Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face situations where the system automatically launches unnecessary services instead of the usual tools, for example, when you open a link instead of Chrome or Yandex, the built-in browser starts, and pictures open in the MIUI gallery, although you prefer Google Photos, this is due to the preset priority settings that the operating system imposes on the user immediately after purchase.
Fortunately, MIUI and its successor HyperOS allow you to manage these parameters flexibly. You can decide for yourself which software will handle calls, messages, links or multimedia files. Changing the default apps is not just a matter of convenience, but also a way to optimize the device for yourself, getting rid of excess junk in the background.
In this article, we will look at all the ways you can change your priorities, from changing quickly through a pop-up window to deep tuning through the system menu, and we will also look at what to do if the item you want isn’t on the list, and how to reset if the system starts to work incorrectly.
The basic principles of the MIUI priority system
The Android operating system that runs MIUI uses the concept of "intents." When you click on a link, the app sends a request to the system: "Is there a file of this type than to open it?" The system checks the list of installed programs that can perform this action, and see if there are any of them that are marked as priority.
If you previously selected the Always option for an application, the system will no longer ask you about the choice and will immediately start the specified program. This is convenient for frequently used services, but becomes a problem if you decide to change your browser or messenger, in which case you need to manually reset the old choice or reassign priority in the settings.
⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi system applications, such as Phone or Messages, can be hard-wired into the system. Attempting to completely disable them through third-party utilities can lead to unstable operation of the communication module.
It’s important to understand the difference between deleting an application and changing its default status: Deleting simply erases the program, whereas changing priority leaves it on the device, but prevents it from running automatically when certain actions are taken, especially for Google and Xiaomi system services, which cannot be removed without root rights.
The fastest way: change through a pop-up window
The simplest method of changing a program is when the system asks you for a choice, which happens if you have not previously set a priority or reset it, for example, when you first start a downloaded browser or after cleaning the settings cache.
When a dialog box appears on the screen asking “What to open?” and a list of available applications, do not rush to press the confirmation button. At the bottom of this window, there are usually two options: “Once” and “Always”. The “Always” option fixes the selected application as the main one for this type of files or links.
- 📱 Click on the icon of the app you want (for example, Chrome instead of the built-in browser).
- 🔒 Select Always (or Default) to capture the choice.
- ✅ The system will remember the preference and will no longer bother you with the question on the next run.
If you accidentally chose the wrong app and clicked "Always," don't panic. You don't have to reinstall the system. You just go to the settings of a particular application and forcefully reset that setting, which we'll detail in the next sections, but just remember that being mindful when this window appears will save you time in the future.
💡
If the selection window doesn’t appear, you may have Simplified Mode or Child Mode enabled, which restricts the choice of apps.
Deep customization through the “Default Apps” menu
In modern versions of MIUI and HyperOS, there is a centralized section where you can view and change all the basic assignments at once, which is more convenient than waiting for the system to ask you about each file type separately, and here you manage global settings for browser, calls, SMS and navigation.
To get to this section, you need to follow the path: Settings → Applications → Application configuration → Default Apps. In some versions of the shell, the path may be slightly different: Settings → Advanced Settings → Default Applications. The interface can vary depending on the regional firmware (Global, EU, China).
In the list that opens, you'll see the categories that you can assign a priority application to.
- 🌐 Browser - a program for opening web links.
- 📞 Phone - an application for making calls.
- 💬 SMS — text-message.
- 🗺️ Navigation - mapping service.
Clicking on any of the categories will show you a list of all the apps installed on your smartphone that can perform this function. Just select the one you want, and the system will instantly apply changes. This is especially useful when you first set up a new Xiaomi smartphone, to immediately save yourself from using standard, often overloaded, analogues.
☑️ Checking the default settings
How to Reset the Settings of a Specific Application
There are times when the general settings menu doesn’t have the right category, or you want to reset the choice for a specific file type, such as opening a PDF or a video, in which case you need to act through the property menu of the application itself, which is currently undesirable.
Find the application you want to “degrade” in the installed list, for example, if links open in the MIUI Built-in Browser, find it in the list. Go to its information card, among other things, there will be a button “Start by default” (or “Open by default”).
Inside this menu, you'll see a switch and a Reset button, and clicking on this button will remove all the priorities assigned to the application, and then the next time you start the corresponding action (open a link or file), the system will again ask you which program to use, and you can choose a new one.
| Action. | The way is on the menu | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Browser reset | Settings -> Applications -> Browser -> Start by default | The system will ask for a choice when opening a link |
| Gallery dumping | Settings -> Applications -> Gallery -> Start by default | Selection of a program for viewing photos |
| Video reset | Settings -> Applications -> Video -> Start by default | Choice of video player |
| File reset | Settings -> Applications -> Explorer -> Start by default | Selecting a File Manager |
This method is clean and secure, it doesn't affect the app's personal data, cache, or authorization, you just tell the system to stop using the program automatically, it's a standard maintenance procedure for Android devices that doesn't require special rights.
⚠️ Note: If the Reset button is inactive (gray), then no priorities have been set for this application and it is not the main one for any type of action at the moment.
Managing Openings of Different Types of Files
Files (photos, videos, documents) are often confusing, and three different video players and two office suites can be installed on a smartphone. MIUI Trying to guess your preferences, but sometimes revealing a heavy PDF-files in a lightweight viewer that cannot display complex schemas.
To change the association for a particular file type, you can use a trick: Find the file type you want in Explorer, click on it and select Open with Help (if this option is available in your Explorer). If the system immediately opens the file in an unnecessary application, first perform the reset procedure described in the previous section for this “unnecessary” application.
When you reset the file, the system will give you a list of all the appropriate programs. Choose the right one and click "Always." If you want to be able to choose a program every time (for example, one file to open in Word and another file to open in Google Docs), just don't tick "Always" or choose "Just Now" every time.
What to do if the desired application is not on the list?
Also, consider that some file formats may be captured by Google Play system services. If you can't change the app to open links to maps or the store, check the settings of Google services. Sometimes you need to disable automatic component updates to access selections.
Problem Solving: If the settings are not saved
Xiaomi users sometimes encounter a bug when the system ignores the selected settings and continues to run standard applications, which can be due to aggressive battery optimization or launcher errors, in which case deeper intervention is required.
The first step should always be to clear the cache of the Settings system component. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Settings (cog icon). Select Clean → Clear cache. Don't confuse it with Clear All, otherwise all your system personalizations (wallpaper, alarm clocks, Wi-Fi passwords) will reset.
If cleaning the cache didn't work, try restarting the device to Safe Mode, which only runs system applications, and if the choice is correct in Safe Mode, then some third-party application, perhaps an antivirus or a memory cleaner, is causing conflict, which forcefully returns system settings.
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone by clamping the off button and selecting “Reboot” (on some versions you need to keep your finger on the off button for a long time).
- 🛡️ Check if you have antivirus applications from third-party developers.
- ⚙️ Make sure that the app you choose has all the necessary permissions in the Permissions menu».
💡
MIUI's aggressive energy-saving policy can kill the background processes of alternative applications, causing the system to deem them non-functional and return the standard ones.