How to find favorites in the phone Xiaomi Redmi: contacts, browser, files

Have you accidentally deleted an important contact from your favorites or can’t find a saved web page in your Xiaomi browser? In Redmi and POCO smartphones, the Favorites function varies depending on the application — and is often hidden in non-obvious menu sections. This guide will help you figure out where to look for favorite contacts, bookmarks in your Mi Browser or Chrome browser, and how to restore access to frequently used files and folders.

The manufacturer regularly updates the MIUI shell, so the location of menu items may differ. We tested all methods on the latest firmware versions (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14) and took into account the features of popular models: Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5, Redmi 9/10/13C. If your phone is older than 2019, some paths may differ slightly - but the logic of the search will remain the same.

1. Selected contacts: where are stored and how to restore

In Xiaomi, favorite contacts don’t appear in the default main list. You should look for them in a separate tab of the Contacts app (an icon with a human silhouette). If you don’t see this tab, you probably have an alternative firmware installed or the Google Contacts app running — in which case the search algorithm will be different.

To open selected contacts:

• 📱 Open the Contact App (not to be confused with Phone!).
• 🔍 In the lower menu, tap on the "Favorites" tab (heart or star).
• 🔄 If there is no tab, click on ⋮ → Settings → Display the chosen ones.
• 🔍 If the contact is missing, check the Archive folder or use a search by name.

In MIUI 14, selected contacts are synced with your Mi Account – if you are logged in, they can be restored even after you reset your phone through Settings → Xiaomi Account → Sync → Contacts.

⚠️ Note: If you deleted a contact from your favorite less than 30 days ago, it can be returned through the Recycle Bin in the Contacts app (Remote section). After 30 days, the data is deleted irrevocably.

2. Bookmarks in Mi Browser: where to look and how to export

The built-in Mi Browser browser stores selected pages (bookmarks) in a separate section, but access to it depends on the version of the application. In recent updates, developers have simplified the interface by removing unnecessary tabs, which makes many users unable to find saved sites.

Instructions for Mi Browser:

1. Open your browser and tap the icon. ⋮ (three points) in lower right corner.
2. Select Bookmarks. If you don't have a bookmark, update your browser in the Play Market.
3. At the top of the screen, a search bar will appear – type in the name of the site if the list is too long.
4. To export bookmarks, click ⋮ → Exports/imports → Save to a file (.html format).

If you use Google Chrome, the path is different:

• 🌐 Open Chrome and tap on it. ⋮ → Bookmarks.
• 📁 At the top of the screen, select the Favorites folder (if not, create it manually).
• 🔄 To sync, enable the option in Chrome Settings → Your profile. → Synchronization.

3. Favorite files and folders: how to find in Explorer

Xiaomi doesn’t have a single “favorite” for files, but you can add folders and documents to quick access through a standard Explorer (folder icon), which works similarly to bookmarks in a browser, but many users are unaware of its existence.

To add a file or folder to your favorites:

1. Open Explorer (if not, install it from Play Market).
2. Find the file or folder you want, and hold your finger on it until the menu appears.
3. Choose Add to your favorites (heart icon or star icon).
4. To open the favorites list, tap the "Favorites" tab in the lower menu.

If the tab is missing, check the settings:

• 🔧 Come in. ⋮ → Settings → species.
• 📌 Activate the option "Show your favorites".
• 🔄 Restart the application if the changes do not apply.

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If you often work with files, install an alternative conductor (for example, Solid Explorer or FX File Manager) - they feature favorite implemented more conveniently, with support for cloud services.

4. Selected messages in SMS and messengers

The standard Messages app (SMS/MMS) does not have a favorite feature, but you can pin important dialogs at the top of the list.

1. Keep your finger on the right chat.
2. In the menu that appears, select Secure (the stationery button icon).
3. To unplug, repeat the action or swipe the dialogue to the left.

The logic of messengers is different:

• 📱 WhatsApp: Hold the chat → ⋮ → Consolidate (up to 3 dialogues).
• 💬 Telegram: swipe left via chat → Requirements (unlimited number).
• 📧 Viber: Hold the chat → Hold it up.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 13+ fixed SMS-dialogs may disappear after updating the Messages application. To avoid this, export important messages to the file via the Messages application. ⋮ → Settings → Export of communications.

5. Featured Applications: How to Add to Quick Access

If you use the same programs often, they can be pinned to the home screen or notification bar for quick access. MIUI It's done this way:

Method 1: Fixing on the main screen

• 📱 Open the Apps menu (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
• 🔍 Find the right app, hold its icon.
• 📍 Drag to the main screen or to the dock panel (bottom band).

Method 2: Quick labels in the curtain

1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Slap the icon. ⚙️ (Settings) in upper right corner.
3. Choose Edit Tiles and add the right shortcuts (e.g. Flashlight, Google Assistant).

MIUI 14 has a feature called "Favorites" in search of the system, and to use it:

1. Swipe down the main screen to call for a search.


2. Enter the name of the annex.




3. Keep his icon in the search results → "Add to favorites".

Selected settings: how to save frequently used settings

You can add frequently used settings to MIUI in a quick access through a search system, for example, if you regularly turn on Do Not Disturb or change the Brightness of the screen, you can fix them for convenience.

Instructions:

1. Swipe down the main screen to open the search.
2. Enter the name of the setting (for example, "Mode in the plane").
3. Hold the result → select “Add to the main screen”.

List of settings that can be fixed:

• 🔦 Lantern
• 📶 Mobile data
• 🔕 Don't disturb.
• 🔋 Battery
• 🌙 Dark subject.

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI To avoid this, create a Settings widget on the home screen: keep your finger in a free place. → Widgets → Settings.

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Xiaomi’s favorite feature is sporadic and app-dependent. Use synchronization with Mi Account or Google to help you recover data even after you reset your phone.

7. Recovery of the remote elect

If you accidentally delete a contact, bookmark or file from your favorites, you can try to restore them. Success depends on the type of data and the synchronization settings.

For contacts:

• 📱 Open Contacts. → ⋮ → Remote (available 30 days).
• 🔄 If no contact is found, check Google Contacts (menu) → Basket).
• 🔧 In extreme cases, restore the backup through Settings. → Xiaomi account → Recovery.

For bookmarks in Mi Browser:

1. Go to Mi Browser. → ⋮ → Settings → Data recovery.
2. Select the latest backup (if synchronization has been enabled).

For files:

• 🗑️ Check the Conductor. → Recycle bin (files are stored there for 15 days).
• 🔍 Use data recovery applications (such as DiskDigger or Recuva) but they require root rights.

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Regularly back up your favorites through Settings → Memory → Backup. This will take 2-3 minutes, but save hours when you lose data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the favorites in Xiaomi Redmi