RedMi Note 11. Just received it for Christmas and boy was I crying the first time I booted it. 1 Gb of bloatware must most importantly: impossible to uninstall chrome.
That is ok if any other browser can co-exist beside it… Boy was I wrong again. Some links from apps don’t even care about my default browser, they just open chrome cause hell yeah.
This is sickening me, Google is beginning to really disgust me. Someday I’ll root this mf to get rid of ALL the bloatware
You can install custom roms into Xiaomi phones, I recommend LinageOS or /e/OS if you want a degoogled experience. If its not for you, the latter isn’t really user friendly as some google apps like maps wont really work.
You’re not my mom!
(Seriously though, when I get a new phone I basically search for “google” in Universal Android Debloater and uninstall everything that pops up and isn’t in the “unsafe” category.)
You can disable Chrome, but not uninstall it, because Chrome is what backs the modern WebViews used in all kinds of apps.
You can safely uninstall Chrome over adb shell. There’s a specific webview package that takes care of webview (com.google.android.webview), not Chrome.
This might be just your device.
On a stock pixel 8 I’ve removed Google, Chrome, and Chrome webview.
I replaced the latter with Firefox and Firefox webview.
For Google I just use Firefox directly (Ecosia) because the home screen search will break entirely now if you don’t have the Google app.
Nope I’m sure. It is the steam app when I want to access their website and that they redirect me to their app. I’m not logged in but the app offers me to click on a link to open the website and launches chrome.
Same shit with Spotify, cannot use “login with Facebook” in firefox, automatically redirects to chrome although I changed the default browser.
That was a rhetorical question to say that it’s not a big deal when you build your infrastructure around it. The complaint shows a lack of understanding of how these things work.
It’s not a legitimate thing to have if you’re buying into someone else’s ecosystem. It’s a legitimate thing you should be able to have if you go the FOSS route.
I feel that you may not understand how these things work. Chrome and Safari are the basis upon which giant chunks of the OSes operate. If you pull that out, the entire thing collapses. They are required for the device to operate. Your idea only works if you go third party.
These are miui shenanigans. You can disable chrome in settings and set different browsers as default on most other Roms like oneui, stock android, realmeui, etc. Last time I used miui, I decided never again.
I am puzzled by this because I run stock Android (not rooted) and have been using Firefox with chrome completely disabled for months now without issue. This is not a Google issue.
There are settings to ensure that apps, especially Google apps, respect your default browser. I think you have to go into each of the apps settings to make sure it uses the default browser.
Depending on your device, you may also be able to install a different Rom on the device. Check out XDA forums. You’ll have to unlock the bootloader first. You’ll need to download software from Xiaomi to do that.
A different Rom will make the device significantly better.
Graphene only works on certain pixel phones. They have no plans of supporting anything else and expects people to buy a phone to install graphene on, not the other way around
the device support is a security limitation, with pixel phones being one of the only phones that support bootloader locking/unlocking. dont blame GOS, blame hardware manufacturers.
grapheneos is not for everyone, but it is CERTAINLY worth looking into, especially if you already jabe a pixel or are getting a new phone anyway.
any degoogled rom is better than stock android. (im not just here to shill GOS, i simply prefer it)
And OP was very explicit that they didn’t purchase the phone, it was given to them and they have no say on returning or changing it. And given that it is one of the cheap mid tiers Redmi, they don’t sound like they have pixel money. So, good suggestion in any other case, but useless and unactionable here.
If you are using the default OS (MIUI), you can install another browser (from Play Store or F-Droid) and then disable Chrome by adb. Other apps will then be forced to send their links to your new browser.
Xiaomi also allows you to install your own OS and/or root your phone, but that isn’t necessary.
Xiaomi also allows you to install your own OS and/or root your phone
Side note that I can’t recommend a Xiaomi to users who want a custom ROM.
I have a Poco X3 and they gatekeep the bootloader making you create a Mi account, add your phone number to it, download a Windows-only app to unlock it, have an internet connection through US servers (according to reports from other users), and I still wasn’t able to link the device to unlock the bootloader for unknown reasons.
I believe you officially have to create a Mi Account, send a request and wait for seven days. According to friends who did it here (India), the rest is not required.
But also, for many devices, you can do it unofficially. This is what I did.
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Xiaomi/ Redmi is responsible for what you can install and what not.
Their OS is horrible. You can’t even use another launcher. I’d give it back or sell it or install linux if that’s possible
Sadly I’m not in a position where I can sell it back
You can install custom roms into Xiaomi phones, I recommend LinageOS or /e/OS if you want a degoogled experience. If its not for you, the latter isn’t really user friendly as some google apps like maps wont really work.
Unfortunately, not on all Xiaomi phones.
It is still worth a try
Talk to them/ explain the situation
i mean you CAN use another launcher but you can’t use swipe gestures at the same time.
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Weird, I don’t have Chrome on my phone and it works just fine.
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Interesting. It is Graphene, thanks.
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You’re not my mom!
(Seriously though, when I get a new phone I basically search for “google” in Universal Android Debloater and uninstall everything that pops up and isn’t in the “unsafe” category.)
You can safely uninstall Chrome over adb shell. There’s a specific webview package that takes care of webview (
com.google.android.webview), not Chrome.This might be just your device. On a stock pixel 8 I’ve removed Google, Chrome, and Chrome webview.
I replaced the latter with Firefox and Firefox webview. For Google I just use Firefox directly (Ecosia) because the home screen search will break entirely now if you don’t have the Google app.
I don’t think I ever seen an Android app launching Chrome if it’s not a default browser. Are you sure they are not launching built-in WebView?
Nope I’m sure. It is the steam app when I want to access their website and that they redirect me to their app. I’m not logged in but the app offers me to click on a link to open the website and launches chrome.
Same shit with Spotify, cannot use “login with Facebook” in firefox, automatically redirects to chrome although I changed the default browser.
Last time I checked, the Google Home Feed is hard coded to use Chrome webview.
Everyone else still works as expected with chrome though
That’s not Google, that’s Xiaomi, and possibly your cell carrier. Google phones only come with Google bloatware.
One of the first things I do on a new Samsung phone is disable Chrome and install Firefox. You’ve just saved me from ever buying a Redmi.
Just root it it. In waiting to unlock the bootloader, you can disable unwanted apps either via ADB or simply from the application manager.
I don’t understand why this would surprise someone. Are they complaining that Safari is built in to iPhones and can’t be removed?
There are some FOSS phones out there if you want one…
Yes. And so many other things.
That was a rhetorical question to say that it’s not a big deal when you build your infrastructure around it. The complaint shows a lack of understanding of how these things work.
I understand it was supposed to be rhetorical but it failed because it’s a very legitimate thing people should be able to have.
It’s not a legitimate thing to have if you’re buying into someone else’s ecosystem. It’s a legitimate thing you should be able to have if you go the FOSS route.
You should be able to have it regardless of what you buy.
It’s not “legitimate” to suggest otherwise.
I feel that you may not understand how these things work. Chrome and Safari are the basis upon which giant chunks of the OSes operate. If you pull that out, the entire thing collapses. They are required for the device to operate. Your idea only works if you go third party.
gmail wont even work if you disable chrome because of chrome custom tabs which is absurd
These are miui shenanigans. You can disable chrome in settings and set different browsers as default on most other Roms like oneui, stock android, realmeui, etc. Last time I used miui, I decided never again.
I am puzzled by this because I run stock Android (not rooted) and have been using Firefox with chrome completely disabled for months now without issue. This is not a Google issue.
Doesn’t sound like op disable chrome. Kind of a dumb move.
Even if Chrome is not disabled, I have Firefox set as the default browser, and everything opens in it.
I do think there are some web views that use chrome if it’s enabled, but I’m not 100% on that
There are settings to ensure that apps, especially Google apps, respect your default browser. I think you have to go into each of the apps settings to make sure it uses the default browser.
Depending on your device, you may also be able to install a different Rom on the device. Check out XDA forums. You’ll have to unlock the bootloader first. You’ll need to download software from Xiaomi to do that.
A different Rom will make the device significantly better.
obligatory ‘consider grapheneos’
Graphene only works on certain pixel phones. They have no plans of supporting anything else and expects people to buy a phone to install graphene on, not the other way around
thats why i said ‘consider’, not ‘definitely use’
the device support is a security limitation, with pixel phones being one of the only phones that support bootloader locking/unlocking. dont blame GOS, blame hardware manufacturers.
grapheneos is not for everyone, but it is CERTAINLY worth looking into, especially if you already jabe a pixel or are getting a new phone anyway.
any degoogled rom is better than stock android. (im not just here to shill GOS, i simply prefer it)
And OP was very explicit that they didn’t purchase the phone, it was given to them and they have no say on returning or changing it. And given that it is one of the cheap mid tiers Redmi, they don’t sound like they have pixel money. So, good suggestion in any other case, but useless and unactionable here.
The links are your OS 's problem. My pixel lets me use edge as the default just fine.
Same with me for Firefox.
Even the in-app browser defaults to firefox webview
If you are using the default OS (MIUI), you can install another browser (from Play Store or F-Droid) and then disable Chrome by adb. Other apps will then be forced to send their links to your new browser.
Xiaomi also allows you to install your own OS and/or root your phone, but that isn’t necessary.
Side note that I can’t recommend a Xiaomi to users who want a custom ROM.
I have a Poco X3 and they gatekeep the bootloader making you create a Mi account, add your phone number to it, download a Windows-only app to unlock it, have an internet connection through US servers (according to reports from other users), and I still wasn’t able to link the device to unlock the bootloader for unknown reasons.
I just got a Pixel after that.
I believe you officially have to create a Mi Account, send a request and wait for seven days. According to friends who did it here (India), the rest is not required.
But also, for many devices, you can do it unofficially. This is what I did.
yes, that part was failing without an explanation for me and other users.