How to Make YouTube Vanced the Default App on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Many Xiaomi users face a problem: after installing YouTube Vanced, the system continues to open the standard YouTube application by default. This is due to the features of MIUI, where the default settings do not work as on pure Android. In this article, we will discuss all ways to make Vanced the main player for video, including hidden settings and circumvention of restrictions.

It is important to understand that YouTube Vanced is a modified version of the app that is not distributed via Google Play. MIUI It can block its automatic opening due to security policies, but with a few tricks (including: ADB-commands and manual configurations can be made to use the system Vanced for all links to YouTube.

This article will be suitable for owners of any Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO devices based on MIUI 12/13/14 (including HyperOS).If you are using Android One (for example, on Mi A2/A3), the instruction is simplified - there are no MIUI restrictions.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t let Vanced be the default app?

The main reason is the MIUI security policy. Unlike pure Android, where the user can freely choose the default apps, Xiaomi blocks this functionality to:

• 🔹 Applications not installed from Google Play (including.apk and.xapk)
• 🔹 Modified versions of official applications (for example, Vanced, Spotify Mod)
• 🔹 Applications with the same package name as the standard ones (e.g. com.google.android.youtube)

MIUI also actively promotes its own services, so even if you manually select Vanced in the settings, the system can reset the selection after a reboot or update.

Another nuance: starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi added a digital signature check for applications, and if Vanced’s signature doesn’t match the official one (and it does), the system can ignore it when opening links.

Method 1: Configure via the "Default Applications" menu

The easiest method is to try to assign Vanced manually, but it doesn't work on all versions of MIUI.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select the Default Apps.
3. Scroll to the Browser or Link Opening section.
4. Find YouTube and select Vanced (if it’s on the list).

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 14 and later this item may not be available. If Vanced does not appear in the list, proceed to the next method.

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If after selecting Vanced, links still open in a standard app, try clearing the cache and YouTube data through Settings → Apps → YouTube → Storage.

Method 2: Using ADB for Involuntary Assignment

If manual configuration fails, you’ll need to connect to the device via the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices but requires a computer.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (original so there are no connection issues)
• 📥 Installed drivers ADB Fastboot (you can download from the official Android website)
• 🔧 Included debugging by USB smartphone

Steps:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on the MIUI Version until the notification "You've become a developer" appears.

USB debugging

• Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
• Activate the debugging switch over USB.
• Connect the phone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
• Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device should show up. If not, check the drivers.)

adb shell pm clear com.google.android.youtube


adb shell cmd package set-home-activity com.google.android.youtube/com.vanced.android.youtube.activity.MainActivity

⚠️ Note: After these commands are executed, the standard YouTube app may stop opening. If you need to return everything back, use it:

adb shell cmd package set-home-activity com.google.android.youtube/com.google.android.apps.youtube.app.WatchWhileActivity

Install Platform Tools on PC

Enable the developer mode on Xiaomi

Activate debugging over USB

Connect the original cable

Check the detection of the device through `adb devices`-->

Method 3: Using third-party launchers

If MIUI persists in ignoring your settings, you can trick the system with an alternative launcher.

• 📱 Nova Launcher – allows you to assign default apps for specific actions.
• 🎯 Lawnchair is an open source lightweight launcher.
• 🔧 Microsoft Launcher – has built-in tools for managing silences.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Make it the default launcher (at the first start the system will prompt you to do this).
3. Press your finger on your desktop → Settings → Apps and notifications.
4. Find Link Opening and manually assign Vanced to YouTube links.

Important: Some launchers (such as POCO Launcher) do not support this feature because they are based on MIUI code.

Method 4: Redirecting Links Through a Browser

If none of the methods worked, you can go a workaround – configure the browser so that it always opens YouTube links in Vanced.

For this:

1. Install a browser that supports redirects (like Kiwi Browser or Firefox).
2. Open any YouTube link in your browser.
3. When the window "Open with..." appears, select Vanced and tick "Always".

Now all links from messengers, social networks and email will first open in the browser, and then automatically redirect to Vanced.

Removing common mistakes

Even after successful setup, problems can arise, and here are the most common solutions:

⚠️ Warning: If Vanced doesn’t become the default app after all the manipulations, check if you have a duplicate app installed (e.g. YouTube Music or YouTube Kids). MIUI may conflict with them.

Alternatives to YouTube Vanced for Xiaomi

If none of these methods work, consider alternatives:

• 🎥 NewPipe is an open YouTube client with background play and no ads.
• 📺 LibreTube – a private client working through Tor (blocks all telemetry).
• 🔄 ReVanced is the successor to Vanced, supporting new versions of YouTube.

The main advantage of NewPipe is that it does not conflict with MIUI, as it has a unique package name (org.schabi.newpipe), which can be easily made the default application through standard settings.

If you want to sync with your Google account, ReVanced is the best choice, but it’s harder to install because it requires patching the official YouTube APK.

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If you want maximum MIUI compatibility, go for NewPipe or LibreTube, which doesn’t conflict with system constraints and is easy to configure.

FAQ: Frequent questions about YouTube Vanced on Xiaomi