Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face the intrusiveness of the proprietary shell MIUI or HyperOS. The system in every possible way promotes its own services, ignoring the usual applications from Google. This is especially noticeable when working with web links that open by default in Mi Browser, not in Google Chrome, which causes irritation for many users.
Making matters worse, the standard Android settings menu on Xiaomi devices often hides the possibility of direct selection of a default browser, not by accident, but to retain traffic within the manufacturer’s ecosystem. However, the system restriction is easily bypassed through an engineering menu or application settings reset, allowing you to regain full control of the device.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all known ways of forced installation of Chrome by the main browser. You will learn how to circumvent system restrictions, what risks exist when using hidden menus and how to configure the system so that links from messengers always open in the application you need without unnecessary clicks.
Why Xiaomi doesn’t choose Chrome right away
Xiaomi’s policy is to integrate the user as much as possible into its services. The browser is one of the key gateways for receiving advertising traffic and collecting analytical data. That is why the standard menu of the Application → Settings → Applications by default often does not have a browser selection point or it is blocked.
MIUI and the new HyperOS are designed to prioritize native solutions. When you first open a link, the system may insist on installing Mi Browser as the primary one, ignoring Chrome already installed. This behavior is part of a strategy to keep the user inside the brand ecosystem.
⚠️ Attention: The absence of a browser selection point in the standard settings is not a bug, but a conscious decision of the shell developers. Attempts to change this through the standard menu often fail.
Android security updates (starting with version 11) require confirmation of actions through biometrics or password when changing system applications by default, a process that is sometimes complemented by additional checks or hiding options on Xiaomi to make life harder for a user who decides to abandon branded services.
Preparing the device for changing settings
Before you start manipulating system settings, you need to make sure that the device is ready for changes. First of all, make sure that you have the latest version of Google Chrome installed from the official Play Market Store. Outdated versions may not appear correctly in the lists of system applications.
It is also recommended to check for updates to the system itself. Sometimes bugs that block browser selection are fixed in security patches. Go to Settings → About phone and click on the MIUI version logo to check for updates.
☑️ Checking before setting up
An important step is to clear the browser cache. If Chrome was used as a secondary, there may have been errors in its memory that interfere with the correct operation as the main tool. Go to the application settings and select Clear Data, but be careful not to delete saved passwords if you do not remember them.
Method by resetting the settings of all applications
One of the most powerful, albeit radical, methods is to completely reset application preferences, which does not delete your personal data, photos or contacts, but returns all programs to a clean installation state in terms of system permissions and file associations.
To perform the operation, go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select Reset Application Settings. The system will alert you that permissions and default settings will be reset for all programs.
Once confirmed, the phone may freeze or blink for a few seconds, which is a normal system response to restarting services, and once the screen is turned on, you will need to re-enter the unlock password and allow access to geolocation for system services.
- 📱 Open the smartphone settings.
- 📂 Go to the Application Management section.
- 🔄 Click on the menu (three dots) and select reset settings.
- ✅ Confirm the action with a password or fingerprint.
Immediately after rebooting the interface, when you first click on a link (for example, from WhatsApp or Telegram), the system will forcefully ask which application to use. At this point, it is important not to miss the selection point. Check "Always" and select Chrome. If you do not, the system can again assign Mi Browser.
Use of the hidden menu Activity
If standard methods don’t work, you can use the hidden Android engineering menu, which is available on all devices, including Xiaomi, and you will need to run a special system application, which is usually hidden from the user.
You'll need an application to run activities like Activity Launcher (available in the Play Market) or something like that. After you install it, run it and search for the word "default" or "browser," and you'll need to find the system activity that makes you choose your default browsers.
com.android.settings.Settings$DefaultAppsSettingsActivityRunning this activity will open a hidden settings menu where the Browser option will be available for editing, even if it is hidden in the normal interface. Select Chrome from the list and confirm the action. This method allows you to bypass the limitations of the MIUI shell.
Risks of using third-party launchers
It is worth noting that after major MIUI updates, the path to hidden settings may change. If a search for the word “default” does not yield results, try searching by your browser name, for example, “chrome.” The system may suggest opening the settings of this particular application, where there may also be a “Open by default” button.
Setting up file and link associations
Even after installing Chrome with the main browser, some links may continue to open in Mi Browser, due to settings for file types and protocols associations, and some applications may have priority right to open certain types of links.
To fix this, you need to manually configure permissions for Chrome. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Chrome. Find “Open by default” or “Other permissions.” Here you need to activate all the switches associated with opening links (HTTP, HTTPS).
| Parameter | Status for Chrome | Status for Mi Browser | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening of links | Permitted. | Forbidden. | Allows you to open web pages |
| Protocol HTTP | Actively. | Inactively. | Standard Web Protocol |
| HTTPS protocol | Actively. | Inactively. | Secure Web Protocol |
| HTML files | Permitted. | Forbidden. | Opening local web pages |
The same procedure is required for Mi Browser, but with the opposite result: go to the settings of the built-in browser and force the ability to open links by default, which will force the system to redirect requests to Chrome.
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If after all the settings, the links still open in Mi Browser, try removing the Mi Browser updates (if possible) or disabling it in the app menu.This is guaranteed to make the system use Chrome.
Solving the problems with imposing Mi Browser
Sometimes Xiaomi's system is aggressive, and even after all the settings, when you update your system or applications, you might see a window saying, "Try a fast browser" or "Speed up the load," which are the advertising mechanisms of the shell.
To minimize the appearance of such windows, it is recommended to disable MIUI recommendation services. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to personal data (or “Special features”) and find there “msa” (MIUI System Ads).
It’s also worth checking the settings of the Mi Browser itself. Inside the app, the “Settings” section often hides the “Get News” or “Recommendations” item, disabling these features makes the browser less sticky and reduces the likelihood of it being run accidentally.
⚠️ Note: Complete removal of the Mi Browser without root rights is impossible and not recommended, as it is a system component. ADB This can cause errors in some system widgets.
If the imposition continues, use the "swamping" method. Every time the system offers Mi Browser, choose Chrome and tick "Always." The system should "remember" the choice after 3-5 repetitions, but in the case of MIUI, this counter can be reset after rebooting.
Alternative methods and ADB-team
For advanced users who are not afraid to work with the command line, there is a way to install the browser through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), this method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and the presence of drivers.
The essence of the method is to force clear preferences for certain packages. You can use the command to reset preferences for the http and https protocols, which will force the system to ask again for browser choice the next time you launch a link.
adb shell pm clear-defaultsA more difficult option is to use commands to change the configuration of the package manager, but it requires deep knowledge and can be dangerous to the stability of the system.
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The most reliable way without root rights is a combination of resetting application settings and manually disabling link opening rights for Mi Browser.
Remember that the use of ADB-commands will remove warranty in disputed situations if it is proved that the breakdown is caused by interference with system files.