How to add a desktop to Xiaomi Poco: the full guide

Owning a modern smartphone, Xiaomi Poco, offers a huge amount of customization, but the standard interface configuration does not always meet the needs of advanced owners. Many enthusiasts are eager to expand the workspace by adding new virtual screens or changing the logic of navigation to improve productivity and usability of the gadget. Understanding how the system works, the management of windows in the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS, is key to the effective organization of the digital space.

Unlike desktop operating systems, where creating new desktops is a basic feature, in the Android mobile environment, this process has its own unique features and limitations. On Poco devices, adding a desktop most often involves expanding the list of home screen pages or installing specialized launchers that simulate a desktop experience. It is important to distinguish these concepts, since the standard launcher system offers limited but stable functionality, while third-party solutions give complete freedom but require careful configuration.

In this guide, we will take a look at all the available methods for expanding the workspace, from basic system interface settings to installing advanced launchers with support for widgets, learn how to optimize navigation, which tools are best for multitasking, and how to avoid common mistakes when modifying the standard shell of your smartphone.

Basic navigation and management of home screen pages

Before embarking on a radical interface change, you need to master the basic management of existing desktops in a standard shell. Poco smartphones have a launcher installed by default, which automatically creates new pages when you move application icons outside the current visible screen. It is an intuitive mechanism that does not require tampering with system files or installing additional software.

To create a new blank page, simply drag any app shortcut or widget to the right edge of the screen and hold it there for a second. The system automatically generates a new desktop and places the object being moved on it. Automatic page creation is a fundamental principle of Android, which ensures that the user always has room for new content without the need for manual slot activation.

However, if your goal is not just to add icon space, but to change the navigation structure, you need access to editing mode, which requires pinching the screen with two fingers (plug from the edges to the center) or holding your finger in the free space of the desktop for a long time, which displays all available pages in the form of thumbnails, which allows you to quickly assess the occupancy of the space.

• 📱 Adding Page: In editing mode, scroll through the thumbnails to the right until the end and press the button «+», Create a new blank page manually.
• 🗑️ Page Deletion: In the same editing mode, click on the cross over the thumbnail of the unnecessary screen to delete it and make room.
• 🏠 Home: Select any of the thumbnails and click on the house icon to set this page as the main one that will open when you click the Home button».
• 🔄 Cyclical scrolling: In the launcher settings, you can turn on or off the return function to the first page when you scroll to the left of the left-hand screen.

It’s worth noting that the number of pages available can be limited by the screen resolution and pixel density specified by the manufacturer. On models with a large display, such as the Poco F5 or Poco X6 Pro, more widgets fit, which visually reduces the need for more pages.

⚠️ Note: Deleting the home screen page in editing mode does not remove applications, but only moves their shortcuts to the general application library (App Drawer.

Using widgets to expand functionality

One of the most effective ways to “fill” the desktop with useful content without installing unnecessary applications is the use of widgets. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, widgets play a key role, providing quick access to information and functions directly from the home screen. Adding a widget often automatically expands the area occupied, requiring additional space or offsetting existing icons.

To add a widget, click on the free area of the screen for a long time and select "Widgets" in the bottom menu. Here you will find both standard Android tools and proprietary MIUI/HyperOS widgets that feature stylish design and deep integration with the system. For example, Notes, Weather or Security Scanner widgets can occupy a significant part of the screen, effectively creating a new functional center on your desktop.

Some widgets have a stack function that allows you to place several widgets of the same size in the same cell and switch between them by swipe, a unique technique that allows you to save space and visually unload the interface, creating the illusion of minimalism while maintaining high information content.

It is important to consider that complex widgets, especially those that are updated in real time (such as currency rates or news feeds), can consume additional battery power.

Experiment with widget sizes, stretching their boundaries in editing mode, allowing you to create unique compositions that make the Poco interface truly your own.

Installation of third-party launchers for desktop experience

If standard MIUI functionality isn’t enough and you want a real desktop experience in the PC’s understanding, you’ll need third-party launchers. These apps completely replace the standard application launch interface, offering features that aren’t available out of the box, such as window mode, mouse and keyboard support, and advanced multitasking capabilities.

One of the most popular solutions is Tasker in conjunction with plugins or specialized launchers like Senetic Launcher or Twlauncher, which mimic the Windows interface, installing such a launcher turns your smartphone into a kind of netbook, where application windows can be moved, resized and placed on several virtual monitors.

To install a third-party launcher download APK-The file of the selected application from a reliable source or through the Google Play Store. Once installed, Android will request permission to use this application as the default launcher. Confirm the selection, and your Poco interface will change instantly.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party launchers may conflict with navigation gestures MIUI/HyperOS. If swipes stopped working after installing the launcher, temporarily switch to managing three buttons in the system settings.

Using alternative shells is addictive, as the logic of menus and settings can be radically different from the usual Xiaomi environment, but for users who are critically important window mode, this is the only right solution.

Split screen mode and floating windows

While this is not a new desktop addition in the classic sense, the split-screen and floating window feature in HyperOS and MIUI 14+ allows you to efficiently use display space comparable to multi-monitor work.

To activate the split screen, open the app, go to the recent app menu (bottom-up swipe and hold) and click on the icon above the app window. Select "Share screen" and launch the second app. Now both windows work simultaneously, occupying part of the screen.

A more advanced option is floating windows, and by running an application in floating mode, you can move it around the screen on top of other applications, resize it, and even roll it up into a sidebar, which creates the effect of having an extra work layer over the main interface.

• 🪟 Activation: Swipe three fingers up or through the menu of recent apps.
• 📐 Size change: Pull around the corners of a floating window to change its proportions.
• 💾 Preserving a pair: In some versions MIUI You can save a couple of applications for quick launch in split mode.
• 🎮 Game mode: In game mode, Poco also supports floating windows for instant messengers without interrupting the game.

Using these features makes the smartphone a powerful tool for multitasking, allowing you to watch videos, chat and work with documents at the same time.

Configuring the second space (Second Space)

The unique feature of the MIUI shell, available on most Poco smartphones, is the “Second Space” feature, which is not just a new desktop, but a completely isolated environment within a single device with its own applications, files, accounts and settings.

In fact, you get two smartphones in one. The second space can be used to separate work and personal life, or to create a restricted guest mode, switching between spaces instantly through a notification panel or a special fingerprint.

To activate, go to Settings → Additional Features → Second Space. The system will suggest setting up a separate password or fingerprint to log in. Once created, you will be on a clean desktop that can be configured independently of the main one.

💡

Use different fingerprints to switch quickly: assign the thumb of your right hand to the main space, and the thumb of your left to the second, allowing you to instantly change the context of your work with one touch.

This is ideal for those looking for a way to add a "desktop" with a completely different set of tools without mixing it with personal data.Apps in the second space take up space in memory, but their data is isolated.

Enhanced Opportunities Through ADB and Debugging

For advanced users who are not afraid of the command line, it is possible to fine-tune the interface through USB debugging and ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands, which allows you to hide system elements, change the density of the interface (DPI), and activate hidden launcher functions that are not available in the regular menu.

To use this method, you need to turn on the developer mode. Go to Settings. → On the phone and press quickly 7 once-assembly number MIUI/HyperOS. Then, in the “Developers” menu, activate “Debugging by USB».

Connecting the phone to the computer and installing ADB-drivers, you can type commands to change desktop behavior, for example, you can zoom in to the interface, which visually creates more space for elements.

adb shell wm density 400

This command will change the pixel density by making interface elements smaller and putting more content on the screen. Be careful: setting a value too high can make the interface unreadable, requiring a reset.

⚠️ Note: Change of parameters through ADB Before making changes, make sure you know how to reset your phone to factory settings if something goes wrong.

Using ADB gives you maximum control, but requires technical literacy, and the average user is better off limiting himself to standard settings and third-party launchers.

💡

The safest and most effective way to add a functional desktop to Poco is to use widgets and floating windows built into HyperOS without the need to install heavy third-party software.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)