How to install Yandex start page in the Xiaomi browser on Android: the full guide

Why Yandex is more convenient than a standard Xiaomi page and how to set it up

The standard homepage in Xiaomi’s browser (usually mibrowser://home or Bing/Google search engine) often annoys users with intrusive advertising, slow loading, or an uncomfortable interface. Yandex benefits from personalized news feeds, quick access to services (mail, maps, translator), and responsive geolocation-based search. However, MIUI does not have an obvious “Start” button — you have to dig through settings or use workarounds.

In this article, we will discuss 4 working ways to make Yandex a homepage on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones (including models on MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS). Also consider common errors (for example, when browser settings are reset after updating) and alternative solutions for those who can not change the start page by standard methods.

Before you start, check your browser version. MIUI has two of them:

• 🔹 Standard browser (com.android.browser) – preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones.
• 🔹 Mint Browser (com.mi.globalbrowser) – an alternative browser from Xiaomi with ad blocking.

The instructions below are suitable for both, but the paths in the menu may be slightly different.

Method 1: Change the homepage through browser settings (the easiest)

This method works on most Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS, unless the manufacturer has blocked the possibility of changing the start page.

1. Open the Xiaomi browser (an icon with a blue globe or the inscription "Browser").
2. Tap it on. ⋮ (three points) in lower right corner → Select Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Home Page (or Start Page) section.
4. In the Address field, enter https://ya.ru or https://yandex.ru.
5. Save the changes and restart the browser.

If you don't have Home Page in your settings, your version of MIUI is hiding it, so go to Method 2.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware for China (e.g., for example, MIUI China ROM) Change the start page is locked at the system level, in which case only installing an alternative browser will help (see Method 4).

Method 2: Using the Yandex shortcut on the home screen

If Xiaomi’s browser doesn’t allow you to change the homepage, you can do a trick: create a Yandex shortcut on the home screen and use it instead of a standard browser. This method doesn’t change the system settings, but it gives you quick access to the search.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open Yandex.Browser (if not installed – download from Google Play).
• 🔍 Enter any search query (e.g., "weather").
• 📌 Press the search line of Yandex (top panel) with your finger) → Select Add to the main screen.
• 🏠 Now you have a shortcut that Yandex opens in one tapa.

The disadvantage of this method: when you click on links, they can open in the standard Xiaomi browser. To avoid this, in the Android settings, make Yandex.Browser the default application for opening links (Settings → Applications → Yandex.Browser → Open by default).

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If the Yandex shortcut does not appear on the home screen, check the launcher settings: press the empty space on the screen → Home screen settings → turn on the option “Show app icons”.

Method 3: Editing a configuration file (for advanced users)

This method requires root rights or access to system files via ADB. It is suitable for MIUI, where browser settings are blocked, but you are ready to dig into the system.

Steps:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and activate Debugging via USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap the version number → return to Additional → For Developers).
2. Open the command line on PC and type in: adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system sed -i 's|https://.*/home|https://ya.ru|g' /system/app/Browser/Browser.apk/assets/config.json mount -o ro,re/system rebootmount
3. After the reboot, check the browser – the home page should change.

⚠️ Note: Changing system files can cause browser errors or even bootloop (load looping).Before experimenting, make a backup through Settings → System system → Backup.

Method 4: Installation of Yandex.Browser as the main

If all previous methods have failed, the most reliable option is to completely abandon the standard Xiaomi browser and use Yandex.Browser.It will not only make Yandex the default homepage, but also offer additional features:

• 🛡️ Built-in ad blocking and phishing protection.
• 🔄 Turbo mode to save traffic.
• 📱 Synchronizing bookmarks and history between devices.
• 🎨 Dark theme and customization of the interface.

How to set up:

1. Download Yandex.Browser from Google Play.
2. Open it and follow the setup wizard (you can skip registration).
3. Go to Settings → Default Applications → Browser and select Yandex.Browser.
4. Remove or disable the standard Xiaomi browser (Settings → Applications → Browser → Disable).

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Yandex.Browser consumes 15-20% less RAM than the standard MIUI browser, which is especially noticeable on budget models (Redmi 9A, POCO C31).

Typical errors and their solutions

Even after successfully configuring Yandex as a start page, users face problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If after the changes, the browser began to work unstable (flys out, does not open pages), try:

• 🔄 Clear the browser cache (Settings) → Annexes → browser → Memory. → Clear the cache).
• 📥 Reinstall browser updates via Google Play.
• 🔧 Reset browser settings to factory (browser settings) → Additionally. → Reset the settings).

Alternative solutions: widgets and launchers

If it is not so much important for you to change the browser’s start page as it is to get quick access to Yandex, consider these options:

• 📲 Yandex widget: Install the official widget from Google Play (Yandex: Widget) It adds the search bar to the main screen and opens the results in the selected browser.
• 🏠 Customized launchers: Applications like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher allow you to assign a gesture (for example, swipe up) to open Yandex.
• 🔗 Quick links: In some firmware MIUI You can add “Fast Actions” to a locked screen (for example, a swipe on the browser icon opens Yandex).

To install the widget:

1. Click the empty space on the main screen → Widgets.
2. Find Yandex: Widget (size 4×1 or 4×2).
3. Drag it on the screen and adjust the displayed items (search, weather, currency rates).

The advantage of this approach is that you do not have to change your browser settings, and access to Yandex will be even faster – right from the main screen.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up Yandex on Xiaomi