How to Add an App to Xiaomi’s Home Screen: The Complete Guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a situation where, after updating the system or random manipulations, familiar icons disappear from the desktop. This causes panic, especially if the user is accustomed to a certain location of widgets and shortcuts. However, the MIUI operating system and the new HyperOS provide a flexible space management system that allows you to easily recover what you lost.

The shortcut recovery process depends on whether the application went missing, whether it was in the launcher basket, in a hidden folder, or it was simply removed from the quick-access list. In most cases, the program itself remains in the device's memory, and you only need to manually create a new shortcut for it. We will look at all possible scenarios, including working with the menu of all applications and system settings.

Don't immediately reset or reinstall the software. Often, it's a matter of touching the screen if you know where to look for hidden interface features. Below are detailed instructions for current versions of the Chinese manufacturer's shells.

Search for the application in the general menu and restore the shortcut

The first thing you need to do is make sure that the app is actually installed on the device. In the MIUI shells, there is a separation between the desktop and the menu of all the applications. If you don't see the icon on the home page, it's probably in the general list of programs. To access it, you need to swipe up from the bottom of the screen or press a special button if the classic mode is enabled.

Find the program you want in the alphabetical list, or use the search bar at the top of the screen. When you find the icon, hold it with your finger for a second or two, at which point the interface will go into editing mode. Without letting go of your finger, drag the icon to the top of the screen where you'll see the Add to the home screen or just a free space on your desktop. Release your finger to capture the result.

If a simple drag and drop doesn't work, you may have "No App Menu" activated, and all shortcuts should be displayed on the tables, so check if the app has landed in the system junk folder or in the Tools group. Sometimes the system automatically sorts the new software by hiding it in thematic containers.

Key features of the search in the menu:

• 📱 Swipe up opens a complete list of all installed programs, even if they are not on the desktop.
• 🔍 Searching for the name at the top of the app menu speeds up the process of finding hidden icons.
• 📂 Check the Tools or System folder, and new installations often automatically fall into it.

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Search by app name in the menu bar if you have more than 50 programs installed – this will save time on scrolling through the pages.

Configure the desktop display mode in MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi's interfaces offer two basic navigation modes: Classic (with separate app menus) and No Menu (all icons on tables, like iOS). If you switched between these modes recently, the location of all elements may have gone wrong. To check or change this setting, go to the interface settings.

Go to Settings and select Desktop, where the mode switch is. If you select "No Apps menu", any new application should automatically appear on the desktop. If it is "Case Apps menu", then the new programs only enter the general list, and you need to manually bring them to the main screen.

In some versions of HyperOS, the logic of the work may differ depending on the regional firmware (Global, China, EEA). For example, in Chinese versions, the settings menu may be called differently, but the path usually remains similar. It is important to understand which navigation mode you are comfortable with, and adjust the system accordingly.

Table of comparison of desktop modes:

Using widgets for quick access

Modern versions of MIUI actively integrate widgets that can serve as an alternative to or complement conventional icons. The app widget is not just a picture, but an interactive element that allows you to see information without running a program.

Put two fingers on the empty desktop space, or you pinch the empty area. The edit menu will appear at the bottom of the screen. Select "Widgets." This is a list of all the programs that support this format. Find the application you want and drag it to the screen.

Some users confuse widgets with conventional shortcuts. The widget takes up more space (often 2x2 or 4x2 cells) but gives more functionality. If your goal is to just have a button to run, use the standard shortcut method. If you want to see the weather, currency rates or steps, choose a widget.

⚠️ Note: When adding a large number of heavy widgets (such as news feeds or live wallpaper), there may be increased battery consumption and reduced interface performance.

You can resize the widget once you add it, and you can press the widget on your desktop until you have a vibration, and then you can pull the corner markers, and you can put the interface element in the free space between the other icons.

Solving Missing Icons After Update

After a major system update (such as a switch from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14 or HyperOS), users often notice that some icons are missing or displaced, which is because the new version of the launcher may not read the configuration file of the old desktop correctly, in which case cleaning the launcher cache helps.

To do this, go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. Find the System Launcher app (or System Launcher) in the list. Click on it and select Clear → Clear Cache. It is important not to confuse it with Clear All Data, as this action will reset all your icons to factory status.

If cleaning the cache didn’t help, check if Easy Mode (for older people) is on, and in this mode, the icons become huge and the number of applications is limited. You can switch back to Settings → Advanced Settings → Simple Mode where you need to select Turn off.

Also worth checking for hidden apps. Xiaomi has a feature to hide programs from prying eyes. Hold two fingers on your desktop and spread them out (the "pick out" gesture). If hidden applications are protected, the system will ask you to enter a password or fingerprint. Inside this menu may be your missing programs.

Creating folders and grouping applications

To keep order on the home screen, Xiaomi allows you to create folders. It's not only beautiful, it's functional. To create a folder, drag and drop one app icon to another. The system automatically creates a container with the default name (usually by app category).

You can put up to a few dozen apps inside a folder, and in the newer versions of HyperOS, folders have become interactive, so you can click on a folder to open it, or you can just tap an icon inside a folder to run the application, and that saves space on the screen.

You can change the folder name. You can click on the open folder, then you can tap the name field above the icons. You can type any name using emojis or special characters, and this helps you visually navigate the sea of programs.

• 📁 Drag and drop icons to folder adds app inside without creating a new group.
• 🗑️ To delete the folder, drag all applications from it to the desktop – the empty folder will disappear automatically.
• 🎨 The color of the folder often depends on the theme of the design, but in some themes you can adjust the transparency of the background.

Installation of third-party launchers to expand opportunities

Xiaomi’s regular launcher is functional, but sometimes it’s not enough: users can install an alternative launcher from Google Play, such as Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Lawnchair, which radically changes the look and logic of working with icons.

Once you install a third-party application, the system will prompt you to select the default launcher. Select "Always" and specify a new application. Now, when you press the "Home" button, a new interface will open. Third-party launchers often have a feature that automatically adds new applications to the home screen, which is more stable than in MIUI.

However, it’s worth remembering compatibility: Third-party launchers may not work properly with control gestures (if they’re not optimized) or consume more resources. In addition, some specific Xiaomi features, such as Second Space or deep service integration, may not be available.

⚠️ Note: When installing a third-party launcher on HyperOS devices, security restrictions may occur that require additional permissions in the "Special Features" menu".

If you decide to go back to the standard interface, simply uninstall the launcher app or go to Settings → Apps → Application Management → By default and select System Launcher.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Xiaomi’s flexible desktop setting allows each user to create a unique environment, but requires understanding the differences between the shortcut, widget, and the app itself.