How to add a search bar to the desktop of Xiaomi smartphone: all ways

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have a default search bar and how to get it back

Have you just updated your MIUI firmware or bought a new Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO smartphone and suddenly lost your search bar on your desktop? or has it never been displayed, but is it convenient to search for apps and information directly from the home screen? This problem is typical for many users, especially after transitions between shell versions (for example, from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14).

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to get your search bar back to your desktop, from standard Google and Mi Search widgets to custom launcher workarounds. All of the methods are tested on current versions of MIUI 13-15 and work on most models: Xiaomi 13/14 series, Redmi Note 12/13 Pro, POCO F5/X5 and even Black Shark. Importantly, some methods require permission to install from unknown sources, but we’ll explain in detail how to do this safely.

Before you start, check out two key points:

• 📱 Version MIUI: Go to Settings → About Phone → Version MIUI. If you have MIUI 12.5 or older, all the methods below will work.
• 🔍 Current Launcher: Xiaomi defaults to either the POCO Launcher (for the POCO line) or the MIUI Launcher. You can find it by holding your finger in the free desktop space — if a menu says “Startup Settings” appears, it’s a standard interface.

Method 1: Adding a Google Search widget (the easiest method)

If you want a classic Google search bar (like on pure Android), this one works best: it works on all Xiaomi models, regardless of the MIUI version, and does not require superuser rights.

Instructions:

1. Press your finger on the free space of the desktop (where there are no icons).
2. In the menu that appears, select Widgets (or Widgets in English firmware).
3. Scroll down to the Google section (the G color logo icon).
4. Select the Search widget (usually the first one on the list) and drag it to the desktop.
5. Let go of your finger, and the search bar will appear on the screen, and if necessary, you can stretch it out across the width by pulling the edges.

If the Google widget is not listed, the app is disabled or removed.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, type Google.
3. Click on the app, then select Enable (if disabled) or Install (if removed, there will be a redirect to the Play Market).

Make sure that the Google app is installed|Check the Internet connection|Free up space on the desktop|Update Google Play Services (if notified)-->

⚠️ Warning: Some firmware for Redmi and POCO (especially for the Chinese market) may not have a Google widget even after installing the app.

Method 2: Use the built-in Mi Search widget (for Chinese firmware)

If you have global firmware (e.g. MIUI Global or EEA), this may not work – the Mi Search widget is usually only available in Chinese versions (MIUI China), but it can be manually activated even on non-Chinese builds, if you follow our instructions.

How to add Mi Search to your desktop:

1. Press your finger on the desktop and select Widgets.
2. Find the Mi Search section, if it's not there, skip this step and read on.
3. Drag the Search widget onto the screen. It can be called Quick Search or Smart Search.
4. Customize the widget size (options are available: small square, long line or full-screen block).

If Mi Search is not in the list of widgets, try to enable it through the settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Mi Search (or Quick Search) in the list.
3. Click Enable, then Reset (if the option is active).
4. Restart the phone and try adding the widget again.

⚠️ Warning: On some models (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi 10C), the Mi Search widget may conflict with Google Discover. If the search bar fails after adding, disable Discover in the launcher settings (Home Screen → Settings → Discover).

Method 3: Configure search via POCO Launcher (for POCO devices)

POCO line devices (e.g., POCO X5 Pro, POCO F4 GT) use the proprietary POCO Launcher, which has its own search settings. Unlike the standard MIUI Launcher, here the search bar can be embedded in the dock panel (bottom of the screen) or added as a separate widget.

How to set up a search in POCO Launcher:

1. Press your finger on your desktop and select Launcher Settings (or POCO Launcher Settings).
2. Go to the Dock Panel section.
3. Activate the option to show search bar.
4. Select the search type: 🔍 Google Search is a classic string from Google. 📱 App Search is a search only for installed applications. 🌐 Web & App Search is a combined search (web + applications).

Save the settings and go back to the desktop – the search bar will appear in the dock panel.

If the line does not appear, try resetting the launcher settings:

1. Open the launcher settings → Additional → Reset the settings.
2. Confirm the action and restart the phone.
3. Repeat the steps to add the search bar.

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If you don’t like the location of the line in the docking panel, you can move it to the desktop: pinch the Search widget in the dock and drag it up to the vacant space.

Method 4: Install a third-party launcher with a search bar

If standard methods have not worked (for example, on Black Shark or custom firmware), the best solution is to install an alternative launcher.

• 🏆 Nova Launcher supports Google Search, Sesame Search and custom search bars.
• 🎨 Action Launcher – has a built-in search bar with support for Google Assistant.
• ⚡ Lawnchair is a lightweight open source launcher with Google Feed integration.
• 🔍 Microsoft Launcher – offers search from Bing with Office 365 integration.

Instructions for installing Nova Launcher (for example):

1. Download Nova Launcher from Play Market.
2. After installation, click Home and select Nova Launcher as the default launcher.
3. Press your finger on your desktop → Widgets → find Google or Nova Google Search.
4. Drag the widget onto the screen and adjust its size.

Advantages of third-party launchers:

• 🔧 Flexible configuration of the look of the search bar (color, transparency, animations).
• 🔍 Support for alternative search engines (DuckDuckGo, Bing, Yandex).
• 📱 Ability to link search to a gesture (e.g., swipe down on the desktop).

⚠️ Attention: Some features of MIUI are disabled when using third-party launchers, such as 📱 Super Wallpapers (animated wallpapers). 🔋 Battery optimization for launcher (charge consumption may increase). 🔔 Desktop weather notifications. To return a standard launcher, go to Settings → Applications → Default → Launcher and select MIUI Launcher.

Method 5: Manually create a search shortcut (for power users)

If you don't have widgets and you don't want to install a third-party launcher, you can create a shortcut for quick manual search, which works on any firmware, but requires ADB or special applications.

Option 1: Activity Launcher (without root):

1. Install Activity Launcher from Play Market.
2. Open the app and search in the Google or Mi Search list.
3. Deploy the Activities list and find: For Google Search:.search.SearchActivity. For Mi Search:.search.MainActivity.

Press the desired activity and drag it to the desktop as a shortcut.

Option 2: Through ADB (for advanced users):

If you are familiar with ADB, you can create a search shortcut by the command:

adb shell am start -n com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox/com.google.android.apps.gsa.staticplugins.opa.OpaActivity

To put this label on the desktop:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and activate Debugging via USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times click on the version, then Developer Settings → Debugging via USB).
2. Run the command above at the ADB terminal.
3. After opening Google search, press the app icon in the multitasking bar and drag it to your desktop.

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The ADB method is only suitable for advanced users. Incorrect use of commands can lead to system failures!

Problem Solving: Why the Search String Doesn't Work

Even after you successfully add a widget, the search bar may not open, fail, or disappear after you reboot.

If the search bar disappears after a reboot, try:

• 🔄 Reset the launcher settings (launcher settings → Reset).
• 📵 Disable battery optimization for launcher (Settings → Battery → Optimization → Find Launcher → No Limits).
• 🔧 Install an update for Google Play Services (Play Market → My Apps → Update).

On MIUI firmware for the Chinese market (CN), Google's search bar can be blocked by the system, the only solution being to install global firmware or use a VPN with a US/Europe region when adding a widget.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the search bar on Xiaomi