How to Make Chrome the Main Browser on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Changing a standard browser on a smartphone is one of the first actions experienced users take after buying a new device. Xiaomi phone owners often face intrusive behavior of the MIUI or HyperOS system, which seeks to keep the user in its ecosystem by offering to use the built-in Mi Browser. However, for many Google Chrome remains the benchmark of speed, account synchronization and familiar interface.

The default browser installation process seems simple, but in the shells of Chinese manufacturers, it is often hidden behind several menu levels or blocked by system restrictions. In this article, we will discuss how to force a phone to open links in Chrome, rather than in other applications. You will learn about hidden settings that can interfere with work, and how to correct them.

Incorrect configuration can lead to the fact that links from messengers or mail will open in an “empty” window or not respond to clicking at all. To avoid chaos in the operation of the operating system, you need to strictly follow the algorithm of actions. We will look at current methods for modern versions of Android and shells from Xiaomi, ensuring the stability of your gadget.

Preparation for installation and updating of components

Before you change system priorities, make sure that the Google Chrome browser itself is installed correctly and has the latest version. Xiaomi smartphones often preinstalled outdated versions of apps that may conflict with new security protocols. Go to the Play Market and check for updates for all key Google components.

Special attention should be paid to Google Play services, as they control the deep integration of applications into the system. If you use a global version of firmware, there are usually no problems, but the Chinese versions (CN) with a global ROM installed may have nuances with access rights. Make sure that the browser has all the necessary permissions to work in the background.

• 📱 Check if the latest version of Chrome is installed through the app store.
• 🔒 Make sure your browser has permission to “appear on top of other windows».
• 🔄 Update WebView components responsible for displaying web pages in applications.
• 🗑️ Clear the old browser cache if it was previously used as the main browser.

An important step is to clear the previous default settings. If you previously chose another browser as your primary browser, the system could “remember” that choice and stop asking you when you open links. To reset that option, go to the application settings, find the old browser (such as Mi Browser) and click “Delete default settings.”

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Before changing your primary browser, complete bookmarks and password sync in your Google account so you don’t lose important data when you switch.

Basic configuration through the system menu

The standard way to change a priority application in Android on the MIUI shell may vary slightly depending on the version of the operating system. In most cases, the algorithm is the same: you need to find the partition responsible for managing the applications by default, this is the central node where the system decides which software to run for specific tasks.

Go to Settings, then select the App. In the list that opens, look for Application Management or Default Apps. In newer versions of HyperOS, this item can be entered into a separate menu at the top of the Settings screen, and that's where the switch that we're interested in is located.

Find the "Browser" or "Web browser" line, and when you click on it, the system will offer a list of all installed browsers that support the link opening function. Select Chrome from the list. If the system immediately applied the choice without requesting confirmation, then the previous settings have been reset, and the new application is given priority.

Sometimes, after selecting Chrome, the system may not respond instantly, which requires a reboot of the device, which is necessary for the Android system demons responsible for processing. URL-Intent filters, updated their routing tables, and without rebooting, some applications can continue to use the old path cache.

Setup of link opening in applications

The most common problem faced by Xiaomi users is that links from specific applications (such as Telegram, WhatsApp or VK) are opened not in the browser, but in the built-in web view, or are completely ignored, due to aggressive battery optimization policies and link management in MIUI.

To fix this, you need to set the link behavior for each source app separately. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. Find a messenger or social network in the list that opens links from the wrong way. Inside the app menu, find the Open by default or Open links.

Here you will see the Open Supported Links switch. Make sure it is activated. Below is a list of link types (e.g. http, https, t.me, vk.com) to make sure that they are opened in Chrome instead of in the built-in browser. If you have the Always Ask option, the system will refine your action every time, which can be inconvenient.

⚠️ Warning: Do not tick the “Always Open in This App” box inside the messenger itself if it offers a choice of built-in browser. This can block the ability to select Chrome in the future without resetting the settings of the entire application.

Also check the settings of Google Chrome inside the same menu. Make sure all the major protocols are activated in the Supported Links section. If the list is empty or inactive, try clicking the Add Link or Reset button to re-initiate your browser registration as a web content handler.

Resolving conflicts with Mi Browser and system limitations

The MIUI shell is known for its tendency to return the user to native apps after system updates or even spontaneously.The built-in Mi Browser often has higher system privileges than third-party counterparts.If Chrome stopped opening links, perhaps the system priority was changed automatically.

In some regions and firmware versions, there is a hidden feature called “Recommendations” or “Advertising Services” that can force you to open links in Mi Browser to display your newsfeed. To turn this off, go to the settings of the Mi Browser itself (if not removed), find the “Privacy and Security” section, and disable all items related to personalization and recommendations.

• 🚫 Turn off notifications from Mi Browser so they don’t interrupt Chrome.
• 🛡️ Check the antivirus and “Security” Xiaomi for the presence of locks for Chrome.
• 🔍 Remove or disable Mi Browser if you don’t need it (via the Wireless). ADB or setting).
• ⚙️ In the Security Menu, remove auto-start restrictions for Google Chrome.

If you can't delete a standard browser through the interface, you can use the command via your computer, but that requires USB debugging mode enabled. A safer method is to simply disable the application in the settings if the button is active, and that will prevent it from running in the background and intercepting links.

It’s also worth mentioning the dual apps feature, which means that if you’re using a browser clone or messenger clone, the settings for them can be separate, and check if the cloned app has its own link opening priority, which may conflict with the main profile.

Specifics of work on different versions of MIUI and HyperOS

The interface and logic of settings vary significantly between versions of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and the new HyperOS. In older versions, the default browser settings were deep in the “Advanced” menu. In new versions of HyperOS, Xiaomi tries to unify the experience by moving these items closer to the surface, but sometimes hiding them in the “Special features” section.

HyperOS has enhanced memory protection that can kill the Chrome process if it is in the background for a long time, which leads to slow opening of links or opening them in a newly launched browser instance. To avoid this, go to the battery settings, find Chrome and select No Limits mode.

The table below will help you navigate where to look for settings in different versions of firmware:

Owners of Chinese firmware versions (CN ROM) with Google services installed should be especially careful, in such systems, the priority of Chinese browsers can be sewn into the framework level, in which case the installation of Chrome by the main browser can be temporary until the next reboot or update of components.

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On HyperOS, it is critical to set up auto-start and work in the background for Chrome, otherwise the system will block instant link opening from other apps.

Solving common problems and errors

Even after setting up properly, users can find themselves in a situation where links stop opening or open in a white window, often due to damage to the cache of Android System WebView components, which is responsible for displaying web pages within other applications and is closely linked to the Chrome engine.

If Chrome is installed but doesn’t appear in the selection list, try clearing the Chrome app itself (not the cache, but the data), but making sure the sync is enabled first will drop all internal flags and force the app to re-register as an HTTP/HTTPS request handler.

⚠️ Note: Clearing your browser data will delete history, cookies and temporary files on your device. Make sure your passwords and bookmarks are saved in your Google account before performing this procedure.

Another reason could be a conflicting cleaner or antivirus app that blocks “suspicious” link-snapping activity. If you use third-party utilities to optimize Xiaomi, add Chrome to exceptions. Also check if Turbo Browser mode is enabled or traffic saving is on mobile network settings, which can redirect traffic through its servers.

In rare cases, reinstalling updates for Google helps. Go to the app settings, find Google, click three dots in the corner, and select Remove Updates. After that, the phone will return to the factory version of services, and after rebooting and then auto-updating, the priority issue often disappears.

The final step of the check is to test links from different sources: messengers, email, notes and documents. If Chrome opens everywhere and the pages load correctly, then the setup was successful, otherwise you should go back to the default step for all browsers and start the procedure again.