In the digital age, the smartphone has become a storehouse of our privacy, and privacy is a priority. Often times, it is necessary to hide a particular program from prying eyes, whether it is curious friends, colleagues or children. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices have the advantage of having the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer built-in tools to solve this problem without installing dubious software.
There are several ways to hide an application on Xiaomi, each with its own security and usability features. Some methods simply remove the icon from the desktop, leaving the program searchable, while others create a completely isolated space with a separate password. The choice of the specific method depends on how much protection you plan to provide.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to hide applications, from standard system functions to creating a second space, learn how to properly configure access, what restrictions exist in different versions of firmware, and how to avoid common errors that can lead to data leakage.
Built-in application hiding function in MIUI and HyperOS
The easiest and fastest way to hide an app on Xiaomi is to use the native system function. Xiaomi developers have implemented this tool directly into the launcher, which allows you to hide icons without having to download additional programs. However, it is worth considering that the location of the settings may vary slightly in different versions of the shell, and in some regions the function may not be available by default.
To activate the Hidden mode, you need to follow a sequence of actions in the launcher settings menu. Usually the path is as follows: go to Settings, select the App, then find the Hidden Applications section. If you use older versions of MIUI, the option can be right in the desktop settings when you compress your fingers (pinch) on the home screen.
Once the function is enabled, the system will prompt you to select programs that you want to hide. It is important to understand that once this mode is activated, the icons will disappear from the desktop and from the menu of all applications, but the programs themselves will remain installed and will consume the device resources in the background.
- 🔒 Privacy: Hidden apps don’t appear in the list of recent tasks unless they are currently running.
- 📱 Access: Opening hidden apps often requires you to enter a special code or fingerprint if this option has been configured.
- ⚙️ Integration: The function works at the system level, which provides better stability compared to third-party counterparts.
⚠️ Warning: Hiding an icon does not mean full encryption of data inside the application.If an attacker has physical access to an unlocked phone, they can find the program through settings or search.
Use Second Space Mode for Total Insulation
If standard icon hiding isn’t enough and you want the most privacy, the ideal solution is Second Space, which creates a second, fully independent user profile on your smartphone, and all the data, apps installed and accounts in that space are separated from the main profile, making them invisible to anyone who only has access to your main screen.
Switching between spaces is instantaneous and can be configured through different fingerprints, such as unlocking the right thumb opens the main profile, and the left finger triggers hidden space, and this is one of the most reliable ways to hide an application on Xiaomi, because without knowing a special password or a biometric key, you can't enter an isolated environment.
To set up Second Space, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Second Space. The system will prompt you to create a new profile, set up wallpaper and set a password. Once created, you will be taken to a clean environment where you can install any apps from Google Play or GetApps and they will not appear in the first space.
☑️ Second Space setup
Also, notifications from a hidden profile won’t come while you’re in the main profile unless special exceptions are set up.
Creating secure folders and using guest mode
An alternative to a full second profile might be to use guest mode or create secure folders if your version of MIUI supports such extensions. Guest mode allows you to temporarily restrict access to your phone by hiding personal apps and files from the person you gave the device to call or play with.
Some versions of the shell offer an additional protection feature called App folder, and although standard desktop folders only group icons, there are dedicated launchers or system plugins that allow you to set a password to open a specific folder, a convenient trade-off between full concealment and quick access.
Guest mode is activated via the notification panel or Settings menu → About Phone → Guest mode. In this mode, the user sees only the basic set of applications (calls, messages, browser) and does not have access to your personal data, gallery or instant messengers.
- 👤 Guest profile: Perfect for temporarily transferring your phone to another person.
- 📂 Grouping: Allows you to keep rarely used but important applications in one place.
- 🛡️ Lock: Separate protection for folders requires input PIN-code at each opening.
It is worth noting that the guest mode is not intended for permanent use, since all data in it can be deleted when switching to the main profile, if saving is not configured.
What is the difference between the guest mode and the second space?
Third-party launchers and container applications
When built-in tools aren’t enough or the MIUI interface seems too complex, third-party solutions come to the rescue. Launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or specialized shells like Apex Launcher allow you to hide application icons from the menu, making them available only through search or special gestures.
But a more reliable way to use third-party software is through container applications like Parallel Space or App Hider, which create a virtual environment inside you where you clone the application you want, the original is deleted or hidden, and access to the clone is only through a password-protected master application.
When choosing a third-party solution, pay attention to the permissions that the program requests. Container applications often require extensive access rights, which in theory can reduce the overall security of the device.
| Method | Level of protection | Impact on the battery | Difficulty setting up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiding at MIUI | Low. | Minimum | Low. |
| Second Space | High-pitched | Average. | Medium |
| App Hider (Clone) | Medium. | High. | Low. |
| Third-party launcher | Low. | Depends on the launcher. | Tall. |
The use of application clones also leads to increased battery consumption, since the system is forced to maintain the operation of two instances of the same process at the same time.
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If you use app cloning, clean the master app cache regularly to avoid slowing down the system and saving battery life.
Limitations and nuances of hidden applications
Despite the convenience of hiding features, Xiaomi users should be aware of a number of technical limitations: Hidden apps continue to receive updates if auto-update is enabled, and can consume Internet traffic in the background.
Another important nuance is notifications: In most cases, when an application is hidden by standard system tools, notifications from it stop appearing in the curtain to prevent the presence of the program from appearing, and you will have to open the application itself every time you read the message.
There are also compatibility issues with some banking applications and services that use Google SafetyNet, which can only work properly on the main profile, and in Second Space or inside containers refuse to run for security reasons.
⚠️ Note: When you reset your phone to the factory settings (Hard Reset), all data in the second space and hidden applications will be irretrievably deleted along with the main data.
Some users are faced with the fact that after updating the firmware, the hidden settings may get lost, and the applications will be visible again, so it is recommended to periodically check the privacy status after major updates to MIUI or HyperOS.
Restoring access and managing hidden content
If you forget how you hid the app, or you lose access to a second space, recovery can be a problem. The built-in concealment feature in MIUI often uses a keyboard combination or a special password in the search box. If the password is lost, the only way to regain access may be to completely reset the launcher or phone settings.
To manage hidden applications, you need to go back to the menu where they were installed to hide, where you can uncheck the selected programs, and they will instantly return to the desktop. In the case of Second Space, you can switch to the main profile through settings or a special shortcut on the hidden space desktop.
Always keep a backup of important data, even if it is in a “secret” storage. Use cloud services Mi Cloud or Google Drive to synchronize contacts and photos, so that in case of loss of access to the device, you do not lose important information.
- 🔄 Reset: Removal of Hiding is available in the same menu where activation was performed.
- 🔑 Password: Forgotten password from Second Space is often impossible to recover without deleting data.
- ☁️ Backup: Regularly save data from hidden profiles to external storage.
Access management is a balance between convenience and security: the harder it is to access your data, the greater the protection, but the more action is required for everyday use.
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Second Space provides the highest level of data isolation on Xiaomi devices, effectively creating two separate phones in the same case.