How to Change Default Apps in MIUI

It’s very exciting to unbox your brand-new phone and start exploring all the apps and features. One of the first things most people do is set up the default settings. Sure, this process is slightly less interesting when you’re doing it after a factory reset. But still, you have the same default app preferences as anyone else.

The Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone users who have MIUI as the operating system can also change the default apps on their phones. Usually, it’s the default browser, gallery app, or the default SMS app that you want to change.

Changing the Default Apps

The system apps you have in your MIUI phone are often fine, or sometimes even more than that. But they still don’t match the standard you expect from them. Or they’re certainly not what you’re used to. It’s possible that there are several apps you’ve been using on all of your smartphones over the years and you’re not interested in changing that.

Let’s say that your preferred Internet browser is Google Chrome. Understandable, as it’s considered one of the best and fastest browsers available. And you have Chrome installed in your MIUI phone, so that should be enough, right? Not exactly.

Unless Chrome is set as your default browser, every time you click on a link on a website or in a messaging app, the MIUI system browser will open. Here’s what you need to do to change that:

1. Grab your Xiaomi phone and open Settings.
2. Under “App Settings” select “Installed apps”.
3. In the top right corner select Menu (three vertical dots).
4. Select “Default apps”.
5. You’ll see the list of options. Select “Browser”.
6. You’ll be directed to another screen where the list of all system and downloaded browsers on your phone will appear.
7. Select Chrome or any other browser you want. And then exit Settings.
8. To confirm that your browser of choice is set, click on any link and see if it opens what now should be the default browser.

You can always go back and change the default browser as many times as you want. In fact, changing the browser is probably one of the first and most common things MIUI users change. But you can also follow the same steps to change the default messaging app, gallery app, music app, and email client.

Another Way to Do It

Setting the default apps on MIUI only consists of a few taps on the screen and that’s that. Once it’s done, you don’t have to worry about the system apps getting in the way. But sometimes you might want to have more options and not stick to one default app. Sure, you might end up using the same app over and over, but you don’t want to commit to it.

Alternatively, there might be some types of images and videos that you prefer to open in a different app. When this is the case, what you want to be asked is which app to use when performing an action. This can be beneficial when you’re not sure which app you want to set as default. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Go to MIUI Settings and then “Installed apps”.
2. Select the app you want to change and scroll all the way down.
3. You will see the “Clear defaults” option.

Now, instead of going back to set a different default app, you just leave it like that. Next time when you tap on the app on your screen, you’ll be asked which of the apps in your MIUI phone you want to use to complete the desired action. When you’re sure of the one you want, just check “Remember my choice” that will appear on the same screen.

Changing the Default Launcher

Using a third-party launcher has become very common. And when you’re certain that you want your MIUI smartphone running on Nova Launcher, for example, you have to make sure that it’s set as the default launcher. There are two ways you can do this. The first one is to follow the same steps, changing all the other apps by going to Settings>Installed apps>Launcher.

But you can also approach this differently. After you download and install the launcher of your choice, go to “Home screen & Recents” and select “Default Launcher” and then tap on the launcher that you’ve downloaded. And now instead of the MIUI system launcher, you’ll have as the default launcher the one that you’ve installed.

Brining Your Defaults to MIUI

The default apps that aren’t of your choice can feel strange and awkward. Sure, you can figure them out and use them if you have to, but why would you? All of these settings are easy to go through and important because who has the time to go through apps that don’t feel familiar or intuitive?

Which default apps do you use on your mobile devices? How do MIUI system apps compare to the ones you prefer? Let us know in the comments section below.