How to change the Open with With setting on Xiaomi: remove the pop-up window and select the default app

Xiaomi smartphone owners regularly face a situation where when trying to open a file or link, the system offers to select an application from a list - a window "Open with help" appears. This is standard MIUI behavior, but not always convenient: for example, if you constantly use the same browser or player, and the system persistently asks for confirmation every time. Fortunately, Xiaomi's settings have tools to change the application by default or turn off this window altogether.

In this article, we will discuss all the ways to configure the Open with With option on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices (relevant to MIUI 12, 13 and 14).

• 🔹 Secure the application by default for a specific file type (PDF, music, video.).
• 🔹 Turn off the “Open with Help” pop-up window forever.
• 🔹 Reset the default application settings if you choose the wrong one.
• 🔹 Solve problems when the system does not save the selected application.

Important: Some menu items may differ depending on the version MIUI and smartphone models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro vs Redmi Note 12).If you can't find the specified section, use the search in the settings (⚙️ → Search).

1. How to fix the application by default for a specific file type

If you want all files in a particular format (such as.mp3 or.pdf) to open in the same application, follow the following steps:

1. Open the file type you want (like a song or document) and the Open with Help window will appear.
2. Select an app from the list (like Google Play Music or WPS Office).
3. Check the box next to the “Always” (or “Use by default”).
4. Confirm your choice by pressing “OK”.

Now all files of this type will open in the selected application without further questions. If the "Always" tick is inactive or not, go to the next section (the alternative methods are described there).

Make sure the right application is installed

Check out the MIUI version (Settings → About the phone)

Close all open files before setting up

Restart your smartphone if the changes don’t apply

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2. Where in Xiaomi settings to change the applications by default

If the Open with Help window doesn’t appear or you want to set everything up in advance, use system settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select “Default Apps».
3. In the menu you will see categories: 📄 Browser (for references) http:// and https://) 🎵 Musical player (for.mp3,.flac) 🎬 Video player (for.mp4,.mkv) 📄 Text files (for.txt,.pdf)

Click on the desired category and select the app from the list.

Note: on some models (e.g. POCO F5), the path may differ: Settings → Apps → App settings → Default apps. If you don’t find a section, search by settings.

3.How to turn off the Open With Help pop-up forever

If you're annoyed by the constant appearance of the app selection window, you can turn it off completely.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Press three points (⋮) and select "Special Access».
3. Slip on the item "Open links by default."
4. Choose an app (such as Chrome or Galaxy) that should open all links.
5. Activate the “Open Supported Links” switch.

After that, the links will open in the selected browser without requesting confirmation, similarly, configure other file types (music, video, etc.) in the Default Apps section.

⚠️ Note: if you turn off the browser selection window but don't assign the default app, links may not open at all.Always check the settings after changes!

4. Reset application default settings

If you made a mistake with the choice or the system “forgets” your settings, you can reset all applications by default to factory:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Press three points (⋮) and select “Reset application settings».
3. Confirm the action by clicking “Reset settings”.

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If the reset didn’t work, try clearing the cache and data of the Settings app (not to be confused with system settings!). To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Settings → Storage → Clear the data. After that, you may need to restart.

5. Problem Solving: Why Xiaomi Doesn't Keep the App Default

Sometimes MIUI ignores the settings you choose. Common reasons and solutions:

A critical feature of MIUI 14: In this version, some application settings can be blocked by the default function Data Protection. If the changes do not apply, check Settings → Privacy → Data Protection and temporarily disable restrictions for the desired application.

6. Alternative methods: use of file manager and ADB

If standard methods don’t work, try:

Method 1: Configure through the file manager

Some file managers (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer) allow you to assign default applications directly from the interface:

1. Open the file manager and find the file type you want.
2. Hold your finger on the file, then click “Open with help”.
3. Select the app and tick the “Always” box.

Method 2: ADB commands (for power users)

If you are familiar with ADB, you can manually set the default application via your computer:

adb shell cmd package set-home -p com.android.chrome # For browser


adb shell cmd package set-home -p com.miui.video # For video player

Replace com.android.chrome with your application’s batch name (you can find it through the App Inspector in MIUI).

⚠️ Attention: misuse ADB This method is recommended only for advanced users!

7. Frequent questions and errors

Let’s take a look at the typical situations Xiaomi users face when setting “Open with Help”:

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If neither method worked, it could be custom firmware or root access, in which case try to roll back to the official MIUI or contact the service center.