Set up default actions on Xiaomi Redmi 8: from calls to gallery

Xiaomi Redmi 8, based on MIUI, offers flexible settings for choosing the default apps, but not all users know where to look for these options. For example, you installed an alternative browser or messenger, but the system stubbornly opens the standard Mi Browser or Messages. Or after the update, the call settings are lost, instead of Google Phone, the native Dialer is launched again.

In this article, we will look at all possible scenarios, from basic change of applications for calls and SMS to solving problems with gray buttons in settings. We will focus on the hidden limitations of MIUI 12-14, which block the change of some default actions without additional manipulations.

The instructions are relevant for Redmi 8 (model M1908C3JG/M1908C3JH/M1908C3JI) on all versions of MIUI, including global (MIUI Global), Chinese (China ROM) and custom firmware such as Xiaomi.eu If your smartphone runs on Android 10+ (and Redmi 8 officially received only Android 9), some of the features may be missing - we will also warn about this.

1. Where are the default settings in MIUI

Unlike "pure" Android, where the default app settings are collected in a single menu, MIUI throws them across multiple sections.This often confuses new Xiaomi users.

• 📱 Settings → Annexes → Application management → ⚙️ (gear) → Applications by default – here the browser changes, SMS phone.
• 🖼️ Settings → Annexes → Gallery - the choice of a standard viewer of photos / videos.
• 🔊 Settings → Sound and vibration → Music - an application for audio playback.
• 📤 Settings → Memory. → Default storage – the choice between internal memory and SD-card.

Important: on Redmi 8 with MIUI 11 and below, the path to settings may be different. For example, in older versions, the Default Apps item is hidden in Settings → Additional → Special Features → Default Apps. If you don’t find the right section, search by settings (the magnifier icon in the upper right corner).

Another nuance: some default actions (such as opening links or processing files) are not set up in the system, but in applications. For example, to make Chrome the primary browser, you may need to:

1. Open Chrome and accept the default installation request.
2. Go to Chrome Settings → Default App → Open supported links.
3. Select Open in this appendix.

2. How to change the application for default calls

The standard MIUI Phone app (com.android.dialer) is often inferior to alternatives like Google Phone or Truecaller, to replace it:

1. Install an alternative app for calling from Google Play (like Google Phone).
2. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select the Applications by default.
4. Slip on the phone and select the desired application from the list.

If the phone in the settings is inactive (grey), this means that:

• 🚫 You only have one program for calling.
• 🔒 MIUI blocking the shift due to security policy (relevant to Chinese) ROM).
• 📵 The app does not support calling function on your Android version.

There's a bug on Redmi 8 with Android 9: when you change the call app, you can lose the speaker while you're talking.

⚠️ Attention: If after changing the application for calls, the sound is lost, restart the smartphone and check the volume settings in Settings → Sound and vibration → Loudness → If the problem persists, return the standard Phone and use the outbound alternative only.

3.Tune in. SMS-default

By default, MIUI Messages is used by Messages (com.android.mms), but many prefer Google Messages, Textra or Google Messages. QKSMS support RCS, So, the design and the user-friendly interface. SMS-client:

1. Set up an alternative. SMS-attachment.
2. Open it and follow the setup instructions (usually a pop-up prompting you to make it the main one).
3. If the window does not appear, go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → ⋮ → Default applications → SMS.
4. Select the desired application from the list.

On the Redmi 8 with two SIM-There is a special feature: some third-party SMS-applications incorrectly process messages from different operators, for example, Google Messages may only display notifications for the user. SIM1. Decision:

• 📶 In the settings SMS-Enable the option All applications SIM-cards (if any).
• 🔄 Reboot the smartphone after changing the application.
• 📱 If notifications do not arrive, check the permissions for the application in Settings → Annexes → Permits → SMS.

After the shift SMS-Applications have stopped receiving notifications of new messages, follow:

Settings → Notifications and status bar → Notification management → [Your SMS- Appendix] → Enable all switches

4. Change browser, gallery and other applications

MIUI aggressively promotes its services, so changing the browser or gallery by default can be hidden.

There is an additional nuance for the browser: even after changing the application by default, some links (for example, from Mi Video or Mi Community) can open in Mi Browser.

Get Better Open With from Google Play

In the application settings add all supported domains

Clear the Mi Browser cache and restart your smartphone

Disable Mi Browser in Settings → Apps → All apps → Mi Browser → Disable (if not needed)

-->

The situation is more complicated with the gallery: MIUI blocks the change to some applications (for example, Google Photos is not displayed in the list).

1. Install Google Photos and open any image through the file manager.
2. In the window that appears, select Google Photos and tick Always.
3. If the window does not appear, use ADB (PC required):

adb shell cmd appops set com.google.android.apps.photos SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW allow


adb shell am start -a android.settings.MANAGE_DEFAULT_APPS_SETTINGS

5. Solving grey button problems and MIUI limitations

A frequent complaint of Redmi 8 users is that they cannot change some default actions due to blocked settings.

• 🔒 Chinese security policy ROM (For example, you cannot change your phone or messages).
• 📦 Lack of alternative applications (MIUI hides items if only one option is set).
• 🐞 The bug in the firmware (relevant to MIUI 12.0.x.x Android 9).

Ways of circumvention:

1. Install a second application for the desired action, for example, to unlock a change of Phone, install Google Phone + any other dialer (for example, ExDialer).
2. Use ADB (requires PC and enabled USB debugging):

adb shell settings put global default_dialer com.google.android.dialer


adb shell settings put global default_sms_package com.google.android.apps.messaging

Replace the packages with the desired ones (you can find out the name of the package through the App Inspector from Google Play).

1. Reset the application settings:

Settings → System → Resetting settings → Resetting application settings

Chinese ROMs may require unlocking the bootloader and firmware of the global version of MIUI.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 8 Unlocked bootloader may stop working Widevine L1 (no HD into Netflix/Disney+), Google Pay and some banking apps. Make a backup before you run your firmware. TWRP!

6. How to return standard default settings

If after the experiments the smartphone began to work unstable (for example, links do not open, SMS does not come or sound is lost in calls), return the standard values:

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → ⋮ → Default applications.
2. For each item (Browser, SMS, Phone, etc.) select the standard MIUI application:

Reboot your smartphone.

If standard apps are not listed (for example, after being removed via ADB), restore them:

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.browser


adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.dialer

To completely reset all actions by default, perform:

Settings → System → Resetting settings → Resetting all settings

⚠️ Warning: This method will remove all user settings (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, wallpaper, etc.) but will save data in applications. For a complete reset, select Reset to factory settings, but pre-backup!

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If some actions still don’t work correctly after reset, check the integrity of system files through Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system → ⋮ → Check for updates (even if there are no updates, the system will restore corrupted files).

7. Alternative ways to manage actions by default

If standard methods don’t work, try these tools:

• 🔧 Default App Manager (from Google Play) – allows you to change default settings without restrictions MIUI.
• 🛠️ ADB AppControl is a utility for PCs that ADB resets all application settings.
• 📱 Tasker – Automatically switch between apps according to terms (e.g. Google Phone for work, standard Dialer for personal calls).
• 🔄 Xposed Framework (for hardwired devices only) – Default App module gives full control.

For Redmi 8 with root rights, you can manually edit the settings database:

Use SQLite Editor (from Google Play) and open the file:


/data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db




In the secure table, find the records with default_* and change the values.

Example: To change the default browser to Chrome, find a record with name="default_browser" and set the value="com.android.chrome".

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Before editing settings.db, backup the file! The error can lead to a reboot cycle. For backup, use Root Explorer or the adb pull command /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up default actions