Table of contents:
- Download images and videos from Instagram and Facebook
- Download WhatsApp statuses
- Hide files in a private folder in the browser
- Set any image as wallpaper
- View YouTube and Facebook feed from the main page
- Customize reading mode
- Manage Facebook notifications
- Save a web page as a screenshot
- Ad and pop-up blocker
- Remove recommendations and customize the way of navigation
- And what about the data that Xiaomi collects through the browser?
What is your favorite mobile browser? Google Chrome? Opera? Or maybe you prefer the web browser that comes pre-installed with the device. Although at first glance it does not seem the best choice, if you have a Xiaomi mobile you are in luck, because its browser has many functions that you can use to personalize your navigation on the web.
In addition to the popular options that we find in most web browsers, it has a series of secret functions that will facilitate interaction with the websites you visit and some of your favorite social networks. Take a look at this series of secret tricks to take advantage of the full potential of Xiaomi's browser
Download images and videos from Instagram and Facebook
Do you use any trick or third-party app to download images and videos from Facebook and Instagram? You will not need them if you use the Xiaomi browser.
You only need to log into your Facebook or Instagram account in the browser to see the option that allows you to download content. As you can see in the image, in each publication that blue date appears that allows you to download whatever you want:
It works with both images and videos that are shared in the posts. If the publication has a photo gallery, make sure that the image you want to download is the one that is displayed when you press the blue date.
All the Facebook and Instagram content that you download can be managed from the same browser. You can share it, change the name, move it to a private folder, among other actions.
Download WhatsApp statuses
This is a curious function of the browser, but it can become your favorite tool. You can download the images and videos of the WhatsApp status with a few simple clicks.
The dynamics is simple. You just have to select the WhatsApp icon (which you see in the first image) to take you to the "WhatsApp status capture" section within the browser. There you will find the option "Check WhatsApp statuses" that will direct you directly to your account to follow the steps you see in the second image.
Two details to keep in mind about this function. First, the browser takes advantage of WhatsApp's temporary file dynamics, so make sure you download the content you want within that time frame. And second, this function appears in the browser only if you have the WhatsApp app installed on your mobile.
Hide files in a private folder in the browser
Xiaomi's browser allows you to manage all the multimedia content that we have on the device, be it music, videos or images. And it also allows you to hide the content that you want to protect from prying eyes in a private folder. It is as if we have a hidden gallery inside the browser.
To do this, you just have to choose the content you want to hide and select the option "Move to a private folder". The first time you perform this action, it will ask you to establish an unlock pattern so that only you can access this private space.
When you want to see all the hidden content, you just have to go to the download section of the browser and choose the folder icon with a padlock. Repeat the established pattern and voila.
Set any image as wallpaper
This is a little trick that will save you a few clicks. If you are browsing the web and find an image that you would like to try as a wallpaper, you will no longer need to go through the typical process of downloading it and then selecting it from the Gallery. You can perform all these steps with a single click from the browser.
You just have to click on the image you like to bring up the menu with options, and choose "Set as wallpaper". You will see that the image is automatically applied to the Home Screen.
View YouTube and Facebook feed from the main page
If you do not want to install YouTube or Facebook apps on your device but you do not want to miss the news, you can take advantage of this function of the Xiaomi browser. View Facebook and YouTube feeds in the lower section of the main page.
This process consists of a few steps. And once you configure it, you will see that every time you open the browser you will be able to scroll through your Facebook posts or your YouTube subscriptions.
To do this, you just have to make sure that you have the "New content" tab activated and that Facebook and YouTube are among the channels that are shown on the browser's home page, as you see in the first image.
Then you just have to log in with your YouTube and Facebook account and you have the whole process configured. Now you can scroll through the tabs to view YouTube feeds or subscriptions directly from your browser.
Customize reading mode
The Xiaomi browser has a Reading mode that allows you to enjoy the content without advertising and customize some aspects of the text.
Every time you open a web page in your browser you will see a book icon in the navigation bar. You just have to select it and you will enter Reading mode. Although the browser has a default theme, you can change it and customize it to your liking.
For example, you can try different themes (choose a dark background, gray, green, etc.), increase the font size, apply Night Mode or change the display to horizontal screen. You will find all these options in the lower menu of the browser.
Manage Facebook notifications
We saw that the browser allows you to view the Facebook feed and also download images and videos of the publications. But they are not the only functions dedicated to Facebook.
It also has a secret option that allows you to manage Facebook notifications from the mobile notification bar. Once you activate this option, a Facebook bar will be added in the notification section, as you can see in the image:
To enable this option, you have to go to the Settings section of the browser and scroll to “Facebook Notifications”. And then it remains to log in with your Facebook account from the browser to see notifications and other options.
Save a web page as a screenshot
Most browsers allow us to save a web page for offline viewing. Xiaomi's browser also has this option, but it adds a plus. Allow us to save a web page as a screenshot.
To do this, you only need to open the web page and from the top menu select Save page >> Save as screenshot. When it is ready, a notification will appear for you to open or edit the image with any photo or file application that you have installed on your mobile.
Ad and pop-up blocker
To ensure that website pop-ups and ads do not affect your browsing experience, the browser allows you to activate the ad and pop-up blocker.
You just have to go to Settings >> Other >> Advanced, and select these options: Ad blocker, Ad blocking notifications and Block pop-ups. And if you want to get rid of all the ads, then also disable the "Show ads" option. When you enter a website you will see a message in the navigation bar with the number of ads that have been blocked.
Remove recommendations and customize the way of navigation
You already know that MIUI has recommendations almost in every section of the device. And the browser is no exception, but you can remove it. If you are not interested in viewing content from YouTube, Facebook and Microsoft News on the main page, you can disable it from the "New content" or "Recommended for you" option.
When we surf the web from the mobile we do not always apply the same dynamics. For example, if we are using the data we will need to reduce consumption, or if we want to have extra privacy, we may opt for incognito mode. And of course, the typical Dark Mode if we want to rest our eyes a bit.
All these options are available in the Xiaomi browser in the top menu. You don't need to go to Settings or scroll through other sections to activate them. Just open the menu, without leaving the web page, and you will see the switch to activate the options you need to customize the dynamics of the browser.
And what about the data that Xiaomi collects through the browser?
Perhaps you have read a report in recent days that mentions that Xiaomi native browsers collect data even when browsing in Incognito Mode.
Xiaomi has already given explanations on this issue, and has also updated the browser with an option that allows disabling any type of data collection when using Incognito Mode. To use incognito mode without sending data then just activate the first option, and deactivate the second.
If you use the improved incognito mode you are giving permission for Xiaomi to collect certain data from your browsing.
Once you check this option, it will be saved in the browser settings to apply it every time you use incognito mode.
As you can see, the Xiaomi browser is a whole box of surprises, you just have to combine all the options to create your own tricks and customize your browsing mode. One detail to keep in mind is that all these functions are available in the latest version of the browser. So if you can't find some of the options, take a look at System App Updater to check if you have any pending updates.
