How to Add Cleaning to Xiaomi’s Desktop

Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to quickly free up RAM or delete temporary files. the standard MIUI shell and the new HyperOS have powerful built-in tools to maintain the system, but the default quick-clean button is not always displayed on the home screen.This can be uncomfortable, especially if you are used to regular maintenance of the gadget.

In this article, we will discuss how to bring a cleaning widget to the desktop so that it takes no more than one touch to access it. Memory cleaning is not just deleting the cache, but also an important step in optimizing the performance of your device. We will look at both standard methods through the system application "Security" and more advanced ways to customize the interface.

You don't have to install third-party programs that often contain ads and consume unnecessary resources. Xiaomi's built-in tools do the job much more efficiently and safely for the operating system. Let's move on to the practical part of configuring your device.

Use of a system security widget

The easiest and most reliable way to access a cleanup is to activate a standard widget from developer Xiaomi Inc. This interface element is integrated deep into the system and has access to critical processes that third-party apps can block for Android security reasons.

To start, unlock your smartphone screen and navigate to the free desktop area. Make a long finger tap in any empty place or pinch the screen with two fingers to open the editing menu. At the bottom of the screen, you will see the "Widgets" button that you need to click.

In the list that opens, look for an app called Security or Security. It usually has a green shield icon. Click on it to reveal the available widget form factors. Select the option that displays a pie chart or a quick scan button.

• 📱 Press and hold the selected widget, then drag it to a free space on the desktop.
• ⚙️ If the widget is not displayed, make sure that the System Security application has not been removed or disabled in the settings.
• 🔄 Once installed, the widget may require permission to display over other windows – be sure to agree with this.

⚠️ Warning: Do not remove the system application "Security" even if you rarely use it, it is responsible not only for cleaning, but also for task manager, call filtering and antivirus protection in real time.

Once the widget is installed on the desktop, it will display the current RAM usage status (RAM).Clicking on the center of the widget will trigger an instant cleanup of background processes and cache, which often helps return smoothness to the interface after a long session of games or working with heavy applications.

Setting up the widget "Memory Acceleration"

Some versions of MIUI have a separate widget called "Accelerate" or "Memory Extension." It differs from the general security widget in that it focuses solely on freeing up RAM without affecting file storage. This is useful if you have enough disk space but not enough RAM for multitasking.

To find this tool, repeat the widget login procedure. Look for an item called "Acceleration" or a rocket icon. In newer versions of HyperOS, this feature is often combined with a security widget, but may have a separate style of design in the form of a floating button.

Some users prefer to place widgets as a column on the side of the screen for quick thumb access. This ergonomic solution allows you to optimize on the go without changing the grip of the device. The widget can be resized by pulling beyond its boundaries after a long press, if the interface allows customization.

Path to set up widget: Desktop → Long press → Widgets → Security → Style Choice → Drag and Drag

It's important to understand that the widget doesn't magically speed up the processor, it enforces the closure of background services and applications, freeing up resources for the current task. For older models like the Redmi Note 8 or Redmi 9, this feature is critical for comfortable use.

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For maximum efficiency, clear your memory before running heavy games or video editing apps, which will reduce the likelihood of sudden program crashes.

Creating a shortcut for deep storage cleaning

Cleaning RAM and cleaning internal storage are different processes. If your phone reports a space shortage, a quick-clean widget may not help. You will need access to deep-cleaning, where remnants of remote applications, large files and duplicates are removed.

To create a shortcut for this feature, open the Security app manually. Go to Cleanup. The top right corner of the screen often has a three-dot menu or a gear settings.

In the cleaning settings menu, find the option "Add to desktop" or "Create a shortcut." The system will offer to place an icon that will lead immediately to deep scanning, bypassing the main menu of the application, which saves time when you need to urgently free a few gigabytes.

The use of a deep clean label is especially relevant for instant messenger users. Telegram and WhatsApp tend to accumulate gigabytes of media files, which are not always visible in the standard gallery, but occupy a significant part of internal memory.

Alternative methods through interface settings

If standard widgets don’t fit your design or functionality, the MIUI shell offers alternative ways to access the cleanup, such as setting up a screen-lock cleaner or adding a button to the notification curtain, which is sometimes even more convenient than a desktop widget.

Go to the settings of the app itself, "Security." Find the "Memory Cleanup" or "Acceleration" section, and you can activate the "Clear When Locked" function, in which case, every time you turn off the screen, the system will automatically reset the background processes.

Also worth paying attention to is Control Center, where in some regions and firmware versions you can add a memory clean switch, so lower the notification curtain completely, press the edit button (usually a pencil or three dots), and add the switch you want.

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Advanced settings → Quick launch of applications.
• 🚀 Set the cleanup start by double pressing the power button (if supported by the model).
• 🛠 Use third-party launchers if Xiaomi’s standard interface doesn’t give you the flexibility you need.

Automating cleaning processes allows you to keep your phone in good shape without user intervention, but be careful with aggressive settings that can close the messengers or alarms you want. Auto-run important applications are better kept on.

⚠️ Attention: Cleaning when locked can increase battery consumption, as the processor will be more active when the screen is turned off.

Solving problems with widget display

There are times when the cleaning widget stops displaying current data or disappears from the desktop after a system update, a common problem associated with battery optimization or errors in the MIUI launcher.

The first thing to do is check the permissions for the Security app. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Security → Permissions. Make sure you allow display over other windows and auto-start.

If the widget is "hanging" and does not respond to clicks, try to delete it and add it again. Sometimes it helps to clean the launcher's cache. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Find System Launcher (or Desktop) → Clear the cache.

Also, it is worth considering that on some models with a very old version of Android, widgets may not work properly due to lack of resources to constantly update them, in which case it is better to use the app shortcut, which is always relevant.

Impact of cleaning on system performance

Many users are wondering: is a constant cleaning really necessary? In the context of modern Xiaomi smartphones with large amounts of memory, the answer is ambiguous. Mechanical cleaning of RAM is useful when you feel the obvious lags of the interface.

The current Android operating system can manage memory efficiently by leaving frequently used applications to run quickly, and forced cleaning of all processes can lead to the system having to reboot them from memory, which temporarily increases the load on the processor and battery.

However, if you use your phone for games or graphics, manually cleaning up a heavy task before you start it is a good tone. It frees up as much resources as possible for rendering. For ordinary users, it is enough to rely on automatic mechanisms of the system.

• 📉 Cleaning doesn’t increase physical memory capacity, it only redistributes resources.
• 🔋 Frequent cleaning of all processes can slightly increase battery consumption.
• ⚡ The “acceleration” effect is most noticeable on devices with 4 GB of RAM and less.

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Use the cleaning widget as a tool to solve specific brake problems, not as a ritual to be performed every 5 minutes unnecessarily.

In conclusion, adding a clean button to your desktop is a matter of personal convenience. For owners of flagship Xiaomi 13 or Xiaomi 14, this may be less relevant than for users of the budget segment, where every megabyte of RAM is worth its weight in gold.