How to Reset Your Default Browser to Xiaomi: The Complete 2026 Guide

The default browser on Xiaomi smartphones is most often Mi Browser (built-in browser from the manufacturer) or Google Chrome if the user has changed the settings. Over time, any browser starts to work slower: pages load longer, loading errors appear, and advertising and pop-ups interfere with viewing, the reasons usually lie in overcache, corrupted cookies or conflicts with updates.

Resetting your browser to factory settings is a radical but effective solution to most problems, but many Xiaomi users are struggling to find the right settings, how not to lose important bookmarks or passwords, and what to do if the browser stops opening at all. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to reset your browser on Xiaomi – from partial cleaning to complete deletion of data, including hidden features. MIUI, which are not written in official documentation.

It is important to understand the difference between “browser reset” and “app deletion.” The first involves returning to factory settings while saving the browser itself in the system, and the second involves completely removing the program, which is not always possible without superuser rights on Xiaomi.

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1. When you need a browser reset on Xiaomi: signs of problems

Not all browser slowdowns require drastic measures, sometimes closing tabs or restarting your smartphone, but there are key symptoms that make resets necessary:

• 🐢 Pages load for more than 10 seconds even on a stable Internet (check speedtest.net).
• 🔄 The browser spontaneously closes or restarts when you open certain sites.
• 📛 Errors like this are happening. ERR_CACHE_MISS, NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID or DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.
• 🛡️ Pop-ups with advertising appear even on trusted sites (possible substitution) DNS virus).
• 🔒 Passwords or browsing history are not saved despite the synchronization enabled.

If at least two of these features are on a regular basis, it means that the browser needs cleaning. On Xiaomi, this may be due not only to the application itself, but also to the features of the shell. MIUI. For example, the built-in Mi Browser often conflicts with Google services if they are updated through the Play Market, rather than through the GetApps brand store.

Before you start resetting, check if the problem is systemic.

1. Open another browser (such as Firefox or Opera).
2. Try downloading the same sites.
3. If errors are repeated, a problem is a problem in the network or DNS, not in a browser.

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Preparation for resetting: what to keep and what to lose

Resetting the browser to factory settings removes:

• 📁 Cash (temporary files for fast page loading).
• 🍪 Cookies (authorization data, personal settings of websites).
• 🔖 Bookmarks (if not synchronized with the account).
• 🔑 Saved passwords (unless you use a Google Password Manager).
• ⚙️ Individual settings (theme, fonts, ad blocker).

To avoid losing important data, follow these steps before resetting:

Export bookmarks to the file HTML (Chrome: ⋮ → Bookmarks → Bookmark Manager → Exports)

Sync passwords with your Google account or copy them manually

Take screenshots of important tabs (hold on Power) + Volume Down)

Check if your browser is linked to your Xiaomi account (in Mi Browser: Profile) → Synchronization)

Write down the addresses of frequently visited sites (in case the story clears)

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Attention! If you use Mi Browser, bookmarks and history can sync with your Xiaomi account, but only when the feature in the settings is enabled.

1. Open Mi Browser.
2. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner.
3. Select Sync and make sure the switch is active.

In Google Chrome, sync works through a Google account to make sure that the data is saved:

1. Open Chrome and tap three dots (⋮).
2. Go to Settings. → Synchronization and Google Services.
3. Check if sync is enabled and which account is used.

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If you are not sure if passwords are saved, open passwords.google.com in any browser, which will show all the stored data associated with your Google account.

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3. Method 1: Reset via browser settings (without data loss)

The safest method is to clear the cache and cookies directly in the browser settings. This will not remove bookmarks and passwords, but will solve most performance problems.

For Mi Browser:

1. Open your browser and tap on three points (⋮) lower-right.
2. Select Settings → Privacy and Security.
3. Press Clear Data.
4. Check the Cash and Cookies, then tap Clear.

For Google Chrome:

1. Open Chrome, tap three dots (⋮) and choose History.
2. Press Clear Data.
3. Tab Basic: select Cookies and Site Data + Cached images and files.
4. Set the All-Time Period and click Delete Data.

This method helps in 70% of cases, but if the problem persists, move on to more radical measures.

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Method 2: Complete resetting of the browser to factory settings

If a partial cleanup doesn't work, you'll have to reset your browser completely, which will delete all the data, including bookmarks and settings, but return the browser to a post-purchase state.

For Mi Browser:

1. Go to Phone Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Mi Browser on the list and tap it.
3. Choose Warehouse.
4. Click Clear Data (not to be confused with Clear Cache!).
5. Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

For Google Chrome:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Chrome.
2. Select Warehouse. → Management of space.
3. Put it in Clear all data.
4. Confirm the reset.

Attention! After a full reset, Mi Browser can request a re-authorization in your Xiaomi account, and Chrome can offer to re-enter your Google account. If you do not remember the password, restore it in advance on official sites:

• Xiaomi: account.xiaomi.com
• Google: accounts.google.com

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5. Method 3: Reset via Safe Mode (if the browser does not open)

If the browser has stopped starting at all (it flies when you open it or shows a black screen), try loading the phone in Safe Mode. In this mode, all third-party applications are turned off, and you can reset the browser without interference.

How to Sign In to Safe Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Hold your finger to the Turn Off option (or Reboot on new models).
3. You will be asked to switch to Safe Mode – confirm.
4. After the reboot, the inscription Safe Mode will appear in the lower left corner of the screen.

In safe mode:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the problem browser and clear its data (as in Method 2).
3. Restart your phone in normal mode.

Attention! If the browser still doesn't work, there may be a problem with corrupted system files, in which case it will only help to reset the phone to factory settings (but this will delete all data from the device!).

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Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode that helps determine if a problem is caused by a third-party application or a system error. If the browser is running in Safe Mode but not running normally, another application (such as an antivirus or an optimizer) is to blame.

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6. Method 4: Removing browser updates (for system applications)

On Xiaomi, embedded browsers (Mi Browser) can’t be completely removed without root rights, but you can roll them back to the factory version by removing updates.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Mi Browser and tap it.
3. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Remove Updates.
4. Confirm the action.

After that, the browser will return to the version that was installed out of the box, you can update it again via Play Market or GetApps, but if the error repeats, you should opt out of the updates:

1. In the same app menu, tap Disable (if the option is available).
2. Or go to Play Market. → Mi Browser → ⋮ → Turn off auto-update.

For Google Chrome, this method is not suitable, as it is installed as a separate application, and not included in the composition of the app. MIUI.

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7. Additional settings to optimize the browser after reset

After resetting, the browser will run faster, but to avoid repeated problems, set it up correctly:

• 🚀 Turn off autoloading unnecessary tabs: In Chrome: Settings → Site settings → Background synchronization → In Mi Browser: Settings → Additionally. → Preloading pages → Shut down.
• 🛡️ Set up an ad blocker: Mi Browser has a built-in blocker: Settings → Confidentiality → Ad Blocking. For Chrome, install the uBlock Origin extension (available in the Play Market).
• 🔄 Limit the use of data: In Settings → Transfer of data → Save traffic turn on the option for the browser.

It is also recommended that:

• 🔒 Clean the cache regularly (once every 1-2 weeks).
• 📥 Do not save passwords in the browser – use specialized managers (Bitwarden, KeePass).
• 🌐 Check websites for security through transparencyreport.google.com before entering personal data.

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If you use your browser frequently to watch videos, turn off autoplay: in Chrome, this is done in Settings. → Site settings → Sound and video → Auto-reproduction → Locked down.

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8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When you reset your browser to Xiaomi, users often make mistakes that lead to data loss or problems, and here are the most common ones:

• 🗑️ Remove the browser instead of reset. On Xiaomi, system applications (such as Mi Browser) cannot be removed without root rights. ADB or third-party programs can lead to the collapse of the shell MIUI.
• 🔒 Ignoring synchronization. If you don't save your bookmarks and passwords before reset, they'll be hard to restore, especially in the Mi Browser, where synchronization is unstable.

If after reset the browser still works incorrectly, check:

1. Availability of updates for MIUI (Settings → The phone. → Updating the system).
2. Free space on the device (less than 1 GB can cause lags).
3. Settings DNS (Try changing to 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1 in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Settings IP).

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If the browser after reset gives an error ERR_INTERNET_DISCONNECTED, But the Internet is working, the problem is the proxy settings. → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Proxy and turn it off if it's on.

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FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions