How to replace the default browser on Xiaomi Android smartphones: all ways

Xiaomi MIUI-based smartphones are known for their deep customization of Android, but sometimes this customization is uncomfortable, one of them being the inability to easily change the default browser through standard settings. If you're tired of the built-in Mi Browser with its advertising and restrictions, this article will help you figure out how to install Chrome, Firefox, Edge or any other browser as your primary browser.

The problem is complicated by the fact that MIUI (Especially in versions 12-14, it actively blocks the change of standard applications through the settings menu, and in some regions (e.g. the EU), these restrictions are relaxed due to legal requirements, but for most users the process remains unclear. We will look at all relevant methods - from official to workarounds, including the use of ADB and third-party utilities.

Importantly, the procedure may vary depending on the MIUI version and the smartphone model, for example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 15, one algorithm, and on the Redmi Note 10 with MIUI 12.5, another algorithm, we take these nuances into account and provide universal solutions.

Why Xiaomi is blocking the browser change by default?

Xiaomi is integrating its own browser, Mi Browser (formerly Mint Browser), into MIUI firmware, which is closely linked to the Xiaomi ecosystem and performs several key functions:

• 🔗 Sync with Mi Account: saves bookmarks, history and passwords in the cloud Xiaomi, which is convenient for users using multiple devices brand.
• 📊 Analytics and Advertising: The browser collects data about user behavior for targeted advertising (even if you have disabled personalization).
• 🛡️ Security: built-in protection mechanisms against phishing and malicious sites (although their effectiveness is often questioned).
• 💰 Monetization: Xiaomi receives revenue from affiliate programs and advertising in the browser.

Xiaomi is not interested in making users easily switch to third-party browsers, and in some regions (such as India), the Mi Browser is even pre-installed as a non-removable system app, which has drawn criticism from consumer advocates.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI European market (EEA) Restrictions may be reduced due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Check the firmware version in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — if there's a mark at the end EEA, You have a better chance of changing your browser by standard means.

Method 1: Official change via settings (for MIUI 14-15)

In the latest versions of MIUI (starting with 14), Xiaomi has partially yielded to user pressure and added the option of changing the default browser, but with reservations.

Step 1: Install an alternative browser

Download from Google Play any browser to choose from:

• 🌐 Google Chrome is the most popular, but resource-intensive.
• 🦊 Mozilla Firefox – Open Source and Good Privacy.
• 🅿️ Brave – Blocks Ads and Trackers by Default.
• 🔵 Microsoft Edge – Optimized for Performance.

Open it at least once so that the system registers the application.

Step 2. Try changing your default settings

Go to: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Browser

If you have MIUI 14/15, you may have the option to Open Supported Links, click on it and select the browser you want, and if you don't have that option, move on to the next one.

Step 3. Check through "Reference Opening Settings"

Some versions of MIUI hide the option to change the browser elsewhere. Try: Settings → Applications → Link Opening Settings → Browser

There might be a list of supported browsers, pick the browser and confirm the action, and if that path is blocked, read on.

Method 2: Using ADB to Force Browser Change

If standard methods don't work, you'll have to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool for debugging Android devices, which requires connecting your smartphone to your computer, but it's 100% effective.

Step 1: Preparing a PC and Smartphone

1. Download ADB Tools for Windows/macOS/Linux and unpack the archive.
2. On your smartphone, turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Press 7 times on the MIUI Version until the notification "You've become a developer" appears.

Settings → Additional → For Developers

USB debugging

Step 2: Connecting and Executing Commands

Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable (preferably original) and execute the following commands in the terminal (command line:

adb devices

(Your device should show up. If not, check the drivers and allow debugging on your phone.)

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.browser

This command disables the standard Xiaomi browser for the current user. After execution, the system automatically prompts you to choose an alternative browser when you first open the link.

Step 3: Restore the standard browser (if necessary)

If you need to return the Mi Browser, do:

adb shell pm enable com.android.browser

⚠️ Note: Disabling system applications through ADB This method can cause firmware to run in an unstable way, and don't use it unless you're sure you're doing it, and also after you reset or update. MIUI It may be necessary to repeat the procedure.

💡

If the adb device command does not find your device, try to switch mode. USB-Connection on a smartphone from "Charging" to "Transfer of files" (MTP).

Method 3: Using third-party utilities (without ADB)

If ADB seems difficult, you can use specialized applications that automate the process of changing your browser, one of the most reliable is Default App Manager (available on Google Play).

How it works:

1. Install Default App Manager.
2. Open the application and give it ADB rights (it will prompt you to enable debugging if it is turned off).
3. In the list of applications, find the Browser and select an alternative option.

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ It does not require a PC connection.
• ✅ Intuitively understandable interface.
• ✅ Ability to reset to standard settings in one click.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Some Xiaomi models may require manual confirmation via ADB.
• ❌ App paid (there is a free trial version).

Method 4: Bypassing restrictions through the Security Center (for MIUI 12–13)

In older versions of MIUI (12-13), the default browser change is possible through the hidden Security Center menu, a method that doesn’t work on all devices, but it’s worth a try.

Instructions:

1. Open the Security Center (the icon with the shield on the desktop).
2. Go to Application Management → Autorun.
3. Find the Mi Browser list and turn off auto-start.
4. Return to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find Mi Browser and click Disable (if the button is active).
5. Now, when opening links, the system must offer to choose a browser.

On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 9 Pro), this method causes links to stop opening altogether, in which case, return the Mi Browser settings to their original state.

Method 5: Install custom firmware (for advanced users)

If none of the above methods worked, the radical solution is to install custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), which completely removes the limitations of MIUI, but has a number of drawbacks:

• 🔧 Difficulty: Requires unlocking the bootloader, which erases all data.
• 🚫 Loss of warranty: Xiaomi may refuse service.
• 🔄 Brick Risk: If the device fails, it may stop turning on.
• 📱 Not all functions work: gestures may disappear MIUI, camera NFC.

If you do, follow this algorithm:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (requires a Mi Account and wait 7-15 days).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model.
3. Download compatible firmware (for example, with XDA Developers).
4. Flush the firmware through TWRP.

⚠️ Note: On devices with MediaTek processors (such as the Redmi Note 11), unlocking the bootloader often leads to hardware problems with the module. NVRAM, What's disrupting Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Before the procedure, check the reviews for your model!

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change your default browser to Xiaomi, users encounter common errors.

Problem 1: Links are not opened in any browser

This happens if you have disabled the Mi Browser via ADB or Security Center, but have not assigned an alternative.

• Install any browser from Google Play.
• Open the terminal and execute: adb shell pm enable com.android.browser (this will temporarily return the standard browser).
• Open any link, select the desired browser and tick "Always".
• Turn off Mi Browser again via ADB.

Problem 2: After the MIUI update, the settings reset

Xiaomi often resets the user's browser settings after updates.

• Before updating, write down the command for ADB in a notebook.
• After the update, repeat the procedure for disabling Mi Browser.
• Use Default App Manager to automatically restore settings.

Problem 3: Some links still open in Mi Browser

This is because some system applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Community) are tightly tied to the Mi Browser.

• Disable these apps via ADB (similar to a browser).
• Use Firewall applications (such as NetGuard) to block Mi Browser access to the network.

💡

If, after all the manipulations, links still open in Mi Browser, check the settings of the specific application that generates links. For example, in Telegram, you can explicitly specify the browser in the settings.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions