Xiaomi’s modern MIUI or HyperOS smartphones provide users with a huge amount of functionality, turning the device into a universal tool for work and entertainment. Often there is a need to quickly access a certain web resource without installing a full-fledged application that can take up space in memory. Creating a shortcut on the home screen allows you to instantly open your favorite stores, news portals or services in one click.
The shortcut process may seem trivial, but Xiaomi devices have their own peculiarities related to aggressive battery optimization and launcher specifics. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the ways to add links, from standard browsers to alternative methods for cases where the standard feature does not work or is hidden by the manufacturer.
It is important to understand that the layout of the interface elements may vary slightly depending on the firmware version and model of your Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco. However, the basic principles of navigation remain unchanged, making this instruction relevant for most of the current devices of the brand.
Using Google Chrome to Create a Shortcut
The most common method is to use Google Chrome’s built-in browser, which is installed by default on most global versions of smartphones, which is considered the most stable method, since Chrome has direct integration with the Android system and correctly handles the creation of shortcuts on the desktop. To start, launch the browser and go to the page you plan to add.
When you load a site, you need to open the control menu, which is usually represented by three dots located at the top right of the screen, and in the drop-down list of options, you should find the item "Add to the home screen" or "Create a shortcut", the name can vary depending on the browser version and interface localization.
The system will prompt you to change the shortcut name if the standard page name is too long or uncomfortable. Once validated, the icon will automatically appear on the free space of your desktop. If the screens are full, the shortcut can be added to the end of the widget list or to the folder with other applications.
It is worth noting that Chrome allows you to create shortcuts not just as links, but as full-fledged ones. PWA-This means that a site can open in a separate window without a browser address bar, looking like a native application, which is especially convenient for services like Telegram Web or YouTube, where it is important to have a clean interface.
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Using Chrome ensures that you create a stable shortcut that won’t disappear after you reboot your device, unlike some third-party browsers.
Instructions for the built-in Mi Browser browser
Xiaomi device owners often use the standard Mi Browser browser, which is optimized specifically for working with the MIUI shell. The shortcut creation process here is also intuitive, but has its own nuances in the location of controls. Open the desired web page and pay attention to the bottom navigation bar.
At the bottom of the screen, find a menu button that often looks like three horizontal bars or an icon with a person. In the menu that opens, select the option "Add", the system will prompt you to confirm the creation of a shortcut, and it will appear on the desktop.
However, users may find that after clicking the button, nothing happens or a notification about the ban appears, this is due to the fact that new versions of MIUI have default protection against changing the structure of the desktop by third-party applications, you will need to go to the settings and allow the browser to make changes.
- 🔍 Open the “Settings” of your Xiaomi smartphone.
- 📱 Go to the Apps section and select All Apps».
- 🌐 Find the list of “Mi Browser” and click on it.
- 🔒 Select the item "Other permissions».
- ✅ Activate the switch "Changing the desktop settings».
After you do this, try adding a shortcut through the browser menu. Now Mi Browser must successfully create an icon. If you use a different theme than the standard, the path to permissions may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same: you need to give the application permission to modify the interface.
Permits and security of MIUI
MIUI shell is known for its strict security policies that can sometimes interfere with basic features.The system blocks the ability of applications to create shortcuts without the explicit permission of the user to prevent desktop clogging with advertising icons.
If you’ve tried all of these, but the shortcut doesn’t appear, check the launcher settings. Go to Settings → Home Screen and make sure that the “Blocking layout” option is not enabled. If this feature is active, you won’t be able to add new objects to your desktop, even if the application has all the necessary rights.
Why can labels disappear?
It is also worth checking the energy saving settings. Aggressive energy saving mode can kill browser processes, which sometimes leads to incorrect display of the created shortcuts. For important sites, it is recommended to set the "No Limits" mode in the battery settings of the corresponding application.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| No label is created. | No permit. | Grant the right to “Change the desktop settings” |
| The icon is grey or empty | Launcher cache error | Clear the cache of the application "Main screen" |
| The label disappears | Locking the layout | Disable "Blocking layout" in the settings |
| Opens in the browser | The site does not support PWA | This is standard behavior for ordinary links |
Alternative methods through third-party launchers
If standard methods don’t work or the MIUI interface seems overloaded, third-party launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher can be used.These apps completely replace the standard desktop and often provide more flexible tools for managing shortcuts and widgets.
Once an alternative launcher is installed, the process of adding a site is usually simplified: just clamping the blank space on the screen, selecting “Widgets” or “Tags”, finding a browser and dragging the desired site. Some launchers allow you to create shortcuts directly from the application menu, simply dragging the site icon to the desktop.
Using a third-party launcher also solves the problem of icons disappearing, as these applications often have their own permission management mechanisms that are independent of the strict MIUI rules.
When switching to a third-party launcher, pay attention to the gesture settings. Standard MIUI gestures may conflict with the new launcher's gestures, so additional navigation settings may be required under System Navigation.
Creating widgets instead of conventional shortcuts
Instead of creating a simple icon that leads to a site, you can use widgets. Xiaomi widgets allow you not only to run a site, but also to display previews of content, such as the latest news or weather, right on your desktop, which makes interaction with information faster and more convenient.
To add a widget, you need to pinch the empty space on your desktop and select "Widgets." In the list that opens, find your browser. Most modern browsers support quick access widgets, where you can add up to 4-8 popular sites.
The advantage of widgets is that they are interactive, for example, a news portal widget can be updated in real time, showing headlines of recent articles without having to open a browser, which is especially useful for monitoring currency rates or sports results.
- 📲 Hold your finger on the free part of the screen.
- 🧩 Select the "Widgets" item in the lower menu.
- 🌐 Find the installed browser in the list.
- ➕ Drag the desired widget size to the desktop.
It’s worth remembering that active widgets consume more battery power, as they constantly update data over the Internet. If you’re critical to autonomy, it’s better to use static shortcuts that don’t require background activity.
Solving common problems and errors
Even if all instructions are followed, users may experience technical failures. One of the common problems is that a shortcut is created but nothing happens when you click on it or a blank browser page opens, which may be due to the site using a secure protocol or having a complex URL structure.
In some cases, the problem lies in the crowded cache of the system application "Home screen." Clearing the cache of this component often solves the problem with displaying new icons. To do this, go to the application settings, find "Home screen", select "Memory" and click "Clear cache".
⚠️ Attention: Clearing the data (not just the cache) of the Home Screen app will reset all icon and widget settings on your desktops. Be careful and choose to clear the cache.
If a site requires authorization, make sure you are logged in to your browser account before creating a shortcut, otherwise, when you run a shortcut, the site may open incognito or request a login each time, which reduces usability.
☑️ Diagnostics of label problems
Optimization and personalization of labels
Once shortcuts are created, it makes sense to get them in order for ease of navigation. MIUI allows you to rename shortcuts so they take up less space or are more understandable. Just pinch the icon on your desktop and select Rename.
You can also combine site shortcuts into folders by topic, like creating a Finance folder for banking services or News for media, which helps keep your desktop clean and organized, which is especially important on high-pixel density screens.
For advanced users, it is possible to change the icons of site shortcuts using third-party themes or apps to change icons, which allows you to make the interface completely unique by choosing the graphic design to your style.
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Use short titles for shortcuts (1-2 words) so they don’t crop on the screen and look aesthetically pleasing in the desktop grid.
Check the relevance of shortcuts regularly, and if a site has changed its structure or moved to a new domain, the old shortcut may stop working, making it easier to remove and recreate than trying to edit an existing one.