Xiaomi smartphone users often face intrusive behavior when a link (such as YouTube or Instagram) is automatically clicked on by Mi Browser or Google Chrome, ignoring the native app installed. This is due to the features of the MIUI and HyperOS shell, which prioritize their own services to keep the user in the ecosystem. This behavior is not only annoying, but also slows down, as browsers consume more resources than specialized clients.
Fortunately, Android has a flexible Deep Links management system at the core to redirect traffic to the right programs. Xiaomi device owners only need to manually reset standard settings to make sure the system remembers your choices. In this article, we will discuss the algorithm of actions for different versions of firmware.
The setup process does not require root rights or a computer connection. All manipulations are carried out exclusively through the standard smartphone settings menu. It is important to understand that settings can be called differently depending on the version of Android (11, 12, 13 or 14) and the regional version of firmware (Global, China, EEA).
Why links open in the browser on Xiaomi
The main reason for the conflict is the operating system's Intent Filters mechanism, and when you click on a hyperlink, the system sends a broadcast to all the installed programs that have declared their ability to handle this type of software. URL-Browsers like Chrome or Mi Browser are registered by default as handlers of all web links to ensure that the user can access any website.
The second factor is aggressive battery optimization and MIUI security policy. The system may consider third-party applications less reliable for opening external content, so it forcibly chooses the system browser. In addition, when the application is first installed, the user often misses the window requesting "Always open in this application", and the system remembers the choice "Only now" or "default", which leads to constant redirects.
There is also the concept of App Links, introduced in newer versions of Android. This is an improved version of Deep Links, which requires confirmation of domain ownership by the app developer. If the domain is not verified or the setting was shot down, Xiaomi will ignore the app and open the link on the web.
⚠️ Note: After major firmware updates (e.g., switching from MIUI 13 by 14 or HyperOS) default settings can be reset. If the problem comes back after the system update, the setup procedure will have to be repeated.
Understanding these mechanisms helps us realize that a failure is not a critical mistake of the phone, but it's just a priority that the software manufacturer has set, and our challenge is to change that priority to our advantage by making smartphone use more comfortable and logical.
Basic configuration through the application menu
The easiest and fastest way to get links to open in the right application is to change the default settings directly for a particular service. This method works consistently on all versions of MIUI and HyperOS. You don't have to look for complex engineering menus, just go to the standard program management section.
To start, open your smartphone’s Settings and go to the Apps section. In some versions of the shell, this item may be called Apps → All Apps. Find the app you want to redirect from (like YouTube or Instagram) on the list. Click on it to open the management page.
Inside the app menu, find the Open by Default (or "Default Launch") section. Here you'll see the Open Supported Links switch. Make sure it's activated. Below may be a list of domains (e.g., youtu.be). Click on it and select the Open option in this app instead of "Always Ask" or "Do Not Open."
- 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → All applications.
- 🔍 Find the right app (like YouTube) in the list.
- 🔗 Go to the Open by Default section.
- ✅ Activate the switch and select Open in this application.
☑️ Checking the application settings
After you do this, try to follow a link from the messenger or notes. The system should immediately launch the native application. If this did not happen, it may have accumulated a cache of errors in the system, and you will need a deeper cleaning, which we will talk about in the next sections.
Resetting browser-interceptor settings
If changing the settings of the target application did not help, then the interceptor browser (most often Mi Browser or Chrome) has "captured" the rights to open links and ignores other requests, in which case you must forcibly reset its default settings, which will return the system to the right of choice at the next click.
Find your primary browser in the app list. This could be Mi Browser (often hidden in the Tools folder on your desktop, but it's just "Mi Browser" in the settings), Google Chrome, or another browser you use. Go to its properties and find the Reset default button (or "Default Clear").
After resetting the next time you click on the link, the system will ask you again than to open the content. In the window that appears, be sure to select the desired application and click Always (or "Always Open in this application"). If you just click on the icon once, the system will remember the choice only for the current session.
| Action. | Where to find | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Resetting the Mi Browser | Settings → Annexes → Mi Browser | The browser will stop intercepting links |
| Reset Chrome | Settings → Applications → Chrome | Resetting selections for web links |
| Clearing the cache | Warehouse → Clear the cache | Delete temporary error files |
| Checking references | Section "Open by default" | View the list of processed domains |
⚠️ Note: Do not remove the system browser updates of the Mi Browser completely if you do not know how to restore system components. A simple reset (Reset button) is usually enough to solve the problem.
This method is especially effective if the problem occurred suddenly after installing some new app or system update.Resetting priorities causes Android to recount all available link handlers.
Use of hidden system menus
In some cases, standard settings menus may be cut down by the manufacturer or may not work properly due to shell bugs. For these situations, there are hidden system menus available through a special code or debugging menu, which allow you to manage App Links at a deeper level.
One way to get into the extended menu is to use the code ##4636## in the Phone app. However, on many modern versions of MIUI, this code can be blocked. A more reliable method is to use the Developer Menu. To activate it, you need to quickly click 7 times on the MIUI Version or OS Version in the About Phone section.
Once you activate Developer Mode, go to Additional → For Developers. Scroll down to the Applications section. There may be Verify apps over USB or. Turning this feature on or off can restart the Domain Verification Service.
Alternative Entry through ADB
Also worth paying attention to is Battery Saver settings. Sometimes the system turns off the background activity of applications, considering them not used to open links. Make sure that the desired application has a battery limit No restrictions.
Solving problems with specific applications
Some apps, like Telegram, WhatsApp, or banking clients, have their own link-based features, such as Telegram often opens internal links (t.me) in its built-in browser, ignoring external settings, requiring customization within the app itself.
On Telegram, go to Settings → Data and Memory → Link Type (or “Open Links”). Select Open in the browser system or specific application if the list allows. This will override the internal settings of the messenger.
For social networks like Instagram or TikTok, it often helps to clean up the data. Go to the app settings on your phone, select Memory and click Clear Everything (not just cache), which will reset all internal flags, and when the app first starts, it will re-register its filters.
- 📸 Instagram: Requires a complete data cleanup to reset filters.
- ✈️ Telegram: Settings are inside the menu Data and memory".
- 🏦 Banks: Often require Safe Keyboard or security confirmation.
- 🎵 TikTok: Can block opening in other players without root.
⚠️ Note: When you completely clear the app data (not to be confused with cache), you can log out of your account.
If the problem is only one specific application, chances are that the developer has not implemented support for Android App Links, in which case it is worth checking for updates to this application in Google Play or GetApps.
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Useful tip: If none of these methods work, try installing a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) and assigning it to the default.
Advanced ADB Methods and Commands
For experienced users who are not afraid of command lines, the most reliable method is the use of the ADB utility (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to force the appointment of a processing application, ignoring Xiaomi’s system preferences.
You'll need a computer, USB-cable and installed drivers ADB. On the phone, turn on the debugging. USB You can connect your phone to your PC and open the command line, and first you know the package of the application you want with the team:
adb shell dumpsys package | grep"package name"By finding a package name (e.g. com.google.android.youtube), you can reset preferences for all applications or a specific domain.
adb shell pm reset-preferred-appsThis command will return the phone to a "out of the box" state regarding the selection of applications, and after it is executed the first time you click on any link, the system will ask you what to open it, and this is guaranteed to work if the software failure is not caused by damage to system files.
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Using ADB is "heavy artillery." If simple menu settings don't work, the preferred-apps reset team solves the problem 99 percent of the time.
There are also graphical shells for ADB, such as App Manager (available in F-Droid), which allow you to manage these settings directly from your phone without a computer, but require special permissions through ADB once.