Owners of Xiaomi smartphones often face intrusive behavior of the proprietary shell MIUI. After buying a new device or updating the system, users notice that all links from messengers and applications open in their own browser from the manufacturer, which is not always convenient. This is annoying, especially if you are used to the functionality of Google Chrome, Yandex Browser or Opera. Fortunately, the Android operating system provides the ability to choose a priority application for processing web links.
The change of settings doesn't require superuser rights or complicated flashing. However, in the latest versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14, the menu algorithms may have changed, which confuses inexperienced users. We'll look at the current customization methods that will help you regain the comfort of using the Internet, you no longer have to choose between opening a link or putting up with unnecessary advertising.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the path to settings, how to reset the wrong settings, and how to solve the typical problems when the system ignores your choices. Understanding the logic of how Android works will allow you to have complete control over your device. Let's figure out how to make your smartphone as convenient as possible for you.
Why Xiaomi’s system imposes its browser
Xiaomi is actively developing its own services, trying to keep the user inside the ecosystem. Mi Browser is one of the key elements of this strategy, as it generates traffic and displays ads. That is why, after a reset or first turn on, the phone automatically marks it as the default app, a standard practice for many Chinese electronics manufacturers.
MIUI also has deep system integrations with its own browser, such as the Widget Ribbon feature (also known as Glance or Mi Vision) often uses the app’s engine to preview news, and users may notice that even with Chrome installed, some system queries are still redirected to the company’s native product.
⚠️ Note: In some regions, Mi Browser firmware may collect more user activity data than alternative solutions. If privacy is important to you, replacing the standard application with a more secure one is a smart move.
Sometimes things get worse because the update resets user preferences. You could have previously chosen Firefox, but after you arrived.OTA-Updating to Android 13 or Android 14, settings are back to factory settings. Understanding the reason for the system's behavior helps to make it easier to perceive the need for periodic setting checks.
Preparing for changing the browser on the device
Before you go to settings, make sure that the alternative app is already installed on your smartphone. Android system settings will not allow you to choose a browser that is physically absent from the device memory. Go to Google Play Market or GetApps and download your preferred program.
Once installed, it is recommended to launch a new application at least once, so that the operating system registers it as a full-fledged tool for working with web content. Often, when you first start Yandex or Chrome, you themselves offer to become the main browser, but in a MIUI environment, this proposal can be ignored without manual confirmation in the settings.
- 📲 Make sure you have the latest version of your desired browser installed from the official store.
- 🔋 Check the battery power so that the phone does not turn off during the process of changing system parameters.
- 🔒 If you have Do Not Disturb mode enabled or severe background activity restrictions, temporarily turn them off for the new app.
Also, on HyperOS smartphones, the menu structure may be slightly different from the classic MIUI. However, the basic principles of working with applications remain unchanged. Having a stable Internet connection at the time of setting up will help the system quickly load up current security protocols.
☑️ Ready to set up
The main way to change through system settings
The most reliable method of changing a priority app is in the deep settings menu. The path may vary depending on the Android version, but the logic remains the same. You need to find the section responsible for managing all installed programs, usually called Apps or All Apps.
Inside this section, look for App Management. This is where all the technical settings are hidden. Scroll down to the Default Apps block. In some versions of MIUI, this item may be immediately in the main settings menu if you use the Advanced Display Mode.
Find the "Browser" line. The default one is the name of the current app, most likely Mi Browser. Click on this line. A pop-up will open with a list of all the browsers that the system recognizes as suitable for opening links. Choose the option you want, such as Chrome.
Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three Points (Menu) → Default Applications → BrowserOnce selected, the system will immediately apply the changes, and any link you click on in Telegram, Viber or email will automatically trigger the program you choose, and if the list is empty, the alternative application has not been properly installed or hidden by the security system.
Alternative method by opening a link
There's a faster, but less obvious way to change your browser that works through an action trigger, which is especially useful if you don't want to wander through a complex settings menu. The point is to force the system to ask you about your preferences forcibly.
To do this, look for a link to the site in any messenger or notes. Click on it. If you already have a default browser, the link will just open in it. At this point, you need to act quickly. Go to the settings of this current browser and find the "Open by default" option.
Inside this menu, click on either Remove Default Settings or Reset Preferences. Then go back to the messenger and click on the link again. Android will detect no choice and will give you a window asking "What to open?" Here you can select a new app and click "Always".
| Action. | The result | Necessary rights |
|---|---|---|
| Reset via Settings | Global Shift for All Links | User |
| Resetting through the Annex | Reset only for a specific browser | User |
| Removal of updates | Return to the factory version | Administrator |
⚠️ Warning: When using the selection window reset method, be careful. Don't accidentally click "Just now" or the system will only remember the selection for one session and the question will repeat the next click.
Configuring browsers based on Chromium
Most modern browsers, including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Yandex, are built on the Chromium engine, and they have similar configuration structures that make them easier to configure once installed as the main browser, but each has its own features of integration with the system.
Google Chrome recommends that you go to the settings and enable sync as your primary install, ensuring that your passwords and history are available on all devices, and checking the Privacy and Security section is also worth checking, as standard MIUI settings can aggressively unload an application from memory.
Users of Yandex Browser often appreciate it for its built-in turbo mode and fraud protection. When switching to it, make sure that work is allowed in the background. Otherwise, notifications from sites may not come if the application is closed by the energy saving system.
What if the browser you want isn’t on the list?
For privacy enthusiasts, Firefox or DuckDuckGo are a great choice, less integrated into advertising ecosystems and offer enhanced tracking blocking capabilities, and installing such browsers on Xiaomi often requires permission to create shortcuts, as the system can block interface launchers unknown to it.
Problem Solving and Typical Errors
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the settings are reset by themselves or the system ignores the choice, which can be caused by aggressive battery optimization, characteristic of MIUI. The system “kills” the background processes, believing them to be unnecessary, which leads to a reset of priorities.
To avoid this, find your new browser in the application list, go to Energy Saving and select No Limits mode. Also enable auto-start, which will give the application the necessary rights to run smoothly as the main tool for navigating the network.
- 🔄 Check for updates for the shell MIUI or HyperOS, as new patches often fix link processing bugs.
- 🗑️ Try removing the Mi Browser updates to the factory version to eliminate version conflicts.
- 🔍 Make sure that the Security app does not include hard filters for web content.
If nothing works, you can use the hidden test menu, enter the code ##4636## in the call, select Use, and see the app launch statistics, which will help you understand which app is intercepting the link at a particular time.
💡
Use Xiaomi’s Security app to check permissions, sometimes prohibiting third-party browsers from opening links, which is more important than Android’s system settings.
The influence of Android and HyperOS versions
With the release of Android 13 and Android 14, Google has tightened the default application requirements. Now the choice must be made explicitly by the user, and apps cannot silently capture this status. On Xiaomi smartphones with the new HyperOS shell, this process has become even more transparent.
Owners of older Android 10 or Android 11 devices may notice that some system widgets still open in the built-in browser, a limitation of the operating system version itself that is difficult to get around without root rights, but for 95% of user scenarios, a standard change of settings is enough.
It is important to understand the difference between a “default browser” and a “WebView engine.” Android System WebView is a component that allows you to open web pages inside apps (such as Instagram or Facebook) without running a separate browser.
💡
Changing the browser by default does not remove Mi Browser from the system, but only changes the priority of link processing. ADB root-right.
Regular updates to the system components ensure compatibility with modern web standards. If you notice that sites are not displayed correctly after changing your browser, check the version of WebView in the Play Market store. Often the problem lies in the outdated system component, not in the browser itself.