How to add an icon to the Xiaomi Redmi 9 Note desktop

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 lineup is deservedly considered one of the most popular mid-range devices due to its combination of specs and affordable price. However, the MIUI shell, which is installed on top of the Android operating system, often confuses new users with its specific logic of operation. Unlike “pure” Android, the application shortcut and widget management system has its own unique features that are not always obvious at first glance.

Often, when you update your system or manually clean your memory, you find that the tag has disappeared from the home screen, even though the app itself hasn't gone anywhere. This is a standard interface behavior designed to save space, but it requires the owner of the gadget to understand how the desktop works. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the ways to return missing items or create new shortcuts for frequently used functions.

We’ll look at not only the standard methods of adding apps from the menu, but also more advanced techniques, such as creating shortcuts for specific sites, contact numbers and even system settings. Understanding these mechanisms will allow you to personalize the Redmi Note 9 to your needs, making use of your smartphone as comfortable and efficient as possible.

Search and Return Remote Applications from the Menu

The most common reason for an icon to go missing is not when it's deleted, but when it's gone from the desktop. The default MIUI settings often activate a mode where all installed programs are only displayed in a special app menu, not on screens. To return the shortcut to a prominent place, you first need to find the app itself in the shared list.

To do this, swipe up from the bottom of the screen or click on a special menu button if you have three-button navigation enabled. In the list that opens, all programs are sorted alphabetically or by installation time. Find the software you want, pinch it for a few seconds until the vibration appears, and drag it to the free area of the screen. If the system suggests creating a copy of the shortcut, agree to the action.

In some cases, the app may be hidden in a folder or in Hidden Apps mode. To check this, go to Settings → Apps → Hidden Apps. If you can't find the program even there, it may have been accidentally deleted or blocked by parental controls, in which case you will need to re-install from the Google Play store.

• 📱 Press the icon in the app menu and drag it to the main screen.
• 🔍 Use the search bar at the top of the app menu to quickly find the right program.
• ⚙️ Check the sorting settings in the app menu to change the order of the icons display.
• 📂 Make sure that the icon is not lost inside one of the previously created folders on the desktop.

⚠️ Warning: If after dragging and drop the icon disappears again when you restart, check if the power saving mode is turned on, which limits background activity and can hide shortcuts of rarely used programs.

It's important to understand that deleting a shortcut from a desktop is not the same as uninstall. MIUI clearly distinguishes between an interface element and an executable file. So even if you accidentally swipe an icon, your data and the program itself remain in the device's memory, which reduces the risk of losing important information if you carelessly use the interface.

Creating shortcuts for websites through the browser

One of the most useful features of the smartphone is the ability to turn the visited site into a full-fledged application. This allows you to launch your favorite news portal, social network or food delivery service with a single touch, bypassing the entry of an address in the browser. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, this feature is implemented using the standard means of the Chrome browser or the system MIUI Browser.

The algorithm is simple: open your browser and go to the page you want. Click on the menu (three dots in the top right corner) and select Add to Main Screen or Create a Shortcut. The system will suggest renaming the shortcut if the standard name is too long, and once confirmed, the icon will appear among your apps. This is the perfect way to organize access to frequently visited resources.

It’s worth noting that these shortcuts work as links, which means that they require an active Internet connection to display them correctly, but modern PWA (Progressive Web Apps) technologies allow some sites to work almost like native applications, cache data and run in a separate window without a browser address bar.

Actions to create:


1. Open Chrome




2. Go to the site




3. menu (three dots) → Add to the main screen




4. Confirm the establishment

Some sites may not support full-fledged icons or offer a standard globe image instead of a logo, in which case you can use third-party launchers or specialized widgets that allow you to assign any image to a shortcut, this is especially true for those who like visual aesthetics and want to decorate the desktop in a uniform style.

Configure widgets and quick access

Widgets are dynamic elements that display real-time information directly on the desktop. On the Redmi Note 9 with the MIUI 12 shell and later, they are given special attention. Widgets can show the weather, currency rate, steps, task list or control music. Adding a widget is significantly different from adding a regular app icon.

To add a widget, you need to pinch the empty area on your desktop before the edit menu appears. In the bottom row, select "Widgets." Opens a gallery of all available items, sorted by application. Find the desired category, select the size and style of the widget, then click "Add widget" or drag it to the screen.

Many widgets support deep customization. Once you're on screen, click on the widget to change the settings of the widget: city for the weather, calendar account or watch style. MIUI offers a huge number of themes that completely change the appearance of standard widgets, making them more informative or, conversely, minimalistic.

• 🌤️ Weather widgets can display hourly forecast and air pollution levels.
• 📅 Calendar shows upcoming events and allows you to quickly create a meeting.
• 🎵 Music widgets allow you to control playback without opening an application.
• 🔋 Battery indicators show the charge of the smartphone itself and connected devices.

Particular attention should be paid to Quick Access widgets that allow you to run specific functions of applications, for example, the Camera widget can immediately open the selfie mode, and the Contacts widget can call a certain person, which saves time and eliminates the need to go through several menu screens.

⚠️ A large number of active widgets, especially those that are updated in real time (news, weather), can significantly increase the battery consumption of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9.

Using folders to organize space

As the number of icons on your desktop grows, it becomes difficult to maintain order. Folders come to the rescue. In MIUI, the folder creation process is intuitive: just drag and drop one app icon over the other. The system automatically creates a container where both programs will fit. You can rename the folder by clicking on the name and change its color or shape depending on the the theme of the design.

Folders in MIUI can open up to the full screen, occupying the bottom half of the display, allowing you to place up to 16 or even 20 applications inside, which makes the workspace a powerful navigation tool, so inside the folder you can change the location of items, delete them or add new ones, dragging them from the application menu.

You can also create smart folders or use third-party launchers to automatically sort, but Xiaomi's regular tools create folders manually, which gives you complete control over the structure of the menu, and it is recommended to group applications according to the functional characteristics: "Social networks", "Work", "Games", "Finance".

Keep in mind that folders can also be placed in the dock bar (bottom line of the screen), although this is not recommended with heavy folders, as this can make swipes between desktop pages difficult. 4-5 most important applications or one folder "Favorites».

Problems with displaying icons after updates

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 users often face a situation where, after updating the MIUI system or the application itself, the icons on the desktop are replaced with standard white squares or disappear altogether. This is a technical failure of the launcher cache, not a virus or a phone breakdown.

To solve this problem, you don’t have to reset your phone to factory settings. First of all, try clearing the cache of the Themes and Desktop app. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, search the Desktop (or Launcher) list and click Clear → Clear Cache. The data will not be affected, only the visual configuration will be reset.

If cleaning the cache didn't help, the set theme might conflict. Third-party themes downloaded from GetThemes may not work properly with new firmware versions. Go back to the standard "Classic" or "Infinity" theme and check if the icons have recovered. Often, the problem lies in the incompatibility of the graphic elements of the theme.

In rare cases, reinstallation of a problem application helps: remove the program completely and download it again from Google Play. When installed, the system will re-register the shortcut and prescribe the correct paths to the graphics files, which is guaranteed to solve the problem if it is caused by damage to the files of the application itself.

Additional features of customization of the interface

The MIUI shell provides a great opportunity for those who want to go beyond the standard design. In addition to simply moving icons, you can change their size, signature font, and even opening animations. All of this is in the Settings → Desktop menu.

You can turn on the “No signatures” mode here if you remember the location of the icons and want the cleanest screen possible. You can also set up the desktop grid: you can choose the format 4x6, 5x6 or 5x7, which allows you to place more elements on one Redmi Note 9 screen with its diagonal of 6.53 inches.

For advanced users, third-party launchers like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher are available, completely replacing the standard MIUI interface, offering more flexible gesture controls, hidden folders and unique animations. However, it’s worth remembering that third-party launchers can consume more battery life.

• 🎨 Change the desktop grid to accommodate more widgets.
• 🔤 Increase the size of the signature font for better readability.
• 🚀 Use third-party launchers to completely change the logic of the smartphone.
• 📱 Adjust the speed of animation to open applications in the menu “For developers».

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party launchers, the system MIUI can constantly offer to return the standard launcher.To avoid this, when choosing a launcher, click Always and do not reset the default settings in the application menu.

The result of a smart desktop setting is not only aesthetic pleasure, but also real productivity. When all the right tools are at hand and the extra is hidden, interaction with the Xiaomi smartphone becomes quick and enjoyable. Don't be afraid to experiment with the settings to find the perfect balance between beauty and functionality.

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Use the “Second Space” feature in the settings to create a completely separate desktop with other apps and accounts, accessible by fingerprint or password.

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The correct organization of icons and widgets on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 speeds up access to features and reduces visual noise, making smartphone use more comfortable.