Modern Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI shells or the new HyperOS offer users a huge opportunity for personalization. One of the most useful features is to create quick links to frequently visited sites directly to the desktop. This allows you to instantly open your favorite resources, bypassing the long process of searching a story or dialing an address. However, beginners are often baffled by the lack of a standard “Add” button in the usual place of the menu.
The shortcut process can vary significantly depending on which browser you are using by default. The standard Mi browser, preinstalled on all devices of the brand, has its own unique interface, which is not always intuitive. At the same time, users of Google Chrome or Yandex.Browser face a different logic of the location of tools. Understanding these differences is critical for comfortable use of the gadget.
In this article, we'll take a look at all the ways that bookmarking is done, and we'll look at not only the standard methods, but also the nuances that are often overlooked, and you'll learn not just to save links, but also to manage them, creating a truly user-friendly desktop.
Features of navigation in the shells MIUI and HyperOS
MIUI and HyperOS interfaces are built on a deep modification of standard Android. This means that system actions, such as adding widgets or shortcuts, are often hidden behind additional layers of security or optimization menus. Unlike a "pure" android, here every action can require confirmation or go through company services, this is done to protect the system, but sometimes complicates the life of the user.
It's important to understand that a bookmark created in one browser won't automatically appear in another. Each program stores its own favorites list. If you're used to using Chrome but mistakenly opened a link in the system browser, your new bookmark will stay there. So the first step should always be choosing the primary surfing tool.
⚠️ Note: When you try to add a shortcut to your desktop, the system may ask permission to "Install Unknown Apps" or "Shortcut Creation." This is not a virus, but standard Android protection, requiring your confirmation to change the desktop structure.
Users often confuse bookmarks and shortcuts. The bookmarks are stored inside the browser database and are only available when you run them, and the shortcut is a separate file-link on the desktop that looks like an app icon, and our goal is to create a shortcut for quick access.
Creating a shortcut through a standard Mi browser
Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners are most likely to encounter a proprietary browser that is deeply integrated into the system, giving it privileges that are not available to third-party apps. To create a bookmark that will become a full-fledged icon on the screen, follow the following steps:
- 📱 Open the desired page in Mi Browser and wait for the full load of content.
- 📂 Click on the menu button, which usually looks like three horizontal bars at the bottom of the screen.
- 🔖 In the list that opens, select the Star icon to save to your favorites or the Add to desktop button".
If you choose to save to Favorites, the link will be placed in a special folder inside the browser, which is convenient for storing a large number of links that you visit periodically, but not every day, accessed through the browser menu on the tab with the image of an open book or star.
The algorithm is a little different to create a desktop shortcut, and when you press the button, you can show a preview of the icon, and you can change the shortcut to make it shorter or clearer, and this is especially true for sites with long titles that don't fit under the icon.
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If the Add to Desktop button is inactive, check to see if Incognito mode is on. In private mode, permanent shortcuts are often blocked for privacy reasons.
It's worth noting that in recent versions of HyperOS, the widgets' mechanism has been changed, so when you add a shortcut, you can choose the size of the widget, so you can create not just a small icon, but a whole block with a news feed of the site, if the resource supports PWA (Progressive Web Apps) technology.
Instructions for Google Chrome users
Google Chrome remains the most popular choice thanks to synchronization with a Google account. on Xiaomi smartphones, it works stably, but has its own features of adding shortcuts. The process here is more unified and similar to how it is done on other Androids, but with little menu nuances.
To start, open the landing page. Then tap the three dots in the top right corner of the screen, which is the main menu of settings and actions. In the drop-down list, you need to find the item "Add to the main screen." The title can vary depending on the version of the translation, sometimes it sounds like "Add shortcut."
☑️ Action algorithm in Chrome
Once confirmed, the system will take you to a desktop, where a new icon will flash in edit mode, and it can be immediately dragged to a convenient location or folder. It is important that Chrome creates shortcuts that open in a separate window without an address bar, if the site supports this display format, which creates the effect of a full-fledged application.
Managing shortcuts already created in Chrome is also possible. If you delete the browser application, all shortcuts created through it will cease to work, since they are links to the Chrome executable file. Therefore, it is not recommended to delete the browser through which many important shortcuts are created without first exporting data.
Working with Yandex.Browser and other alternatives
Yandex.Browser is popular in the Russian segment due to the built-in voice assistant Alice and convenient synchronization with the desktop version. The mechanism for creating bookmarks here also has its own features. The Turbo Page interface and traffic compression can sometimes interfere with the correct definition of the name of the site for the shortcut.
To add a site to your desktop, click on the menu button (three bars or dots) and select Add to the home screen. If there is no such item in the main menu, try to find it in the subitem "Bookmarks" -> "Add current." In some versions of the Yandex interface, this feature is hidden in a long tap on the address bar.
| browser | Location of the menu | Name of function | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Browser | Down the screen | Star/Plus | Deep integration with the system |
| Chrome | Right top. | Add to the screen | Creates PWA applications |
| Yandex | Down or up | Add to the main | Synchronization with Alice |
| Opera | Down the screen | Add to the desktop | There's a savings regime. |
Users who prefer Opera or Firefox may also find themselves in a situation where no shortcut is created. Often the reason is a lack of rights in the application. In the phone settings, under "Applications", find your browser and check permissions. It should have access to "Desktop" or "Shortcut Creation".
⚠️ Note: If the icon appears on the icon after creating the shortcut or it appears as a white sheet, then the site does not have favicon (icons) or the system could not load it due to a bad connection.
Managing widgets and folders on the desktop
Creating a lot of shortcuts can quickly turn the desktop into chaos. Xiaomi shells offer great structuring tools. You can combine site shortcuts into topic folders. To do that, just drag and drop one shortcut onto another — the system will automatically create a folder.
In addition, many modern sites support widget technology. Widgets are more functional than simple shortcuts: they can show currency rates, weather or news headlines without opening the browser. To add a widget, pinch the empty space on your desktop and select "Widgets" in the bottom menu.
In the widget list, find your browser. There are different block sizes available. Choose the right one and drag it to the screen. This is especially convenient for news portals or social networks, where it's important to see real-time updates.
How to remove the label if it is no longer needed?
Solution: If a label is not created
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where everything is done correctly, but the shortcut does not appear. The first reason may be a crowded launcher cache. Try clearing the cache of the Themes or System Launcher application in the application settings.
The second common problem is the enabled Pocket Mode or special security settings that block changing the interface, check if the ban on changing the desktop in the Guest profile or in special features is worth it.
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone – it solves 90% of problems with the hanging processes of creating shortcuts.
- 🔍 Check out browser updates in the Google Play or GetApps store.
- 🗑️ Remove old, unused shortcuts to make room in the launcher database.
Also, it is worth considering that some custom MIUI builds (for example, Chinese versions without global firmware) may not have some translations or features, in which case installing a global version of the browser can solve the problem.
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The key to success: If the standard path doesn't work, try copying a link, pinching an empty space on your desktop, selecting "Add" and pasting a link. This method works in some launcher widgets.