of all browsers installed. Choose the option you want, such as Opera or Yandex.
Alternative Method through Application Management
If the previous path seems too long, you can use direct control of a particular application. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. In this list, find the browser you just installed that you want to make the primary.
Inside the app card, find the option “Open by default” or “Start by default.” Click on it and select the option “Open supported links” or “Always.” This will force the system to use the application for web links.
This method is especially useful if the system has forgotten your choice after the next update, and allows you to prioritize a particular executable file without the general category settings.
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If you don’t see the browser you want in the app list, try clearing the Settings cache through the developer menu, but only if you’re confident in your actions.
Comparison of popular browsers for Redmi 9
Browser selection is a personal matter, but for a budget device like Redmi 9, optimization is important. Some heavy browsers may slow down on the MediaTek Helio G80 processor, especially when opening many tabs with “heavy” content.
| browser | RAM consumption | Blocking ads | Synchronization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | High. | No (extensions needed) | Google account |
| Opera Mini | Low. | Built-in. | Opera account |
| Mozilla Firefox | Average. | Support for uBlock | Firefox account |
| Yandex Browser | Average. | Built-in (Turbo) | Yandex account |
As you can see from the table, Opera Mini is a great choice for saving traffic and memory, while Firefox will please privacy lovers. Owners of the Google ecosystem will likely remain faithful to Chrome, despite its resource-intensiveness.
Support for hardware acceleration is also worth considering. Most modern browsers run stable on Redmi 9, but there may be differences in smooth playback when watching 4K video.
Possible problems and solutions
Sometimes, after a browser change, links from some apps (such as Instagram or Telegram) continue to open in the old browser, this is due to caching of file associations, and to fix this, you need to reset the opening settings for a particular application-source link.
Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find Telegram, for example. Select Open by Default and click Delete Default Settings or Reset. Now, the next time you click on the link, the system will ask you again what to open it.
⚠️ Note: Do not remove the Mi Browser system completely through ADB, If you're not sure what the consequences are, some system components. MIUI They can refer to its packages, which will lead to errors in the operation of the interface.
Another common problem is spontaneous resetting of settings after rebooting, which may indicate a conflict between the Android and shell versions, in which case it is recommended to wait for the official firmware update from the manufacturer.
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Resetting the “Open by default” settings for the source application of the link (messenger or social network) often solves the problem of “stubborn” links that do not want to open in a new browser.
Optimization of the new browser
Once you've successfully changed your browser, it's worth spending a couple of minutes setting it up first. Turn off notifications from news feeds if you don't need them, and set up the start page, which will make the device cleaner and more enjoyable.
To save battery life on Redmi 9, it is recommended to enable Data Savings mode or a similar feature in the new browser settings, which will limit background activity and mobile traffic consumption.
Remember to periodically clean the browser cache, especially if you are actively using multimedia content, this will prevent slowing down the device and free up space in the internal storage.