How to get Xiaomi to open AliExpress links in an app, not in a browser

Have you ever encountered a situation where a link sent to you from a product from AliExpress stubbornly opens in the browser instead of a convenient application? This problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi smartphones, where the system by default ignores the settings of the application, as a result, lost shopping cart, browsing history, and sometimes even reset discounts due to the wrong referral code.

The reason lies in the features of processing deep links in MIUI — The system often “does not see” the official AliExpress application as a priority link handler, especially after updates or resets. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to fix the situation: from basic settings to hidden developer functions.

It’s important to understand that the problem isn’t always with the smartphone itself, sometimes with incorrect links (such as those with TM tags), conflicting apps (such as AliExpress Lite), or even regional restrictions. We have tested all methods on devices from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra – the solutions work on all versions MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t open AliExpress links in the app

Before you fix a problem, you need to understand the root of the problem, and 80 percent of the time, the following factors are to blame:

• 🔗 Incorrect link format. Links with parameters like?utm_source=... or &aff_platform=... The system perceives as “non-standard” and sends to the browser.
• 📱 If you have AliExpress and AliExpress Lite installed at once, the system can get confused in priorities.
• ⚙️ Resetting default settings. After updating MIUI or clearing the cache of applications reset link associations.
• 🌍 Regional restrictions: Some firmware for China (China) ROM) AliExpress is blocked as uncertified".
• 🛠️ Errors in the application manifest. Rarely, but it happens that the AliExpress application itself does not declare support for deep links in the application. AndroidManifest.xml.

Interesting fact: the problem often occurs on devices with Global ROM, china ROM. This is because in the Chinese version MIUI Some security checks for third-party applications are disabled by default.

⚠️ Note: If you use custom firmware (such as Pixel Experience or LineageOS), the methods in this article may not work.

Method 1: Configure standard applications in MIUI

The simplest method is to explicitly tell the system which application should open AliExpress links.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select the Default Apps.
3. Find the section Opening Links (or Link Settings in New Versions) MIUI).
4. In the list, search AliExpress and turn on all the switches for the domains aliexpress.com, m.aliexpress.com and s.click.aliexpress.com.

If AliExpress domains are not listed, the application has not registered its intention filters, in which case only reinstalling the application (see Method 3) will help.

Remove the cache of the Settings application (Settings) → Annexes → Settings → Clear the cache)

Reboot your phone after the changes

Check that there are no duplicates on the list (e.g. AliExpress and AliExpress Lite)

Open a test link from Telegram or WhatsApp-->

On certain devices (e.g, POCO F4) The section Opening links can be hidden to unlock it:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Find the option to Enable link settings and activate it.

Method 2: Use the function "Open supported applications"

If the system persistently ignores default settings, you can manually specify the application whenever you open a link, a method that is inconvenient to use all the time, but will help to check whether the AliExpress application itself works with deep links.

Instructions:

1. Copy any link to the product from AliExpress (for example, https://aliexpress.ru/item/123456789.html).
2. Insert it in any input field (for example, in notes or a message to yourself in Telegram).
3. Slip the link and hold your finger for 1-2 seconds until the context menu appears.
4. Select Open with supported applications (or Open with... in English firmware).
5. In the list, select AliExpress and tick Always (or Just once if you want to test without saving settings).

If AliExpress is not on the list of supported apps, this means one of three problems:

• 📦 Application installed, but not updated (requires version at least 10.35.0).
• 🔧 In the security settings MIUI Install Unknown Apps (Even for Google Play Apps).
• 🛡️ Active energy saving mode for AliExpress, which blocks background activity.

💡

If, after selecting "Always", links reopen in the browser, try disabling battery optimization for the AliExpress app. → Battery → Battery Optimization, Find AliExpress and Choose Without Limits.

Method 3: Reinstall the AliExpress application with data cleanup

Often, the problem is solved by installing the application cleanly, which removes the old intent filter settings and logs them back in, and importantly, once reinstalled, you have to log in again and set up notifications.

Step-by-step:

1. Remove the AliExpress app via Settings → Applications (not just from the desktop!).
2. Clear the cache and data of all related applications: Google Play Store (to reset the installer cache), Google Play Services (responsible for checking intent filters) Browser (if used to open links)

Reboot the phone.

AliExpress

Google Play

Immediately after installation, open the app and allow all notification requests and file access.

Method 2

Critical detail: if you install AliExpress through APK (Not from Google Play, the system MIUI It can block the registration of intent filters due to security policy, in which case, after installation, you need to manually allow installation from unknown sources for a particular browser or file manager.

Method 4: Manually Adding Intent Filters ADB

For advanced users, there is a method of prioritizing AliExpress via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This will help if the system persistently ignores default settings.

Warning: The wrong commands ADB You can only use this method if the previous ones didn't work.

Instructions:

1. Put the debugging on. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times) → For developers → Debugging by USB.
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell pm set-app-links --package com.alibaba.intl.android.apps.poseidon 1


adb shell pm verify-app-links --re-verify com.alibaba.intl.android.apps.poseidon

These teams:

• The first one involves processing links for AliExpress.
• The second one is to recheck all intent filters of the application.

Once you have completed the commands, restart your phone. If the method has worked, all AliExpress links will open in the app without further requests.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially China) ROM) team ADB If you see an adbd error that cannot run as root in production builds, try using this method to obtain root rights through the use of a root builder. ADB.

Method 5: Using third-party applications to redirect links

If none of these methods worked, you can use third-party utilities that force you to redirect links to the right app.

• 🔄 Open With – allows you to manually select an app for each type of link.
• 🔗 App Control – Advanced Intent Filters Manager with Prioritization.
• 🛠️ Open Links With – specializes in deep links and supports rules for specific domains.

Example of settings in Open With:

1. Install the application and provide all the permissions requested.
2. Open the Settings. → Rules.
3. Add a new rule with the domain aliexpress.com.
4. Select the target application – AliExpress.
5. Activate the option to Always use this app.

The advantage of this method is that it works even on custom firmware and does not require root rights.

• ⚠️ Link Manager applications consume an extra battery (up to 3-5% per day).
• ⚠️ May conflict with some banking applications due to intent interception.
• ⚠️ Nana MIUI 14+ Manual permission is required for each domain in the security settings.

Default settings (Method 1)

Manual selection of the application (Method 2)

Reinstall AliExpress (Method 3)

ADB-teams (Method 4)

Party of annex (Method 5)

Nothing helped.-->

Additional Advice and Frequent Mistakes

Even after successful setup, AliExpress links may not open properly due to external factors.

• 📶 Internet problems. If you open a link with an error Page not found, check if yours is blocked VPN or DNS AliExpress access. Try disabling AdGuard or Blokada.
• 🔄 Cash. DNS. Some Xiaomi firmware caches incorrect DNS-To reset the cache, enter the terminal (via ADB or the Termux application: su ndc resolver flushdefaultif ndc resolver flushif eth0 ndc resolver flushif wlan0
• 📱 Conflict with other applications. Delete or freeze (via ADB or Titanium Backup) the following applications, if installed: AliExpress Lite AliExpress Shopping Assistant Cainiao (parcel tracking app)
• 🌐 Regional restrictions if you use China ROM, Try changing the region in your phone settings to Russia or Turkey (where AliExpress is officially supported).

Checklist for diagnosis:

Make sure the link is correct (open it manually in the browser)

Check the AliExpress version of the app (should be) ≥10.35.0)

Turn it off. VPN/AdBlock on 5 minutes and try again

Remove all AliExpress clones (Lite, Shopping Assistant, etc.)

Try to open a link from another messenger (for example, Viber instead of Telegram)-->

If nothing works, the last option is to reset the app settings to factory settings, which will bring all intent filter settings back to default values, but will not affect personal data.

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset App Settings (not a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.
4. After the reboot, reconfigure AliExpress as the default application (see Method 1).

💡

If the problem persists even after resetting, it may indicate damage to system files. MIUI. In this case, only flashing the phone through Fastboot (with complete data cleaning) will help).

FAQ: Frequent questions about opening links AliExpress on Xiaomi