How to give the browser access to memory on Xiaomi Redmi: all ways

Why Xiaomi Redmi browser doesn’t see files and how to fix them

Do you try to upload a photo to a social network via a browser on Xiaomi Redmi, but you get a “No memory access” error? Or do the downloaded files disappear after the reboot? The problem lies in the limitations of MIUI, Xiaomi’s proprietary shell, which blocks applications from accessing storage by default. This is done for security, but often interferes with work.

In this article, we will discuss all the ways to allow access to memory for browsers on Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10/13C and other models - from standard MIUI settings to manually editing permissions through ADB.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android 11+ (MIUI 12.5 and later, the permission algorithm has changed. If your smartphone is running on the old version, use the methods for Android 10 (they are listed separately).

Method 1: Standard MIUI settings (Android 11/12/13)

Since MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi has implemented separate file access management, so that the browser can save and read data from memory, you need to:

Open “Settings” → Applications → Application management.
Find your browser (like Google Chrome or MIUI Browser) and tap it.
Go to Permits → Warehouse.
Activate the switches: 📁 Access to files and media (required) 🔍 Managing all files (for full access)

If you don't have a "Manage all files" option, your version of MIUI doesn't support it, so use Method 3 (via ADB).

Is the browser application settings open?

Is access to the "Storage" activated?

Is all files management enabled (if any)?

Is the smartphone rebooted after the changes?

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⚠️ Note: Some firmwares, after enabling permissions, still don't see files. MIUI — Try disabling autocleaning cache in Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery.

Method 2: Permissions for Android 10 and older (MIUI 11/12)

On Redmi 8/9 smartphones with Android 10, the algorithm is different.

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
Select a browser (such as Chrome or Firefox).
I'll slip the Permits. → Warehouse.
Turn on one switch - "Allow access to storage".

Google Chrome

MIUI Browser

Mozilla Firefox

Opera/Opera Mini

Other-->

Method 3: Manual assignment of permissions via ADB (for experienced)

If standard methods don’t work, you’ll need to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is suitable for all versions of MIUI, but requires a computer.

Instructions:

Download ADB Tools and unpack it into a folder.
On your smartphone, activate Developer Mode (7 times tap the MIUI version in Settings → About phone).
Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb shell pm grant com.android.chrome android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE adb shell pm grant com.android.chrome android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE Replace com.android.chrome with your browser package (e.g. org.mozilla.firefox for Firefox).

After completing the commands, restart the smartphone - permissions will apply automatically.

How to find out the package name of the application?

Install the App Inspector app from Google Play or use the ADB command: adb shell pm list packages | grep "browser" This will display a list of all browsers with their batch names (for example, com.mi.globalbrowser for MIUI Browser).

Method 4: Using a file manager as an intermediary

If the browser stubbornly refuses to see files, you can go a workaround:

Download the file through the browser (it will be saved to the Download folder).
Open the MIUI File Manager (or any other file manager, such as Solid Explorer).
Find the downloaded file and share it through the “Send” menu → select the target application (social network, messenger, etc.).

This method works even without browser permissions, but is inconvenient for regular use.

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If the browser doesn’t save files to Download, check the default path in its settings. In Chrome, it does this: Settings → Downloads → Download folder.

Table: Comparison of methods of unlocking access

Method	Difficulty	PC required	It works on MIUI 12.5+.	It works on Android 10.
Standard settings	⭐	❌ No.	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.
ADB-team	⭐⭐⭐	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.
File manager	⭐⭐	❌ No.	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.
Resetting permits	⭐⭐	❌ No.	⚠️ Partially.	✅ Yes.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even after you set up the permissions, you're having problems, and here are the most common ones:

🔄 Files disappear after rebooting → Check if the Cleanup function is enabled when restarting in the battery settings.
🚫 Browser can't see. SD-map → MIUI By default, it blocks access to external drives. Solution: transfer files to internal memory or use it. ADB unlockable.
🔒 Permissions are requested at each launch → Reset your browser settings in Settings → Annexes → [browser] → Warehouse → Clear the data.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro) after upgrading to MIUI 13 reset all permissions. To avoid this, back up the permissions through the update before you do it. ADB:

adb shell dumpsys package | grep "grant" > permissions_backup.txt

FAQ: Answers to popular questions

Can I only access memory for a specific folder?

No, MIUI does not support selectively providing folder access; the browser either gets full access to the storage or gets nothing; the alternative is to use Google Drive (Mi Cloud) to share files.

Why does the resetting of the settings disappear again?

When you reset, all application permissions are reset, which is a MIUI security feature. To avoid a problem, reset the permissions immediately after the reset, or use the ADB to automatically apply the permission backup.

The browser sees the files, but it can't upload them to social media.

The problem may be the limitations of the social network itself (for example, Instagram blocks downloads through mobile browsers). Solutions: Use the official social network application. Enable Chrome in your browser. → ⋮ → Try another browser (e.g. Firefox Focus).

How to check which permissions are blocked?

Install the Permission Manager app (like this one) and it will show you all the permissions, including the system permissions, and help you identify what is blocking access.

Will these methods work on POCO or Black Shark?

Yes, as POCO and Black Shark use the same MIUI shell (perhaps with minor changes), except for the POCO Launcher models, where the path to settings may be different.

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If none of these methods worked, try installing an alternative browser with a built-in file manager (like Kiwi Browser or Brave), which often bypass the limitations of MIUI through its own memory access mechanisms.