Creating a site shortcut on Xiaomi’s home screen is an easy way to get quick access to your favorite web resources without having to open your browser and enter your address manually every time. On smartphones with a MIUI shell (versions 14, 15 and later), this procedure takes less than a minute, but has nuances depending on the browser and device model used. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5, the algorithm may differ slightly from the flagship Xiaomi 14 due to differences in firmware.
In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to add a website to the home screen: through the standard Mi Browser browser, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, as well as alternative methods for cases when the standard ones do not work. We will focus on the problems faced by users after the update. MIUI — For example, when the Add to Home screen button suddenly disappears from the browser menu, you will also learn how to shortcut the browser. PWA-Progressive Web Apps (applications) that work almost like native programs.
If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), some steps may be different – for these cases, we have prepared separate recommendations.
1. Method for the standard Mi Browser browser
Mi Browser is a pre-installed browser on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones. It is closely integrated with the MIUI shell, so adding a shortcut through it usually goes smoothly.
Open Mi Browser and go to the site you want to create a shortcut for, like vk.com or youtube.com. Make sure the page is fully loaded — sometimes the shortcut button is inactive while the content is loading. Click on the icon «⋮» (three dots) in the upper right corner of the screen to open the browser menu.
In the drop-down menu, select Add to Home Screen (on some versions of MIUI it may be called Create a Shortcut) and the system will automatically suggest a shortcut name – it can be edited right in that window. Click Add and the shortcut will appear on the home screen or in the Other Apps folder if there is not enough space.
- 🔹 Advantage: works on all Xiaomi models without additional settings.
- 🔹 Disadvantage: The shortcut always opens in Mi Browser, even if you prefer Chrome.
- 🔹 Feature: on POCO F5 and new models of the button can be hidden behind a long press on the address bar.
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If the Add to Home screen button is missing, update the Mi Browser via Google Play or the MIUI App Store. On some firmware, it only appears after the update.
2. Adding a shortcut through Google Chrome
Google Chrome is the most popular browser on Android, and many Xiaomi users install it instead of the standard Mi Browser.The shortcut creation process in Chrome is a little different, but no less simple:
Launch Chrome and open the desired site. Click on the icon «⋮» (three dots) in the top right corner, then select Add to Home. In the window that appears, you can change the shortcut name — by default, Chrome suggests the site name or page title. Click Add, and the shortcut will appear on the home screen.
An important nuance: shortcuts created through Chrome can open in two modes: as a separate window (PWA) - without an address bar and browser panels, or in Chrome itself - if the site does not support the PWA format. To force the site to open in a separate window, after adding a shortcut, go to the Chrome settings (Settings → Sites → Application Shortcuts) and turn on the option "Open as a window".
Open site in Chrome| Check that page is fully loaded |Click on three dots in the top corner |Click on Add to Home Screen |Certify add--->
⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 10C) Shortcuts from Chrome may disappear after a device is restarted. MIUI. To avoid the problem, pin the shortcut to a folder or on a separate screen.
3. An alternative method for Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is less popular on Xiaomi, but some users prefer it because of the enhanced privacy features.Unfortunately, Firefox doesn't have a built-in feature to add shortcuts to the home screen, but there's a workaround:
Open a site in Firefox and copy its URL from the address bar. Then go back to the home screen, make a long tap in the free space and select "Widgets." Find the shortcut widget and drag it to the screen. In the window that appears, select "URL" and paste the copied address. Name a shortcut and save.
This method is universal and works on all Xiaomi smartphones, but has a drawback: the shortcut will open in the default browser (not necessarily in Firefox).To fix this, after creating the shortcut, go to the Android settings (Settings → Applications → Default Applications → Browser) and select Firefox.
| browser | Method of addition | Opens as a PWA? | Does it require manual adjustments? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Browser | Menus. → «Add to the main screen» | No. | No. |
| Google Chrome | Menus. → «Add to the main screen» | Yes (if the site supports) | Sometimes (PWA settings) |
| Mozilla Firefox | Through the "Tagline" widget | No. | Yes (Browser default setting) |
| Opera/Edge | Menus. → «Install it on the main screen» | Yeah (in Edge) | No. |
4 Problems and Solutions: Why You Can't Add a Label
Sometimes Xiaomi users find that the “Add to Home screen” button is not in the browser menu or the shortcut does not appear after creation. Here are common reasons and ways to eliminate them:
1. Outdated version of the browser. Update Mi Browser, Chrome or another browser via Google Play. On some MIUI firmware, the older version of the browser may block the shortcutting function.
2. Launcher Restrictions: If you use a third-party launcher (like a Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher), go back to the standard MIUI launcher and try again. Some custom shells block the creation of web shortcuts.
3. Not enough rights. Devices with root access or modified firmware may require permission to create shortcuts. Check the security settings in Settings → Permissions → Special Access.
- 🔧 Decision for MIUI 14/15: Reboot your smartphone and try again – sometimes the system cache blocks shortcut creation.
- 🔧 If the shortcut disappears: Move it to the folder on the home screen – this will prevent automatic deletion when optimizing memory.
- 🔧 For POCO-Devices: Enable Developer Mode (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times and activate the “Debugging by” option. USB». Sometimes it solves the problem of labels.
What if the shortcut opens in the browser, and not as a separate application?
5. How to create a shortcut for PWA (Progressive Web Apps)
PWA (Progressive Web Apps are websites that work as full-fledged applications: they support notifications, offline mode, and open in a separate window without an address bar. Many popular services (such as Twitter, Spotify, Telegram Web) offer PWA-They can be installed on Xiaomi like this:
Open your site in Google Chrome (PWAs don't want to use Mi Browser). If the site supports PWA, the Install icon will appear in the address bar. Click on it, then confirm the installation. The app will appear on the home screen and in the menu of all apps.
If you don’t have an installation icon but know that the site supports PWA (e.g. web.whatsapp.com), type in the Chrome address bar:
chrome://flags/#enable-desktop-pwas-installableTurn on this flag, restart your browser and try again. On Xiaomi 13/14 with MIUI 15, this method works consistently.
Removal and management of labels
If the shortcut is no longer needed or takes up space on the home screen, it can be easily removed. To do this, make a long press on the shortcut and drag it to the top of the screen where the "Delete" (or basket icon) appears. Release your finger and the shortcut disappears. On some versions of MIUI, shortcuts can also be removed via the menu: click on the shortcut, hold, then select "Delete" in the context menu.
To move the shortcut to another screen or folder, hold it and drag it to the right place. On Xiaomi with MIUI 14/15, you can create folders right on the home screen: drag one shortcut to another, and the system will suggest creating a folder. This is convenient for grouping frequently used sites (e.g. social networks, news resources, work tools).
⚠️ Attention: Deleting the site shortcut does not remove it from your browser history or bookmarks. If you want to completely erase the traces of a site visit, go to your browser settings and manually clear the history.
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Site shortcuts on Xiaomi don't take up extra memory - they just link to a web page. removing the shortcut doesn't affect the performance of the device.
7. Additional tips for Xiaomi users
If you work with web applications frequently, set up Xiaomi for maximum convenience: Disable battery optimization for browsers – this will prevent the background processes from closing, which may keep shortcuts from opening. To do this, go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Optimization and select “No Limits” for your browser.
For POCO-devices, for example, POCO X6 Pro) it is useful to enable the "Developers" mode and activate the "Do not close applications" option, which will help to avoid problems with opening shortcuts after a long phone downtime. MIUI creating labels due to security restrictions is relevant for corporate devices or smartphones with the “Mode for children” enabled».
On Xiaomi smartphones with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/3 processor (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi K60 Pro), PWA shortcuts can work faster if you turn on the GPU acceleration option in the developer settings. To do this, activate the developer mode (7 taps on the MIUI version), then turn on the Forced GPU acceleration in the Developer Menu.