How to install another player in the Xiaomi gallery instead of the standard: all working methods

The standard player in the Xiaomi gallery on MIUI is often criticized for its limited functionality: lack of support for rare formats, weak editing tools and advertising inserts. Many users of Redmi, POCO or Mi want to replace it with VLC, MX Player or even Google Photos, but face the problem: the system by default opens media files through the built-in application. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to force the player change in the Xiaomi gallery, including hidden settings of MIUI and bypassing the manufacturer’s restrictions.

It is important to understand that Xiaomi artificially blocks the selection of alternative players for some formats (such as.mov or.mkv) through the standard Open with Help menu. However, there are workarounds – from editing manifest file to using it. ADB-We tested all the methods on the MIUI 14/15 (including global and Chinese versions) and selected only those that work in the 2026 year.

Why Xiaomi is blocking the player change in the gallery?

The built-in com.miui.gallery application in MIUI is closely related to system processes: it is responsible not only for viewing photos / videos, but also for:

• 🔍 Indexing Media Files for Quick Search
• 📁 Album and cloud storage management Mi Cloud
• 🎨 The processing of live photos (Motion Photos)
• 🔒 Encrypting private albums

That is why the system resists replacement: when you remove or disable the standard gallery, you can stop working:

• 📸 Double-press function to start the camera
• 🔄 Automatic sorting of photos by date/place
• 📱 Gestures in the interface MIUI (For example, swipe down for quick access)

However, you don't have to delete the gallery completely, you just need to reassign the file handler. Next, let's look at all the working methods, starting with the simplest ones.

Method 1: Setup "Open with" (works for some formats)

The most obvious method is to use the standard Android menu, but it doesn’t work for all formats: Xiaomi blocks the choice of alternative players for.mp4,.mov and.mkv through this interface.

1. Open the gallery and find the video file.
2. Press and hold the file → select More Details (three dots).
3. Tap Open with → select the right player (for example, VLC).
4. Check the box and confirm it.

⚠️ Note: If the player you want isn't listed, it's not registered as a video processor:

• 📥 Reinstall the player (for example, MX Player from the official website).
• 🔄 Restart the device – sometimes it helps to reset the app cache.
• 🛠️ Check the player settings: in VLC you need to enable the option to Install as the default player in the application settings.

Method 2: Using a file manager (bypassing MIUI restrictions)

If the standard method didn’t work, try opening a file through a file manager (such as Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer), which often works for formats locked in the gallery:

1. Open the files (or any other manager)
2. Go to the DCIM or Downloads folder where the video is stored.
3. Press the file. → Open with help.
4. Choose the right player and check the box Always.

🔹 Why does it work? File managers use a different Intent caller in Android that doesn't lock MIUI. But there's a nuance:

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI To avoid this, fix the player selection through Settings. → Annexes → By default. → Video Player (if there is such a item in your version).

If the player you want isn’t on the list, go to the next one, and it works 90% of the time.

Method 3: Editing the manifest file (for advanced users)

This method requires root rights or ADB, but it gives you 100% results, and we're going to edit the AndroidManifest.xml file of the standard gallery to disable its priority when you open a video.

📌 Preparation:

• 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times).
• 🖥️ Install Android SDK Platform Tools on PC.
• 🔌 Connect your phone to your computer and confirm the debugging.

🛠️ Instructions:

1. Open the command line in the adb folder and execute: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.gallery/.video.VideoPlayerActivity
2. Reboot the phone.
3. Now, when opening the video, the system will suggest choosing a player.

⚠️ Warning: This command doesn't delete the gallery, it just blocks the player. All gallery functions (view photos, albums) will remain operational:

adb shell


pm enable com.miui.gallery/.video.VideoPlayerActivity

Method 4: Use the Default Settings app (hidden MIUI function)

MIUI has a hidden menu for resetting application settings by default, which is not displayed in the standard interface, but is available through code entry:

1. Open the phone (calling) application.
2. Enter the code ##6484## (or ##MIUI### on new versions).
3. Select Default App Settings (Default App Settings).
4. Find the Video Player section and reset the current selection.

Then, when you open the video next time, the system will suggest you choose a player, and this method works on:

🔹 Alternative path: If the code didn't work, try searching for this menu by settings (lap in the upper right corner of Settings".

💡

If the playeragain is not offered after resetting, clear the gallery cache: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery → Storage → Clear the cache.

Method 5: Installation of an alternative gallery (radical solution)

If all previous methods have failed, it remains to replace the standard gallery with a third-party one.

• 📁 Google Photos – full cloud sync, but no Motion Photos support.
• 🎨 Simple Gallery – lightweight, no ads, open source.
• 🔍 Aves – advanced tools for managing the media library.
• 📸 QuickPic – classic version with support for all formats.

🛠️ How to install:

1. Download APK galleries (e.g. Simple Gallery).
2. Open the file through any manager (not through the gallery!).
3. When requesting, select Install and allow access to files.
4. In the new gallery settings, turn off the option to Show in standard apps (if any).

⚠️ Note: After installing an alternative gallery:

• 🔄 Do not delete the standard gallery – it can break system features (e.g. screenshots).
• 📁 Transfer important photos from the folder DCIM/.thumbnails — Some galleries don't see her.
• 🔒 Set up permissions for the new gallery in Settings → Confidentiality → Application authorizations.

💡

Alternative galleries do not support encrypted MIUI albums (e.g., "Private Files"). Move them to a regular storage facility before you switch.

Solving problems after changing the player

Even after a successful player replacement, you may encounter bugs, and here are the most common problems and solutions:

🔧 Universal Fix: If after changing the player there are lags or errors, follow the:

1. Phone reboot.
2. Clean the cache in Settings → Storage → Clean.
3. Resetting application settings in Settings → Annexes → Application management → ⋮ → Reset the settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing players in Xiaomi