How to get Xiaomi to open links in apps, not in the browser: full instructions

Have you ever encountered a situation where you click on a link on WhatsApp or Telegram and your Xiaomi stubbornly opens it in the browser instead of the desired application? This is a common problem for MIUI users, which arises from the processing of Intents in the firmware. 80% of cases are due to incorrect default settings or conflict of multiple browsers (for example, Chrome and Mi Browser).

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can redirect link opening to your target apps, from standard MIUI settings to manually resetting the Android System WebView cache. We’ll focus on the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13 models, where the problem is most common. And you’ll also learn why, after upgrading to MIUI 15, some links suddenly stopped opening in apps — and how to fix it without resetting.

Why Xiaomi opens links in the browser instead of apps

The reason lies in the mechanism of Android Intent, a system that determines which application should process a particular link, which in MIUI is often confused due to:

• 🔄 Browser Conflict: Chrome, Mi Browser and Firefox are installed simultaneously, and the system cannot choose priority.
• 📱 Resetting default settings: After updating MIUI or reset the cache of applications are reset and link processing settings.
• 🔧 Errors in Android System WebView: This component is responsible for displaying web content in apps, and its failures lead to redirection to the browser.
• 🚫 Blocking Intents: Some versions MIUI (particularly 13-14) artificially restrict the transfer of links between applications for security".

For example, if you click on the https://t.me/joinchat/... link on WhatsApp, it should logically open on Telegram. But because of the Intent Filter failure, Xiaomi decides it is “reliable” to open it in Mi Browser — even if Telegram is installed and updated, a problem that is especially relevant for Redmi users with Android 12/13 firmware, where Google has tightened its Intents processing rules.

Method 1: Configure standard applications in MIUI

The easiest method is to set priority applications for link processing through the settings menu, which works on all versions of MIUI from 12 to 15, but may require additional actions for POCO and Black Shark.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Reset app settings (this won’t delete data, but only resets the default settings).
3. Return to Application Management and select the Default Apps.
4. Scroll to the Opening Supported Links section and click on it.
5. For each application (e.g. YouTube, Telegram) turn on the Open Supported Links switch.

After this, the system should prompt you to select the application the next time you click on the link. If this does not happen, proceed to method 2.

Method 2: Manually reset the Android System WebView cache

In 60 percent of cases, the problem is solved by cleaning the cache of the Android System WebView component, which is responsible for processing web links within applications. On Xiaomi, this component often conflicts with the Mi Browser, which leads to redirection to the browser.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three Dots → Show all applications.
2. Find Android System WebView (could be called Android Web Viewing).
3. Click Warehouse → Clear the cache and Clear the data.
4. Reboot the phone.

If the problem persists after the reboot, try disabling Mi Browser completely (if you don’t use it):

1. Go to the Mi Browser settings.
2. Choose to disable (do not delete!).
3. Reset the device.

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On some POCO models (e.g. POCO F4), Android System WebView is hidden. To find it, type the name in the search by settings.

Method 3: Using ADB to Assign Intents

If standard methods don’t work, you’ll have to manually adjust it through ADB. This is a good way for advanced users and requires a computer. It’s especially effective for the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Redmi K60, where MIUI blocks Intents from changing through the GUI.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers).

Commands to execute (enter one at a time in cmd or terminal):

adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.settings


adb shell cmd appops set com.miui.home SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW allow




adb shell am start -a android.settings.MANAGE_DEFAULT_APPS_SETTINGS

After the commands are executed:

1. Open on the phone Settings → Applications → Applications by default.
2. Find the Link Opening section and manually assign apps for each link type (e.g. tg:// for Telegram).

Method 4: Configure with "Special Features" (for MIUI 14-15)

The latest versions of MIUI 14 and 15 have a hidden settings section that allows you to manually manage Intents processing, which works even without ADB and does not require root rights.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Special features → Special features services.
2. Activate the Mini Application Switch (if any).
3. Go back to the basic settings and go to Apps → Application Management → Three Points → Special Access.
4. Find the Display section on top of other apps and resolve this for Telegram, WhatsApp, and other problematic apps.
5. Reboot the phone.

This method is particularly useful for the POCO F5 and Redmi Note 12 Pro+, where standard Intent settings are blocked by the manufacturer.

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If you still have the links in your browser after all the manipulations, check if you have Parallel Apps installed on your phone. They may conflict with the main versions.

Table: Compatibility of methods with MIUI versions

Note: on MIUI 15 (especially in Xiaomi 14 and Redmi K70), some settings may be hidden, in which case only ADB or resetting the phone to factory settings (the last method) will help.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users make the same mistakes when trying to set up link openings, and here are the most common:

• 🔄 Incomplete cache cleaning: Only Chrome clears the cache, forgetting Android System WebView and Mi Browser.
• 🔧 Ignoring Updates: Do not update your targeted apps (Telegram, WhatsApp), although newer versions often fix the processing of Intents.
• 📱 Use of informal firmware: On custom MIUI (For example, xiaomi.eu may not be available in the Open Links section.
• 🚫 Background activity blocking: Background work for applications is disabled in the battery settings, which interferes with link processing.

⚠️ Note: If you use Parallel Apps (dual accounts), then links may open in a duplicate of the application instead of the main one. → Password and security → Parallel Apps and disable duplicates if necessary.

Another common problem is conflict with the MIUI optimizer, to avoid it:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Power management applications.
2. Find problematic apps (like Telegram) and select Unlimited.
3. Turn off the Adaptive Battery for these applications.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

If your Xiaomi model isn’t mentioned in the article, check the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone and choose the method that’s right for your firmware. In most cases, cache cleaning and manual Intent setup are enough – without the complicated manipulation of ADB or reset.