With smartphones storing vast amounts of personal information, from bank transactions to instant messaging, privacy is becoming a critical issue for device owners. If you own the popular Redmi 8 Pro, which runs on the MIUI shell, you may have had to remove certain icons from your desktop from prying eyes, which may be due to a desire to hide financial apps, personal photo albums, or just games that shouldn’t be a horn to your colleagues or children.
Fortunately, Xiaomi has provided multiple layers of data protection, ranging from basic shortcuts to full-fledged, isolated spaces. Unlike standard Android versions, MIUI offers unique tools that allow you to not just move an application, but completely anonymize its presence in the system for the average user. Understanding these mechanisms will help you effectively manage access to your data without having to install complex third-party programs.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to hide applications on Redmi 8 Pro, including standard security features and proven third-party solutions. We will look at the nuances of working with guest mode, create secure folders and learn how to mask icons so that only those who know the secret code or biometric key can find them.
Use of the built-in function Hidden applications
The easiest and most reliable way to remove programs from public access is to use the native MIUI feature called Hidden Applications, which requires no additional software installation and works at the system level, providing basic protection from random gaze, and to activate this option, you need to go to the security settings, where you have a control center for all system constraints.
The setup process takes only a couple of minutes, but requires a certain sequence of actions in the phone menu. First, open the Security app (green icon with lightning), which is preinstalled on each Xiaomi device. In the menu that opens, scroll down to the Hidden Apps section and click on it. The system will prompt you to set a password or use a fingerprint to access this section, which is a mandatory security requirement.
Once you set the password, you'll be asked to select the apps you want to hide. Just switch the slider opposite the program you want to use to the active position. Now the icon of this application will disappear from the desktop and from the menu of all programs. To return the hidden application back, you just need to turn off the slider in the same Security menu.
⚠️ Note: Once the app is hidden, its icon disappears completely. To access it, you must enter a special code in the Themes app or use previously configured access via a fingerprint in the security section.
Importantly, hidden apps continue to run in the background and can send notifications if not disabled separately, meaning that while the programs are not visible visually, their activity is maintained in the system, which can be important for instant messengers or email clients.
Set up the Second Space for Total Insulation
A more advanced method that MIUI offers is the Second Space feature, which is not just hiding shortcuts, but creating a full-fledged second operating system inside your Redmi 8 Pro. In this space, you can install separate copies of applications, create new accounts, and store files that are completely independent of your main profile.
Switching between the main and second spaces is instantaneous and can be configured via a special shortcut on the lock screen or by entering a specific password when unlocking your phone. If you enter the primary password, your personal profile opens, and if you enter the second space password, the phone unlocks immediately in hidden mode.
To activate this function, follow the following steps:
- 🔐 Go to your smartphone settings and find the item "Second Space".
- 📲 Click the "Enable Second Space" button and follow the instructions of the setup wizard.
- 🖼️ Select wallpaper and set up a password or fingerprint specifically for this profile.
- 📥 Install the necessary apps again inside the new space through Google Play.
The main advantage of this method is that it's completely isolated, because the applications that are installed in the second space are not visible in the first space, and vice versa, and you can safely hand over your phone to someone for a call or a game, knowing that personal photos or correspondence from the second profile are not available.
Can data be transferred between spaces?
Creating a secure folder through the Explorer application
If your goal is to hide not the applications themselves, but the files they use (for example, photos from a gallery or documents), then the best solution is to use the Hidden Files function in the standard MIUI Explorer.
To use this feature, open the File Manager app. At the top of the screen, find the Folders tab and scroll to the bottom, where you will see the Hidden Files option. When you first log in, the system will ask you to ask for a password and a check question to restore access.
Once you create a hidden folder, you can move any files there, and in the future, you'll need to open the explorer again, go to hidden files, and enter a password, and the files in that folder won't show up in the gallery or other applications while they're in secure storage.
| Type of data | Coverage method | Level of protection | Difficulty setting up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application labels | Hidden applications function | Medium. | Low. |
| Whole profiles | Second space | High-pitched | Medium |
| Photos and documents | Hidden folder in the Explorer | High-pitched | Low. |
| Individual photos | Hidden album at the Gallery | Medium. | Low. |
Using hidden folders is especially important for storing scans of documents, personal videos or financial statements. Even if someone accesses your unlocked phone, without knowing the password to the hidden folder, they will not be able to view the contents of this container.
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Use different passwords to log in to your phone and to access hidden folders, which will create an additional layer of security in case the underlying code is compromised.
Use of third-party launchers for disguise
The regular MIUI tools are good, but they have limitations. For example, hidden apps can still be found through search or settings. For users who want maximum privacy, installing a third-party launcher (desktop shell) is a great solution. Programs like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher allow you to hide apps from menus and even change their icons to neutral ones.
Installing the launcher changes the look of the interface, making it more flexible. Once you install the new launcher, you get access to advanced display settings. In most cases, the application hide feature is built into the application menu settings of the launcher itself.
Let’s consider the algorithm of actions on the example of a popular launcher:
- 📥 Download and install the selected launcher from the Google Play Store.
- ⚙️ Open the launcher settings (usually with a long tap on an empty space or through the settings icon).
- 👁️ Find the Hide Apps section and select the masking software.
- 🎨 You can also change the hidden app icon to a transparent or neutral image.
The thing about this method is that it hides the app only visually from the menu, and if you type the exact name of the app into Android search, it can still be found, so it's more suitable for aesthetically organizing the desktop and protecting against random access than targeted search.
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Third-party launchers offer maximum flexibility in design, but require more battery resources and may conflict with some MIUI system gestures.
Use of the Guest mode for temporary access
When you need to give another person a phone to call or view a card, but you don't want them to see your notifications or apps, Guest mode is ideal. Unlike Second Space, which is a permanent profile, Guest is a temporary environment that is completely cleared after the session is over.
Activate guest mode on Redmi 8 Pro via the notification curtain. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the Quick Access bar, and find the user profile icon (usually looks like a human silhouette). Click on it and select "Guest." The phone will switch to a clean interface without your apps, contacts, or browser history.
In guest mode, the user can only use basic phone features and apps that were allowed for guest access. All actions performed in this mode are not stored after leaving it, this ensures that no temporary files or visit history remain in the device's memory.
⚠️ Warning: Before transferring your phone in guest mode, make sure all important notifications from the home screen are hidden, as the guest may see pop-up messages if the phone is unlocked.
This method is especially useful in situations where the phone needs to be given to a child for play or a colleague for an urgent call, and you can be sure that they won’t be able to accidentally delete important files or access your social networks.