Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face intrusive behavior from an operating system that compels them to install their apps to perform basic tasks. When you open a link from a messenger, the system may suggest running it through Mi Browser, and when dialing, use a standard MIUI call, even if you prefer third-party solutions. This is not an accident, but part of the HyperOS and MIUI ecosystem, designed to keep the user within the manufacturer's services.
Fortunately, Android provides flexible controls to prioritize programs for each type of action. The procedure for changing settings may vary slightly depending on the shell version and the firmware region, but the general principle remains the same. In this article, we will detail how to force the system to use the applications that are convenient for you, not the corporations.
Understanding how the default apps work will help you avoid confusion in the future.The system always chooses the option that has been labeled "always" until you manually reset that choice in the settings. Let's take a look at the basic techniques for managing these settings on Xiaomi devices.
Setting up browsers and search engines
The most common request for users is to replace the standard browser, with many preferring Chrome, Firefox or Yandex Browser over the built-in Mi Browser because of better synchronization or the availability of ad blockers, and to change this behavior, you need to consult the system settings menu.
Go to your device settings and find the App item. In some versions of MIUI, this section may be called All Apps. Inside, you will need to find the subsection responsible for managing standard system activities.
- 🌐 Open the “Default Apps” menu in the system settings.
- 🔍 Find the “Browser” item in the category list.
- ✅ Select the desired application from the established list.
Once you select a new browser, all links from any source will automatically open in it. If you use a voice assistant, such as Google Assistant, it will also use the browser of choice to search for information on the Internet.
⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi system applications may ignore third-party browser choices for embedded services such as the store topic or system news.This is a shell restriction that cannot be circumvented without root rights.
Replacement of Calls and Message Applications
Xiaomi’s standard Phone and Message apps have basic functionality, but many users install more advanced analogues, such as Google Phone with a conversation recorder or Truecaller for determining a number, and the process of activating them requires confirmation through a system dialog.
When you first launch an alternative calling app, Android will be sure to ask you if you want to use it by default.If you accidentally click Cancel or Just Now, you will have to act through settings. Go to Settings → Apps → App Management.
At the top of the screen, there is often a three-dot menu button or a direct link to the default apps. If there is no direct link, search inside the settings by typing the phrase “default” into the desired section, where you can manually switch between the categories “Phone” and “SMS”.
☑️ Access rights verification
Importantly, a third-party call requires advanced permissions to function properly, without which the app may not display contacts or have access to the microphone during a call, and make sure that the permissions menu (Access Rights) activates all the necessary points.
⚠️ Note: On global firmware versions, the use of third-party calls may lead to conflicts with the Antispam feature built into the software. MIUI. It is recommended to use only one active program for incoming calls.
Managing File and Link Openings
The situation when the video opens in the wrong player, and documents are launched in an uncomfortable viewer, is familiar to many. Android classifies files by their extensions and MIME-And in Xiaomi, this mechanism works aggressively, trying to use the built-in tools Mi Video or Docs.
To reconfigure file associations, you don't have to search for each type separately, but you just need to clear the preference cache for current applications. PDF-files open in the browser, find the browser in the list of applications, click on “Default” and select “Clear default settings».
| File type | Standard Xiaomi app | Recommended alternative | Action. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video (MP4, MKV) | Mi video | VLC / MX Player | Open file → Select “Other” → VLC → Always |
| Documents (PDF) | Docs / Chrome | Adobe Acrobat / Reader | Settings → Applications → Docs → Reset |
| Images | gallery | Google Photos / Simple Gallery | Open the photo → Select the application → Always |
| Archives (ZIP) | Conductor | ZArchiver / RAR | Select a file → Open with help → ZArchiver |
After resetting the settings the next time a file of the appropriate type is launched, the system will again request confirmation, at which point it is critical to select the Always (or Default) option to capture the selection.
Resetting all default settings
Sometimes manually switching each application takes too long, or there's a conflict in the system when no application opens automatically, and in those cases, it's better to do a full preference reset, and it's safe to do that, because it won't delete your data, photos, or contacts, but it will return all system associations to factory status.
To do this, go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. In the upper right corner, click on the menu icon (three dots or gear) and select Reset Application Settings. The system will request confirmation of the operation.
Once you confirm the reset, your smartphone will behave as if you just turned it on for the first time in terms of software selection. When you first start your browser, call or open a photo, you will have to choose your preferred application again, which is a great way to shake up the system if it starts to glitches.
Features of work in HyperOS and MIUI 14
With the release of the HyperOS shell and the upgrade to MIUI 14, Xiaomi has changed the logical structure of the menu, which often confuses users.
In newer versions of firmware, the path often looks like Settings → Applications → System App settings. This hides settings for specific Xiaomi services. If you can't find a global switch, try looking for settings inside the app itself that you want to assign to the main one.
Also, newer versions of Android (13 and 14) introduce additional layers of security, so when you change an important system application, such as a launcher or assistant, the system can display a countdown timer or require you to enter a password to unlock the screen, which is protection against malware that tries to steal control.
⚠️ Note: HyperOS has changed the mechanism of the “tablet mode” and multiwindow mode. When changing the launcher by default, make sure that the third-party application is fully adapted to work with large screens, otherwise the interface may not display correctly.
Solving problems with intrusive applications
Even after all the setups, users sometimes notice that Xiaomi is back-substituting its services, often after major system updates or installing updates to the system applications themselves through the GetApps store.
To minimize this risk, you can turn off automatic updates to Xiaomi system applications. Go to Settings Security → Settings (cogs) → Update virus definitions and disable auto-update. It is also useful to disable notifications from system applications that recommend “optimizing” the phone.
If the problem is that links open in Mi Browser despite your settings, try clearing the Mi Browser app itself. Go to Apps → Mi Browser → Memory → Clear Everything. This will remove the cache and temporary files that can force the browser to run.