Adding a site shortcut to Xiaomi Redmi’s desktop allows you to quickly open your favorite web resources without having to start a browser and enter your address manually.This feature is especially useful for users who regularly visit the same pages – social networks, mail, news portals or work services. Depending on the version of MIUI and the browser used, the process may be slightly different, but overall it remains simple and intuitive.
In this article, we’ll break down all the current ways to create web shortcuts on Redmi smartphones (including the Redmi Note models). 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10/11 You will learn how to do this through a standard browser. MIUI, Google Chrome, Yandex.Browser and Mozilla Firefox, and what to do if the shortcut does not appear or works incorrectly. MIUI 12 before MIUI 14.
1. Method for standard MIUI browser
The standard browser in MIUI firmware (commonly referred to as simply “Browser” or “Mi Browser”) supports the creation of desktop site shortcuts. This method works on most Xiaomi Redmi devices without installing additional applications.
Open your browser and go to the site you want to create a shortcut for. Click on the tri-point icon (⋮) in the upper right corner, then select Add to the main screen. MIUI 13/14 This item can be called "Set a shortcut" or "Put it on a screen," and then you click it, and it will prompt you to type in the shortcut name, which you can either leave as default or change.
- 🌐 Supports all versions MIUI (12, 13, 14)
- 📱 It works on the Redmi Note. 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10/11 other models
- ⚡ Does not require the installation of third-party browsers
- ⚠️ V MIUI 14 may require a browser update via Google Play
Important: If Add to the home screen is missing, check if browser permissions are disabled in the system settings. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Browser → Permissions and enable access to Storage and Overlay on top of other applications.
Open the desired site in the browser
Update your browser to the latest version
Check browser permissions in settings
Make sure there is a free space on the desktop-->
2. Creating a shortcut through Google Chrome
Google Chrome is one of the most popular browsers on Xiaomi Redmi, and it also allows you to add web shortcuts to your desktop.The process is slightly different from the standard browser, but no less simple. Open Chrome, go to the desired site and click on the tri-point icon (⋮) In the drop-down menu, select Add to the main screen.
The system will prompt you to confirm the creation of a shortcut. Here you can change the name (the default is the page title) and click Add. The shortcut will appear on the desktop as an icon with the site logo or a standard Chrome icon. Note that in some versions of MIUI 13, the shortcut can open not as a separate window, but inside the browser - this depends on the settings of the system.
| browser | The path to function | Features |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI Browser | ⋮ → Add to the main screen | It works without the internet after it was created. |
| Google Chrome | ⋮ → Add to the main screen | It can open in the browser, not as a PWA. |
| Yandex.Browser | ⋮ → Main screen. | Supports widgets for some websites |
| Firefox | ⋮ → Home screen | Requires permission to create labels |
In MIUI 14, shortcuts from Chrome can automatically group into the Internet shortcuts folder on the desktop if there are more than three. To turn off this feature, go to Settings → Desktop → Layout Settings and turn off the Automatic Shortcuts option.
Google Chrome|Yandex.Browser|MIUI Browser|Mozilla Firefox|Other-->
3. Yandex.Browser and Firefox: the nuances of shortcuts creation
Yandex.Browser offers a similar feature, but with some additional features. After opening the site, click on the tri-point icon (⋮) and select Home Screen, where you can not only create a standard shortcut, but also add a site widget (if the resource supports this feature). For example, for Vkontakte or Yandex Weather, an interactive widget with quick access to basic functions will be available.
Mozilla Firefox is a little bit different. Open the site, click on the three-point (⋮) You can select a home screen, and the browser will request permission to create a shortcut, and you can confirm it. MIUI 12 Firefox may not show this option due to system limitations, in which case update your browser or use an alternative method (see Section 5).
⚠️ Note: If the shortcut opens not as a separate application but inside the browser after creation, check the Progressive Web App settings (PWA) In Chrome, you can do this through Settings. → Site settings → Notifications and enable the option to Allow installation PWA.
For Redmi users with MIUI 13/14, it is recommended to use Chrome or Yandex.Browser, as they are better integrated with the system and less likely to cause errors when creating shortcuts. If you prefer Firefox, make sure you have the latest version installed from Google Play, not from third-party sources.
What is PWA and why is it important?
4.Why doesn't the label appear on the desktop?
Sometimes, after all the manipulations, the label never appears on the home screen, and this can be due to several reasons:
- 🔄 Not enough desktop space - check if there is no "No space" message when trying to add a shortcut. delete unnecessary icons or move them to a folder.
- 🔒 Limitations MIUI — In some versions of the firmware (especially) MIUI 12) the system blocks shortcuts to save resources. Solution: go to Settings → Battery and productivity → Memory management and disable shortcut optimization.
- 📵 Lack of permissions – the browser may not have the right to create shortcuts. Check permissions in Settings → Annexes → [Browser name] → Permits.
- 🔄 Browser cache - sometimes it helps to clear the cache. → Annexes → [browser] → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
If the problem persists, try an alternative method: create a shortcut through Google Assistant.
- Activate Google Assistant with a long press on the Home button.
- Say or type the command: "Open [website name]."
- After opening the site in the browser, click on the icon of the star (⭐) in the address bar and select Add to the main screen.
On the Redmi Note 11 and later with MIUI 13.5+, site shortcuts can be automatically hidden if you use the Smart Desktop feature. To return them, turn off this option in Settings → Desktop → Smart Desktop.
5. Alternative method: through "Quick Teams"
If the standard methods don't work, you can use the Quick Commands feature in MIUI, which is universal and works on all Redmi models, regardless of the firmware version.
Go to Settings → Advanced Features → Quick Commands. Click Add Command and select Open Website. Enter the URL of the desired site (e.g. https://vk.com) and the name for the shortcut. Once saved, the command will appear in the Quick Actions list. To add it to the desktop, press and hold the command, then drag it to the free space.
- ✅ It works on all versions. MIUI, including (MIUI 11 and below)
- ⚡ It does not depend on the browser – uses the system component
- 🔧 It allows you to create shortcuts even for sites that block PWA
This method is especially useful for users of Redmi 8/9 or other models with outdated firmware, where standard methods may not work. However, note that such shortcuts will open in the browser by default, not as separate applications.
💡
If you use the same site frequently, add it to the browser's Quick Access Bar. In Chrome, this is done via ⋮ → Bookmarks → Quick Access Panel, so the site will be available in one click without creating a shortcut.
6. How to remove or change the site shortcut
Managing shortcuts on the Xiaomi Redmi desktop is intuitive, but there are a few nuances: To remove the shortcut, click on it and hold your finger for 1-2 seconds until the menu appears. Choose to remove or drag the icon to the basket at the top of the screen. This action will not remove the site from the browser bookmarks - only the icon from the desktop.
If you want to change the name or icon of a shortcut, you can only do this by re-creating it. MIUI doesn't have a built-in editing feature for existing web shortcuts. However, in some browsers (e.g. Chrome), you can change the name when you create it.
- Remove the old label.
- Create a new one through your browser by entering a new name in the Name field.
⚠️ Attention: Redmi with MIUI 14 shortcuts can automatically update their icons if a site has changed a favicon. If you don't like a new icon, you'll have to re-create the shortcut.
For users who want to completely disable the ability to create shortcuts (for example, to avoid accidentally adding), this can be done through Settings → Apps → [Browser] → Permissions and disable the Creation of shortcuts. However, this will also block shortcuts for all sites.
7. Frequent errors and their solutions
When working with web shortcuts on Xiaomi Redmi, users face several typical problems, including the most common ones and ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| No label is created. | An outdated version of the browser | Update your browser through Google Play |
| The shortcut opens in the browser, not as an app | The site does not support PWA | Use the “Quick Teams” method |
| Standard label icon (not website logo) | The site does not provide a favicon for Android | Change the icon manually through the launcher (requires root) |
| The shortcut disappears after the reboot | MIUI Optimization Removes “Unused” Labels | Turn off the shortcut cleaning in the battery settings |
If none of these methods worked, try resetting the launcher settings. Go to Settings → Applications → Launcher (or Home Screen) and select Settings Reset, which will return the desktop experience to the standard, but will not delete the installed applications or data.
💡
On Redmi with MIUI 14 Site Shortcuts Can Work Like Lightweight PWA-applications, if the site supports this technology, this allows you to save memory and open pages faster.