Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face intrusive behavior of the branded shell MIUI, which tries to keep the user in the manufacturer’s ecosystem. When installing an alternative browser, such as Yandex Browser, the system does not always automatically suggest assigning it to the main tool for opening links. This can be annoying, especially when links from messengers open in the standard MIUI Browser or Chrome, which you do not like.
To make matters worse, Android algorithms in conjunction with MIUI optimizations sometimes “forget” the user’s choice or simply don’t show a pop-up selection window when first run. On Redmi 7, running Android 9 with a MIUI 10 or 11 shell, the default browser selection mechanism can be hidden in the app settings. To change this situation, you need to perform a series of sequential actions that force the system links to the desired product.
In this guide, we will not only examine the standard path through settings, but also the methods of forced reset preferences if the system resists change. URL-Addresses, and how to set up file associations, so you can fully personalize your device to your habits.
Preparing the device for changing the main browser
Before you start changing system settings, you need to make sure that the Yandex Browser itself is properly installed and updated to the latest version. On Xiaomi devices with a MIUI shell, you often find preinstalled old versions of applications or modifications that may conflict with system settings. Open Google Play or GetApps and check for updates.
It is also important to understand that Redmi 7 is a device with limited RAM resources by modern standards. Having a large number of running background processes can prevent the correct display of system dialog windows.
- 📱 Make sure that the device is installed Yandex Browser version is not lower than the current stable build.
- 🔄 Check for updates for the Android System WebView system component, as it is responsible for rendering web pages in many applications.
- 🔋 Charge the Redmi 7 battery to at least 30% to avoid unexpected shutdowns during system settings change.
Special attention should be paid to access rights. Yandex Browser will request a number of permissions when it first starts up. If you deny access to key functions, the system may consider the application unready as the main one. Give the necessary permissions to avoid errors in the future.
☑️ Checking before setting up
Standard method of selection through system settings
The most correct and safe way to change the default browser on Xiaomi Redmi 7 is to use the standard menu of operating system settings. the MIUI interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version (Chinese or global), but the logic remains the same. You will need to go to the section responsible for managing installed applications.
To start, open the Settings menu and find the App item. In some versions of the shell, this section may be called Applications and Notifications. This hides the management of all the programs installed on the smartphone. We need to find a point that regulates the behavior of the system when processing Internet links.
Inside the app menu, find the default App bar or Application Management. If you choose the second option, you'll need to find Yandex Browser in the list that opens, click on it, and select Open by default, and that's where the switch is, which forcefully assigns the application to the top.
If the Application menu has a separate browser option by default, click on it. The system will offer a list of all browsers installed. Select Yandex Browser from the list. After that, all links that you will click on in other programs should open in it.
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If the default browser is not available (gray), then the system has already firmly assigned priority to another application, in which case you first need to reset the current browser's default settings.
Method of resetting the current browser settings by default
Often, users are faced with a situation where the MIUI system does not allow you to choose a new browser, claiming that the choice has already been made, this happens if you previously accidentally ticked the “Always” box when you opened a link in Chrome or the standard Xiaomi browser, and to correct this, you need to “forget” the previous choice.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find the browser that is currently opening instead of Yandex Browser (like Chrome or MIUI Browser) on the list. Click on it to open the application information page.
In the menu that opens, look for the default Open option, and inside you'll see the Delete Default Settings or Reset Preferences button, pressing this button resets the file and link association for the app, and then the next time you click on the link, the system will ask you again than to open the address.
⚠️ Note: When you reset your default browser settings, your bookmarks, browsing history or passwords are not deleted.This action only affects the system priorities of link opening.
After reset, try to open any link from messages or notes. The screen should appear a dialog box asking "What to open?" Select Yandex Browser and be sure to click Always to pin the result.
Configuring associations inside Yandex Browser
Yandex Browser itself also has built-in mechanisms to make itself the preferred application, and the developers have made it possible to check the system settings directly from the program interface, which is especially convenient if you don’t want to wander through the deep MIUI menu.
Open the app and go to the menu, which is usually hidden behind a three-dot or bar button. Select Settings. Scroll down to Systems or General. There may be Set up as the default browser.
When you click this button, the system will automatically take you to the appropriate Android settings section. If this does not happen, then the current version of the application or firmware Redmi 7 requires manual intervention through the application menu, as described in the previous sections.
Why can’t Yandex Browser appear on the list?
Table of comparison of installation methods
Different customization methods can have their advantages and disadvantages depending on the specific situation and the firmware version on your Redmi 7. Below is a table that will help you choose the best method of solving the problem.
| Method of setting up | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risk of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through system settings | Low. | Tall. | Minimum |
| Resetting the current browser settings | Medium | Very high. | Absent. |
| Through the application settings | Low. | Medium | Depends on the version. |
| Resetting application preferences | Tall. | Maximum | Medium (other settings are lost) |
As you can see from the table, the most reliable way is to combine reset your current browser settings and then select from the system menu, ensuring that old priorities are removed and new ones are set correctly.
Radical measures: resetting the preferences of all applications
If none of the above methods worked, and MIUI continues to ignore your attempts to make Yandex Browser the main one, you can use the feature of a complete reset of application preferences.
To do this, go to Settings → Applications. In the upper right corner of the screen, click on the three-dot button. In the drop-down menu, select Reset Application Preferences. The system will warn you that all previously set rules for opening files will be deleted.
Once the operation is confirmed, the phone will return to a state where it “does not know” how to open links, music or documents. When you first click on a web link, you will see a full list of browsers. Select Yandex Browser and click Always.
⚠️ Attention: Resetting app preferences will also remove default settings for calls, SMS And you're going to have to re-select the applications for that.
This method is "heavy artillery" and should only be used if other methods fail. On the Redmi 7, this feature works consistently and rarely causes system failures.
Possible problems and solutions
Even after you set up properly, users may find that some links still open in another app, often with deep links inside apps like Instagram, VK or Telegram, which can have their own built-in browsers or hard-to-prescribe preferences.
In such cases, you need to go to the settings of a particular application-source link (for example, Telegram) and look there for the option “Open links” or “Embedded browser”. Disable the built-in browser so that the links are transmitted to the system, which, in turn, uses Yandex Browser.
The problem may also lie in the aggressive energy saving of MIUI. The system can "kill" the Yandex Browser process, considering it inactive, and redirect links to the system analogue.
- 🔋 Go to Settings. → Battery and productivity.
- 📱 Find in the list of Yandex Browser.
- ⚙️ Select the mode of operation without restrictions.
This will allow the browser to remain in memory and instantly respond to system opening requests. URL-On the Redmi 7 with its storage capacity, this is especially true for comfortable work.
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Aggressive battery optimization in MIUI is a common reason why the browser you choose stops opening links. Remember to set the "No Limits" mode.