Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO They often have a desire to personalize their device interface. MIUI or HyperOS is a very functional system, but it doesn't always meet the needs of advanced users, for example, someone who doesn't have enough support. RAW-In other cases, the user simply prefers a more concise design of third-party applications, in which case it becomes necessary to change the system settings so that when you open photos, the software you choose will automatically start up.
The process of replacing the main application for viewing media files is not complicated, but it requires understanding the logic of the Android operating system. The system by default assigns its services to priority, and simply removing the icon, you will not solve the problem. You need to intervene in the management of applications by default through the system menu. This action is safe and does not require root rights or unlock the bootloader.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm of actions that will help you install a third-party gallery as the main one. We will look at the nuances of working with MIUI and the new HyperOS, since the paths to settings may differ slightly, and also touch on the topic of cleaning the cache and resetting if the standard program stopped responding.
Why you should consider changing the standard application
Xiaomi’s standard app is functional but often overloaded with promotional modules and unnecessary interface elements. Users who appreciate speed often look for easier alternatives. Third-party developers offer solutions that run faster and consume less CPU resources.
And many professional photographers use smartphones to process their images, and they need specific features like color profiles or cloud services in a different format, and installing an alternative viewer solves these problems.
⚠️ Before removing or disabling system components, make sure you have an alternative way to view important photos, in case the new app proves to be unstable.
Another important aspect is privacy: some users do not trust the collection of telemetry data by embedded services, and using trusted, third-party, open-source applications can improve the digital security of your personal archives.
Preparation for the installation of an alternative gallery
Before you change your system settings, you need to install the program itself, which will be used instead of the standard one. Google Play store offers a variety of options, from minimalist viewers to powerful harvesters for editing.
It is recommended to choose applications with high ratings and a lot of reviews, which reduces the risk of installing malware or programs with unstable operation. After installation, take your time to open files, first give the system time to index the new application.
- 📸 Google Photos – a cloud solution with powerful search by objects and faces.
- 🚀 QuickPic is a legendary light gallery known for its speed.
- 🎨 Foss Gallery – an open source application focused on privacy.
- 📂 Simple Gallery – a functional tool with built-in editor and folder hiding.
It’s important to note that some lightweight galleries may not support previewing video formats that Xiaomi’s standard player easily opens, so it’s worth testing your chosen software for compatibility with your media files before making a full transition.
💡
Use the Pro version or paid counterparts to avoid intrusive advertising that may overlap the photo viewing interface.
Instructions: How to Assign a New Application by Default
The most common method of changing a priority app is to manually change the settings in the smartphone menu.The algorithm of actions can vary depending on the version of the shell, but the overall logic remains the same for the entire Android ecosystem.
First, you need to go to the Application Management section, and then open Settings and find the App item. In some versions of MIUI, this section may be called All Apps, and it shows you the complete list of installed software.
Find the Gallery (or Gallery) line in the list, click on it to open the control page. The menu that opens will need to find the default starter, usually located at the bottom of the screen or in the optional menu hidden behind the tripod.
Press Delete by default or Reset by default. Then the system will "forget" your choice. Now, when you try to open any photo through a file manager or messenger, the smartphone will ask which program to use.
In the window that appears, select the previously installed third-party application. Be sure to tick or select the Always option so that you do not repeat the procedure every time you open the file. If you accidentally select "Only Once", the procedure will have to be repeated.
Nuances of work in MIUI and HyperOS
Xiaomi shells have their own permissions and priorities management features. In recent versions of HyperOS, the settings menu has become more logical, but some items have been renamed or moved. MIUI 12/13/14 You should be careful.
Often, the system aggressively returns its services to priority after an update, because some system processes are rigidly tied to the standard gallery, especially the editing and collage creation functions, and when you try to edit photos through the standard interface, the native application can open again.
| Shell version | The path to settings | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12-13 | Settings → Applications → All applications | Reset button at the bottom of the screen |
| MIUI 14 | Settings → Applications → Application Management | Confirmation of action required |
| HyperOS 1.0 | Settings → Applications → All applications | Improved work with file associations |
| Android Stock | Settings → Applications → By default | Central management |
Also, consider that desktop widgets associated with a photo of the day or slideshow may stop working correctly when replacing a standard application. This is normal, since widgets often use the system gallery API.
What to do if the Delete by Default button is inactive?
Solving problems: if the gallery does not open or freezes
Sometimes users want to change an app not for aesthetic reasons, but because the standard one has stopped working correctly, so that freezes, a black screen when opening, or indexing errors are common symptoms of overcache or version conflict.
In this case, simply changing priority may not help if the problem is in corrupted system files, but you need to clean up the data of the problem application, which will return it to factory state by deleting temporary files and settings.
Go to Settings → Applications → All Apps → Gallery. Select Memory. Click Clear all data. Don't worry, your photos and videos won't be deleted because they're stored in a separate memory folder.
⚠️ Warning: Clearing the data will reset the album settings created inside the app and remove the history of recent activities.Hidden albums may require re-entering the password.
If the problem persists even after the reset, the specific file format in memory may conflict.Try to find and delete newly uploaded images of unusual formats that may have caused the gallery parser to crash.
Using File Managers to View
An alternative way to organize media files is to use advanced file managers, many of which have built-in viewing modules that are faster and more stable than standard solutions, which allows you to completely abandon a separate gallery application.
Popular managers like MiXplorer, Solid Explorer, or CX File Explorer allow you to customize thumbnail display and sorting. You can assign them as openers for all graphic formats.
- 📁 Flexibility – the ability to sort not only by date, but also by size, type and path.
- ⚡ Performance – the lack of unnecessary animation speeds up navigation through thousands of photos.
- 🔗 Integration – Direct access to cloud storage and network folders NAS pass-through.
To set up, open any image file through the file manager. If the system asks what to open, select your manager and click "Always." Now, when you click on a photo in other programs, the selected viewer will start.
💡
Using a specialized file manager often solves the problem of slow operation of the gallery on budget smartphones with a small amount of RAM.