You want to quickly open your favorite site right from the home screen of Xiaomi, but do not know how to do it? MIUI does not have a standard “Add to the desktop” button, like iOS or older versions of Android, but there are 5 working ways – from obvious to little-known. In this article, we will analyze each method with the features of Xiaomi firmware (including HyperOS), and also explain why sometimes the shortcut disappears after a reboot and how to fix it.
Important: the instruction is relevant for all modern smartphones of the brand – from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. If you have an old model (before 2019), some methods may not work – for them we have allocated a separate section with alternative solutions.
1. Standard method through the Mi Browser browser
The easiest method is to use the built-in Mi Browser browser, which is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones. It supports the function of creating shortcuts for sites, but with one caveat: the icon will open the page in Mi Browser, not in Chrome or another browser.
How to do this:
- 🌐 Open Mi Browser and go to the desired site (e.g. vk.com or youtube.com).
- ⚙️ Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Select "Add to the main screen».
- ✏️ If necessary, edit the name of the shortcut (the title of the page is taken by default).
- 📱 Click “Add” – the icon will appear on the desktop.
⚠️ If after clicking on the shortcut the site opens not in full screen mode, and with the browser panel – it means that the resource does not support PWA (In this case, try other methods from this article.
2. Creating a shortcut through Google Chrome (for PWA-webpage)
Many popular services (e.g. Twitter, Telegram Web, Spotify) support Progressive Web App (PWA) technology, which allows you to install them as full-fledged applications.
- Open your site in Google Chrome (if not, download from the Play Market).
- Press three points. → «Install the app (or "Add to Home screen" in English version).
- Confirm the action – an icon without a browser frame will appear on the desktop.
Critical: Not all sites support PWA. If you don't have an "Install App" option, you're not optimized for it, so use JavaScript code (section 4).
Open the desired site in the browser
Smartphone connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data)
There is free space on the desktop for an icon.
Browser restrictions disabled in battery settings-->
3. Alternative method through "Tags" in MIUI
MIUI (and the new HyperOS) have a hidden feature of shortcutting web pages through widget menus, which works even on older models (Redmi 5, Mi A2) that don’t have modern browsers.
Instructions:
- Press and hold your finger on the free space of the desktop.
- Select "Widgets" (Widgets).
- Scroll down and find the Shortcuts section.
- Select “Browser” → enter the site URL (for example, https://ok.ru).
- Click "Ready" - the shortcut will appear on the screen.
🔹 The advantage of the method: the shortcut will open the site in the browser by default (even if it is not Mi Browser).
🔹 Disadvantage: the icon will be standard (browser icon), not the logo of the site.
💡
If the shortcut does not appear, check if the Light Desktop mode is enabled in the MIUI settings. Turn it off in Settings → Desktop → Screen Mode
4. Manual shortcut creation through JavaScript code (for advanced)
This is a good way to go for sites that don't support PWA, but you want the shortcut to open them in full screen without the browser bar. It takes a little bit of technical knowledge.
Algorithm of action:
- Open a site in Chrome and press F12 (if you’re on a PC) or use the developer tools on your smartphone (includes in Chrome Settings → Additional → For Developers).
- Find the <meta name="theme-color" content="#FFFFFF"> string in the page's code. If it's not available, manually add it through the Edit HTML tool.
- Create a bookmark in your browser with the following JavaScript code: javascript:(function(){var a)=document.createElement('a');a.href='data:text/html,\x3Chtml\x3E\x3Chead\x3E\x3Cmeta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"\x3E\x3Cmeta name="theme-color" content="#FFFFFF"\x3E\x3C/head\x3E\x3Cbody\x3E\x3Cscript\x3Edocument.location="https://SITE.RU"\x3C/script\x3E\x3C/body\x3E\x3C/html\x3E';a.download='site.html';a.click();}(); Replace https://SITE.RU fittingly URL.
- Run the bookmark, it jumps. HTML-Open it through the file manager and select Open in the browser».
- Now add a page to your desktop via the browser menu (as in Section 1 or 2).
⚠️ Note: This method may not work on frame-protected sites (e.g., banking services or Google Accounts.
5. Use of third-party applications (if nothing helps)
If none of the above methods worked, install one of the specialized shortcut creation applications:
| Annex | Features | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Shortcut Maker | It creates shortcuts for websites, apps, contacts, supports customization of icons. | Play Market |
| Hermit Lite | Turns websites into lightweight apps without ads, saves traffic. | Play Market |
| Kiwi Browser | Chrome-based browser with support for extensions and PWA function. | Play Market |
🔹 Which option to choose?
If you want minimalism, shortcut maker.
If you need to save traffic, Hermit Lite.
If the site does not open in other browsers – Kiwi Browser.
Why does the website shortcut disappear after a reboot?
Problem Solving: The label doesn’t work or opens incorrectly
If the shortcut behaves strangely after you create it (it doesn’t open, opens the wrong page, or gives you an error), check:
- 🔄 Update your browser – the outdated version may not support PWA.
- 🚫 Turn it off. VPN/Proxies – some sites block access through anonymizers.
- 📶 Check your internet connection – without a network, a shortcut won’t open a website.
- 🔒 Allow pop-up windows for the site in the browser settings.
🔹 Frequent error: a shortcut opens the home page of a site, not the one you saved. This happens if the resource uses redirects. Solution - save. URL specific page (e.g., specific page, vk.com/feed instead of vk.com).
💡
The most reliable way to use PWAs is through Chrome or Kiwi Browser, which work like full-fledged apps and are less likely to disappear after a reboot.
Specifics for older Xiaomi models (until 2019)
On smartphones like the Redmi 4X, Mi 5 or Mi A1 with an outdated version of Android (7.0 and below), standard methods may not work.
- 📱 Use the Nova Launcher app – it supports shortcuts for websites even on older versions of Android.
⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi with Android 6.0 and below, site shortcuts may not update content automatically. For example, if you save a VK page, new posts won't show up without manually updating.