Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones with the shell MIUI or HyperOS have turned into powerful multimedia centers where users spend a significant part of their time. One of the most popular actions is to quickly access your favorite websites without having to launch a browser and search for the desired address in history. The ability to put the site icon directly on the home screen significantly speeds up navigation and makes using your smartphone more comfortable.
The process of shortcutting may seem unobvious to beginners, because the Android interface has its own peculiarities. Unlike computers where bookmarks are stored inside the browser, in the mobile ecosystem, we can create full-fledged shortcuts for web applications, and this is especially true for news portals, email services or online cinemas that you use daily.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods, from the standard functionality of the Google Chrome browser to advanced widgets, you will learn not just to save links, but to organize the workspace of your device so that the necessary information is available in one click, and we will also touch on optimization issues so that new shortcuts do not slow down the system.
Standard Procedures Through Google Chrome
The most common browser on Android devices is Google Chrome, which is preinstalled on most Xiaomi smartphones. It is with it that you should start getting acquainted with the shortcut creation function, since this method is the most stable and does not require the installation of additional software.
To start, open your browser and go to the site you plan to add to your desktop. Pay attention to the address bar: right or left of the desktop. URL-The address (depending on the interface version) is a three-dot menu, and clicking on this item opens up a list of all available operations for the current tab.
In the list that opens, you need to find a item called Add to the home screen or Create a shortcut. After clicking, the system will prompt you to rename the shortcut if the standard site name seems too long or uncomfortable.
⚠️ Note: If there is no menu item, check the settings of the site. Some web resources may block the creation of a menu item. PWA (Progressive Web Apps, which limits the functionality of the shortcut.
Once the action is confirmed, a new icon will appear on the desktop, and it is important to understand that this is not a separate application, but a shortcut link that simply launches the browser with a click on a specific URL. However, visually and functionally, the difference is almost invisible to the user.
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For quick navigation in the Chrome menu, you can use voice search or the Share function if the standard menu is hidden in sub-items.
Creating shortcuts in Yandex Browser and other observers
Users in Russia and CIS countries often prefer alternative browsers such as Yandex Browser or Opera, which offer their unique synchronization and traffic saving features. The shortcut procedure here is slightly different, but remains intuitive for any user.
In Yandex Browser, you need to go to the desired site and click on the menu button located at the bottom of the screen (usually three strips or dots). In the drop-down list, you should select the option Add to the main one. The system will automatically prompt you to select a name and confirm the creation of the widget.
An interesting feature of some browsers is the ability to create dynamic widgets, such as a news site shortcut that can display the latest news headline directly on the desktop without requiring an app to be opened, and this is achieved through special APIs that support modern versions of Android.
- 🔹 Open the browser menu (three dots or stripes).
- 🔹 Find the "Tools" or "More" section".
- 🔹 Select "Add to the main screen" or similar item.
- 🔹 Confirm the creation and check the result on the desktop.
It is worth noting that third-party browsers may request additional permissions when the shortcut is first created, which is normal behavior of the MIUI security system, which prevents unauthorized creation of objects on the desktop without the user's knowledge.
Using widgets for quick access
The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer enhanced customization capabilities through widgets. Unlike static shortcuts, widgets can be more informative and take up different areas on the screen. It's a great way to not only add a link, but also make the interface more lively.
To add a browser widget, you need to pinch an empty area on the desktop or pinch two fingers (to bring your fingers together). In the editing menu that opens, select the Widgets section. Here you will find a list of all installed applications that support this display format.
Find your browser (like Chrome) and select the appropriate widget size. Some widgets are just a big icon, others are a list of frequently visited sites or a search bar. Drag the selected item to the free screen space.
| Type of widget | Functional | Size on screen | Interactivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site tag | Direct transition to the URL | 1x1 (square) | Low. |
| Search string | Search + Quick Access | 4x1 (horizontal) | Medium |
| Frequently visited panel | List of 4-8 sites | 2x2 or 4x2 | Tall. |
| Newsfeed | Display of headings | 4x2 or 4x4 | Tall. |
Using widgets allows you to create a real dashboard on the home screen, you can group widgets of news resources, weather services and work tools in a single style, which increases the ergonomics of using a smartphone.
Why can't the widget be displayed?
Set up and design shortcuts on Xiaomi
Once you have added a bookmark to your desktop, you may want to align it with your overall design style. Standard website icons can be out of the minimalist design concept, so Xiaomi offers tools to change them.
To change the icon (long-press) on the created shortcut does not always give direct access to editing graphics in the standard launcher. However, using the theme, you can globally change the style of all icons. Go to the Themes app, select the current theme and click Set up.
The theme settings section often has an icon option where you can choose an alternative graphics set. If standard sets are not enough, you can install third-party launchers such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher, which allow you to change the icon of each shortcut individually.
- 🎨 Go to the “Themes” app on your smartphone.
- 🎨 Select the current theme profile and click "Set up".
- 🎨 Go to the "Icons" section and choose your favorite style.
- 🎨 Apply changes to update the look of all shortcuts at once.
This gives you complete control over the appearance of the interface.
Solving problems with displaying icons
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the created shortcut does not appear on the desktop or is displayed incorrectly (for example, a white square instead of a logo).
The first step in diagnosing is to check the browser permissions. In your smartphone settings, go to the Apps section, find your browser and select Permissions. Make sure you allow shortcuts on your desktop. In some versions, MIUI is a separate switch.
If permissions are in order, try clearing the launcher cache. To do this, search the System Launcher (or MIUI Home) system application in the application menu, go to storage and click Clear Cache. This action is safe for your data, but resets the order of icons on desktops.
⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse "Clear Cache" with "Clear All Data." The second action will return the icons to factory status, and you'll have to reconfigure the desktop.
The problem can also be in antivirus settings, MIUI is known for its aggressive security policy, check if the defender is blocking the creation of new objects, sometimes helping to temporarily disable the protection when creating a shortcut.
☑️ Label diagnostics
Optimizing web labels
Having multiple website shortcuts on the desktop can affect smartphone performance, especially if it’s a mid-range or budget-sized model. Each shortcut is a potential process that can be updated in the background or consume resources when launched.
To optimize your work, it is recommended to limit the background activity of browsers. In the battery settings, select your browser and set the power saving mode No restrictions only if you need real-time notifications. Otherwise, choose Saving Energy so that the system does not waste resources on updating tabs in the background.
Another important aspect is cache. Periodically clear the browser cache so that shortcuts load faster and do not consume excess storage. Heavy web pages with many scripts can slow down opening even through a shortcut.
Use Light mode or Save traffic in your browser settings if the Internet speed is low, which will make it easier to load pages when you move from the shortcut and reduce the load on the processor when rendering content.
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Regular cleaning of the browser cache and limiting background activity help to maintain a high speed of the smartphone even with a large number of shortcuts on the screen.