How to Reset the Default Apps on Xiaomi Smartphones: 3 Proven Ways

Did you accidentally choose Google Chrome over Mi Browser to open links — and now all hyperlinks are automatically redirected to an uncomfortable browser? Or did VLC install video files instead of the native Mi Video player? Android (and Xiaomi’s MIUI shell) allow you to flexibly configure applications by default, but it’s not always obvious how to return the previous settings. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to reset, from manual selection in settings to full zero through ADB.

Complicating the problem is that the settings menu may differ from 12 to 14 in different versions of MIUI, and some options are hidden behind additional sections. For example, in Redmi Note 11, the default path to resetting apps is not the same as what you will see on POCO F5. We took these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that work on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices (including the 2020-2026 models).

Why apps change by default and how to prevent it

Android automatically offers to change the default application in three cases:

• 🔄 You open a file of a certain type for the first time (e.g,.mp4) through a new application, the system asks: “Use the MX Player for all files of this type?»;
• 📥 After installing an app (like Telegram), it can request default status for link processing. tg://;
• 🔧 Some apps (such as Truecaller) aggressively intercept phone rights and SMS first-start.

To avoid accidental changes, MIUI 14 adds the option to Stop Changing Applications by Default. Find it in Settings → Apps → Default settings → Additional. On devices with MIUI 12-13, this feature is not available – resets are only possible manually or through ADB.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using POCO Launcher or third-party shells (like Nova Launcher), the path to default application settings may be different. MIUI.

Method 1: Reset via MIUI settings (for all versions)

This is the easiest method that works on Xiaomi Mi 11, Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X5 And other models. The instructions are relevant to the MIUI 12–14:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Appendix section → Application management.
3. At the top of the screen, press three dots (⋮) and select the Applications by default.
4. Tap the category you want to reset (e.g. Browser, Phone, SMS).
5. In the list, select the app you want (e.g. Mi Browser instead of Chrome).

If the application is not listed, it does not support processing of this type of files/links. For example, WhatsApp cannot be the default browser, even if you have installed it as the main messenger.

Make sure the right application is installed

Check out the MIUI version (Settings → About the phone)

Close all background applications

Connect to Wi-Fi (to download settings updates)-->

Method 2: Reset via specific application settings

If you want to reset your settings for just one app (like returning Mi Music instead of Spotify for audio files), do the following:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the application that is currently in use by default (like Spotify).
3. Slip it on and select Open by default.
4. Click Reset default settings (or Clear default settings in MIUI 12).

Then the system will prompt you to select the application again when you first open the file, for example, if you reset the settings for the VLC, the next time you run the video file, you will see a window with the choice of player.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra) may require a device reboot after the default application is reset to take effect. If the browser or player has not changed, restart your smartphone.

💡

If you frequently change apps by default, install the Default App Manager utility from Google Play.It lets you manage all settings from one place without searching the MIUI menu.

Method 3: Complete reset via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work (for example, after a MIUI update or a system crash), you can reset all applications by default via ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

You'll need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB Tools;
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the assembly number → Go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB);
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
3. Run the command to reset all applications by default: adb shell pm clear-defaults
4. Reset the device.

This command resets all default settings, including browser, phone, SMS and media players, and after the reboot, the system will again ask which application to use for each file type.

Features of resetting on POCO and Redmi

POCO and Redmi devices often have a simplified version of MIUI, where some settings are hidden. For example, on POCO X3 Pro, the default path to reset applications is as follows:

1. Settings → Applications → Application management;
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) top-right;
3. Select Reset Application Settings (instead of the Default Application).

The Redmi 9A and other budget models may not have a separate partition for the default apps, in which case:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → System system → Additionally. → Resetting settings;
• 🔧 Select Reset App Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!);
• ⚠️ This action will also clear the cache and data of some applications.

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On POCO and Redmi with MIUI Lite (Lightweight version), some settings may not be available, in which case use ADB or third-party utilities like Default App Manager.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When resetting applications by default, users often face the following problems:

1. No changes saved: If the settings do not apply after reset, check if Google Play Services blocks them. Go to Settings → Apps → App Management → Google Play Services → Storage and clear the cache.
2. No App App App App Apps in the List: Make sure the app supports processing this type of file. For example, Instagram can't be the default browser.
3. Reset does not work after the MIUI update: After major updates (e.g., from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), some settings are reset automatically.Reboot the device and repeat the procedure.

If you use dual apps (the dual apps feature in MIUI), remember: the default settings for the primary and duplicate apps (such as WhatsApp and WhatsApp (2)) are set separately.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions