How to change the browser on Xiaomi phone: remove Mi Browser and install alternatives

Xiaomi smartphones are equipped by default with the branded Mi Browser browser, an application with integrated services, advertising and a specific interface, but many users prefer alternatives: Google Chrome for account sync, Mozilla Firefox for privacy, or Opera for built-in VPN. In this article, we will discuss how to completely replace the standard browser with Xiaomi, including models on the Internet. MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS, and also solve typical problems - from the inability to delete to reset default settings.

It's important to understand that the process varies depending on the firmware version and the regional build of the device. For example, on the European versions of the Mi Browser you can turn off, and on the global versions you can only hide. ADB (for advanced users) and setting the default browser for links. If you encounter an error "failed to install the default browser" - at the end of the article there is a solution.

Why users want to change their browser to Xiaomi

The Mi Browser brand has been criticized for several key points that are the reason for its replacement:

• 📢 Ads and sponsored content: Even in privacy settings, you can’t disable all ad units. They appear on the homepage, in SERPs, and when you open new tabs.
• 🔒 Data collection: the browser transmits information about visited sites to Xiaomi servers (confirmed by Privacy International research), this applies even to incognito mode.
• ⚡ Productivity: on budget models (Redmi) 9A, Poco M3) Mi Browser is slower than Chrome or Firefox Focus due to background processes.
• 🌍 Limited localization: In some regions (e.g. India), the browser is tied to local search engines that cannot be changed.

According to the survey XDA Developers (2023), 68% of Xiaomi owners replace the standard browser in the first 3 days after buying a device, with 42% choosing Google Chrome, 28% choosing Firefox, and the rest being distributed among Opera, Brave and DuckDuckGo Browser.

Another reason is that it is incompatible with some web services, such as Mi Browser, which does not support.mjs extensions (ES-Modules that may cause modern web applications like Figma or Notion to fail, and alternative browsers solve this problem with updated engines like Chrome or Gecko).

Preparation: What to do before replacing your browser

Before you remove or disable Mi Browser, follow a few mandatory steps:

Download an alternative browser from Google Play (links below)

Save bookmarks from Mi Browser to your Xiaomi account or export to your home. HTML

Check if the browser is used for authentication in banking applications

Turn off the synchronization of browser data in Settings → Accounts. → Mi Account

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If you plan to use Google Chrome, install it in advance at this link. For Firefox, here. Note: some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) block APK from unknown sources for browsers - this point we will discuss in the next section.

The important thing is that the Mi Browser is integrated into the system as a system application.

• 🔧 On most devices, it cannot be removed completely without root rights.
• 🛑 Disconnection can lead to disruptions in work MIUI, if the browser is used to display web content in other applications (for example, Mi Video or Mi Community).
• 🔄 After resetting the settings to the factory Mi Browser will return to its original state.

💡

Before disabling the Mi Browser, check if it is used for two-factor authentication in applications. Some banks (such as SberBank Online) link web sessions to a specific browser.

How to disable or remove Mi Browser

There are 3 main ways to get rid of the standard browser on Xiaomi:

Let’s look at each method in detail, starting with the safest one.

Method 1: Disconnect via settings (without root)

This is the easiest way to work on most devices:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type “Browser” or “Mi Browser”.
3. Click on the app, then select “Disable”.
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

Once disabled, the browser icon will disappear from the home screen and from the application menu, but the up file will remain in the system. MIUI (Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra for the Chinese market, where the option of disconnection is blocked.

Method 2: Removal via ADB (for advanced)

If the shutdown did not help, you can delete the browser using Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method does not require root rights, but it is necessary:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in the computer on the device screen.
2. Open the command line (cmd) and enter:

adb devices

Make sure your device appears in the list. Then do:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.browser

For MIUI 14+ You may need another team:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.browser

If there is a mistake DELETE_FAILED_DEVICE_POLICY_MANAGER, So the browser is protected by Xiaomi's policies, and in that case, it's only going to help you get root rights.

Method 3: Complete removal from root (risky)

This method involves the complete removal of the system APK-It requires a browser file:

• ⚠️ Root access (for example, via Magisk).
• 🛠️ Backup copy of firmware (in case of failure).
• 📱 Model with unlocked bootloader (for Xiaomi, this requires waiting) 7-15 days after requesting unblocking).

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/MiBrowser or /system/app/Browser.
3. Remove the entire folder or rename it (for example, in the MiBrowser_bak).
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Warning: Removing system applications may result in inoperability MIUI, especially if the browser is used to display web content in other services (for example, in Mi Account or Mi Pay:

adb shell dumpsys package com.android.browser

How to make another browser the default

Even after disabling Mi Browser, links from other apps (messaging, email) can still open in it.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Default Applications → Browser.
2. Select from the list the browser you want (such as Chrome or Firefox).
3. If your browser is not listed, first manually launch it and confirm that you want to make it the main one.

On some firmware (MIUI 12.5 for Redmi Note 10 Pro) this item may not be available:

• 📱 Open any alternative browser.
• Go to a website (e.g. google.com).
• In the browser menu, find the item “Make primary” or “Default settings”.

If the system still opens links to Mi Browser, clear the cache and data of the Android System WebView application:

1. Settings → Annexes → All applications → Android System WebView.
2. Click on “Clear Cache” and “Clear Data”.
3. Reset the device.

💡

If after changing the browser by default, links still open in Mi Browser, check the settings of a particular application (for example, Telegram or Gmail) - there may be your own parameter for processing links.

Solving problems when replacing the browser

When changing browsers to Xiaomi, users often encounter common errors.

Error: “Can’t install the browser by default”

This problem arises from a conflict of system applications.

• 🔄 Restart the device and try again.
• 🗑️ Clear the Settings app data (com.android.settings) through ADB:

adb shell pm clear com.android.settings

If it doesn’t help, reset your application settings to factory:

1. Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Reset application settings.
2. After reset, reassign the browser by default.

The browser is not installed from Google Play

On some models (Redmi) 9C, Poco M2) Google Play may block installation of alternative browsers.Backways:

• 📥 Download. APK-browser file from the official site (Chrome, Firefox) and install manually, allowing installation from unknown sources.
• 🔧 Use an alternative app store, such as the Aurora Store (does not require Google Services).
• 🛠️ If the installation is blocked due to MIUI Optimization, turn it off through ADB:

adb shell settings put global miui_optimization 0

After removing Mi Browser, some functions stopped working

If you have deleted your browser through root and encountered errors in Mi Account or Mi Pay, return it:

1. Download the original APK Mi Browser for your version MIUI (can be found XDA Forums).
2. Set it up through ADB:

adb install mi_browser.apk

If the function still does not work, reset the settings:

adb shell pm clear com.xiaomi.account

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14), removing the Mi Browser may result in loss of weather and news widget functionality, as they use the web browser engine to display content.

The best Mi Browser alternatives for Xiaomi in 2026

The choice of browser depends on your priorities: speed, privacy or additional features. We tested 5 popular options on the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12:

For devices with 4 GB of RAM or less (Redmi) 9A, Poco C31) Firefox Focus is a lightweight version of Firefox with no features. If speed is your priority, choose Chrome or Kiwi Browser (based on Chromium, but with support for extensions on all versions of Android).

💡

On Xiaomi AMOLED-screen (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T Pro) Use a dark theme in your browser to reduce battery consumption. In Chrome, you can enable it in Settings → Themes in Firefox – through Settings → Customization of appearance.

Additional settings to optimize the browser

After installing an alternative browser, set it up for maximum performance and privacy:

For Google Chrome:

• 🔒 Turn off sync if you are not using it: Settings → Synchronization and Google Services.
• ⚡ Enable “Lightweight version of pages” to save traffic: Settings → Lightweight version of pages.
• 🗑️ Clean the cache regularly: Settings → Confidentiality → Clear the data.

For Mozilla Firefox:

• 🛡️ Enable enhanced tracking protection: Settings → Confidentiality → Enhanced protection.
• 📦 Install addons for blocking ads: uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger.
• 🔄 Set up automatic deletion of cookies when closed: Settings → Deletion of data on exit.

On HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14), browsers can run faster if you turn off the system animations:

1. Enable Developer Mode (click 7 times on the MIUI version in the settings).
2. Go to Additional Settings → For developers.
3. Install Windows animation = off, transition animation = off.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi with MediaTek processor (Redmi Note 11, Poco) M4 Pro) some browsers (e.g. Vivaldi) may not work well due to Chromium optimization issues for these chipsets.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the browser to Xiaomi