A modern smartphone stores a huge amount of personal information, access to which sometimes requires restriction. Owners of Xiaomi devices often wonder how to effectively mask certain programs from prying eyes. MIUI 13 offers built-in tools to solve this problem without installing third-party software.
Icon hiding is not only useful for privacy, but also for the organization of the workspace, so you can remove rarely used system utilities or applications that should not be in the sight of children, which increases the overall level of digital hygiene of your device.
In this guide, we will discuss the usual methods of hiding, the features of incognito mode and additional security measures. You will learn to configure access to content so that it remains accessible only to you.
Integrated privacy tools MIUI 13
The MIUI 13 shell is based on the principles of deep integration of security functions. The system provides a native concealment mechanism that operates at the launcher level, which means that the application icon simply ceases to appear in the menu and on the desktop, although the program itself continues to function in the background.
The activation of this feature does not require superuser rights or complex manipulation of ADB. All the necessary settings are in the standard Security menu. This application is system and preinstalled on every Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO device.
It's important to understand that hiding through a standard interface doesn't encrypt data inside an application. If an attacker gains access to a phone, they can run the program through a list of all applications or settings, so this method should be considered a visual cleanup method, not a full-fledged encryption tool.
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Use icon hiding in combination with app locking for maximum protection.Cloaking alone is not enough if the device is unlocked.
The mechanism of operation is based on redirecting shortcuts. When you hide an object, the system removes its visual representation from the launcher. However, the process remains active, and notifications can continue to come unless the appropriate restrictions are configured. The flexibility of the system allows you to control the visibility of each element separately.
Step-by-step: how to hide the icons of applications
The setup process takes only a few minutes and requires no special knowledge. First, you need to open the standard Security application, which has a green icon with a shield. In the bottom menu, find and select Hide applications.
Once you go to the menu, the system can request identity verification through an unlock password or a fingerprint, which is a standard procedure for checking the permissions to access the privacy settings, and then you will see a list of all the programs installed on your device.
☑️ Application Hiding Algorithm
In the list that opens, just put a switch in front of the programs that you want to get out of sight. After you select, click the confirmation button. The icons will disappear instantly from the desktop and from the menu of all applications. To return them back, just uncheck the same menu.
There's a nuance to some versions of the firmware: access to hidden applications is through a special gesture or search bar, often just swipe up the center of the desktop screen or type the name of the application into the search, which creates an additional level of stealth, because the casual user will not know the existence of such a mechanism.
⚠️ Warning: Once an app is hidden, its icon may disappear from the list of recent tasks. Don't panic, it's not deleted, it's just masked by the system.
Use of the Second Space for Total Isolation
If standard icon hiding isn’t enough, MIUI 13 offers a more radical solution, Second Space, which creates a completely isolated environment inside your smartphone that works as a standalone user on the Android system.
In Space Two, you'll have your desktop, your settings, your Google accounts, and most importantly, your apps, and the programs that you install in this profile are completely invisible in the main space, and you'll switch between them through your password or your fingerprint.
To activate, go to Settings → Additional → Second Space. The system will prompt you to create a new profile. You can set up a separate password to log in. This is ideal if you want to hide not just an icon, but completely isolate correspondence or photos.
Using Second Space consumes more RAM, as it actually runs two copies of the system, but the security level is much higher here, applications in an isolated space do not have access to the main profile data without your explicit permission.
Protection of individual applications with a password
Hiding an icon is a half-measure if the phone is unlocked, and it's much more effective to use Application Lock, which allows you to set an additional password to run specific programs, even if they're visible on the screen.
You can configure this function in the same Security app. Select Application Protection and activate the switch, PIN-You can then select from a list of programs that require additional authorization.
If you try to open a secure application (like WhatsApp or Gallery), the system will require confirmation. Without the correct password, you can not log in. This is a reliable way to prevent access to personal information if you gave someone a phone to call or see a photo.
| Protection method | Level of difficulty | Impact on the battery | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiding the icon | Low. | Absent. | Low (visual) |
| Password locking | Medium. | Minimum | Tall. |
| Second space | High-pitched | Average. | Maximum |
| Guest mode | Medium. | Average. | High (temporary) |
Features of working with system applications
Not all programs can be hidden by standard methods. System utilities Xiaomi and Google are often protected from removal or disguise, so as not to disrupt the stability of the OS. Attempting to hide critical components can lead to incorrect interface behavior.
In the Hidden List, system applications may be marked with a special icon or not at all in the list of available for disguise. If you need to remove a system application, often the only safe way to disable it is through the Apps → All Apps menu.
Can I hide the phone app?
When working with system software, be careful: remove or hide the system component through ADB It requires deep knowledge and can lead to loss of warranty, it is better to limit yourself to the standard visibility settings that are provided by the developers. MIUI.
Frequent problems and ways to solve them
Users sometimes experience a situation where a hidden application pops up after a system update or reinstallation, which is because the launcher settings can be reset, in which case the hideout procedure will have to be repeated.
Another common problem is notifications. The hidden application can continue to display notifications on the lock screen. To avoid this, go to the notification settings of the specific application and select No Sound or Hide Content** mode.
If the application stopped running after hiding, check the permissions. Sometimes the cloaking conflicts with the screen access rights on top of other applications. Try temporarily disabling the concealment and checking the program.
⚠️ Warning: When you reset your phone to factory settings, all hidden apps will become visible. Don't rely on covertness as the only way to protect sensitive data before selling your device.
Additional security measures in MIUI 13
For comprehensive protection, a combination of techniques is recommended: Hiding icons is convenient for order, blocking applications protects against curious glances, and Second Space creates a reliable barrier.
Also worth paying attention to the Privacy Protection feature, which appeared in the latest versions of MIUI, which allows you to give applications empty data instead of real data, which protects your geolocation and contact list from collecting information.
Using Xiaomi’s tools to make your smartphone a reliable storage device, experiment with settings, but always keep the balance between convenience and security in mind, and remember that physical access to an unlocked device almost always means complete control over it.
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The combination of icon hiding, password blocking and Second Space creates a multi-level security system that is extremely difficult to get around without knowing all passwords.