How to create a website shortcut on the desktop of Xiaomi smartphone: the complete guide

Why Xiaomi’s desktop site shortcut is convenient

Do you go to the same site every day but spend time searching for it in your browser? Creating a shortcut on your Xiaomi desktop solves this problem in 30 seconds. One tap — and your favorite resource opens in full screen like an app. This is especially true for web versions of social networks, email or work tools that you use more often than native applications.

There's a nuance in MIUI: the standard browser method doesn't always work because of the shell. We tested all the methods on Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13T with MIUI 14, and we identified 3 reliable options. And we'll also tell you how to make the shortcut open the site in full screen mode without the browser panel.

Important: if you use Safari or other non-standard browsers, some of the methods may not work. In the article, solutions for Google Chrome, Yandex.Browser and universal way through HTML.

Method 1: Standard Addition via Google Chrome

This is the simplest method, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, suitable for MIUI 12-15 and all models of smartphones of the brand, the main condition is to use Google Chrome (if it is not installed, download from the Play Market).

Instructions:

• 🌐 Open Chrome and go to the right site (like vk.com or gmail.com).
• 🔍 Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → Select Add to the main screen.
• ✏️ If necessary, edit the name of the shortcut (the title of the page is taken by default).
• ✅ Click Add – the icon will appear on the desktop.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Add to the main screen may not be available, in which case try updating Chrome to the latest version or use Method 2.

Update Google Chrome to the latest version|Make sure the site is open in full (not mobile) version)|Check if there is any space available on the desktop|Turn off the power saving mode (it can block background processes)-->

Method 2: Through Yandex.Browser (if Chrome does not work)

Yandex.Browser is often pre-installed on Xiaomi smartphones for the Russian market, its interface is different from Chrome, but the functionality of adding shortcuts is saved, this method is suitable if the first method did not work or you prefer Yandex.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Yandex.Browser and go to the desired site.
2. Put it on the icon. ⋮ (three dots) at the bottom of the screen → Select On the main screen.
3. Confirm the creation of the shortcut. The icon will appear on the desktop with the site logo.

🔹 Feature: Yandex.Browser opens shortcuts in Turbo mode (if enabled), which speeds up loading, but can break the layout of some sites. To disable Turbo, go to Settings → Saving traffic.

💡

If the shortcut icon is ugly (e.g., a screenshot of a page instead of a logo), try updating the page before creating a shortcut or use Method 3 with manually specifying the picture.

Method 3: The Universal Method through HTML-code (for experienced)

This works on any browser and any version of MIUI, but requires a little technical skill, and the advantage is that you can set your own icon and shortcut name, even if the site does not support the standard add-on.

You'll need:

• 📱 Any file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Total Commander).
• 🖼️ Picture for icon (size) 192×192 pixel).
• 📝 Text editor (you can use QuickEdit or built-in file manager).

Instructions:

1. Create a shortcuts folder on internal memory (for example, in the root directory).
2. Put a prepared icon (call it icon.png).
3. Create a site.url text file with the following content: [InternetShortcut] URL=https://example.com IconFile=\shortcuts\icon.png Replace https://example.com with your site address.
4. Copy the site.url file to your desktop through the file manager.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F3) They block the creation of files with the default.url extension, in which case use the.txt extension, and then rename the file via PC.

How to make the shortcut open the site in full screen mode

By default, site shortcuts open in a browser with an address bar and a tab bar. PWA-Progressive Web App, which hides all elements of the browser interface, leaving only the content of the site - as in a native application.

For this:

1. After you have created the label (in any of the ways above), open it.
2. In the browser, tap on three points → Add to the main screen (if this item is available).
3. Select the Open as an app option (or Full Screen in English).

📌 Important: Not all websites support PWA-You can check this through the tool. PWA Google Checklist, for example, twitter.com and instagram.com do not support full-screen mode in the web version.

Google Chrome|Yandex.Browser|Mi Browser|Firefox|Other-->

What to do if the label is not created or does not work

Sometimes Xiaomi users face problems: a shortcut doesn't appear on the desktop, the wrong site opens or the icon is displayed incorrectly.

• 🔄 Shortcut missing after reboot: Check if Memory Optimization is enabled in settings MIUI. It can remove "unnecessary" shortcuts. Turn it off in Settings. → Special facilities → Optimizing memory.
• 🚫 Site won't open: Remove the shortcut and recreate it. If the problem persists, clear the browser cache in Settings → Annexes → browser → Warehouse.
• 🖼️ The icon is displayed as a screenshot: This means the site does not provide a favicon for shortcuts. Use Method 3 with manually indicating the picture.
• 🔒 Blocking shortcut creation: Some Xiaomi firmware for the Chinese market has disabled this feature.Try to change region in Settings → Additionally. → Region on "Russia" or "Global".

💡 Tip: If none of these things worked, try installing an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher.

💡

Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI Global are easier to create shortcuts than Chinese versions of firmware. If you have a Chinese MIUI, consider reflashing to a global version.

How to remove or change the site shortcut on Xiaomi

Remove the unnecessary shortcut is simple: hold it with your finger for 2 seconds and drag it to the basket that appears at the top of the screen. But what if you need to change the site address or icon?

Unfortunately, MIUI doesn't allow you to edit shortcuts directly.

1. Remove the old label.
2. Create a new one with the necessary parameters (according to the instructions above).

If you have used Method 3 (HTML-You can edit the site.url file through any text editor, for example, to change the site address, open the file and change the line. URL= new.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) after the update MIUI Site shortcuts can be reset. To avoid this, back up your.url files to the cloud or PC.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions