How to add a desktop on Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro: step-by-step instructions

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note series is famous for its MIUI functionality, which provides users with a wide range of customization options. However, despite its high degree of personalization, the standard shell has its own navigation features that can confuse newcomers. In particular, the issue of creating new pages is often puzzling, since the usual “plus” button is simply not here.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to add a desktop to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro using a variety of navigation techniques. You’ll learn not only the basic ways to expand the icon space, but also the intricacies of customizing widgets that turn the lock screen and home screen into a powerful device management tool. Understanding these mechanisms will allow you to organize apps in a way that is convenient for you.

Before you start taking action, it is worth noting that the Android system in conjunction with the shell from Xiaomi works on the principle of infinite scrolling or a fixed number of pages, depending on the chosen theme and version of the software. The process of adding a new area for icons is intuitive, but requires a certain gesture to which you need to adapt. Let’s look at the basic principles of working with screen space.

The main method of expanding the screen through gestures

The fastest and most common way to create a new desktop on your Redmi Note 10 Pro is to use swipes. You don’t have to search for hidden menus or download third-party launchers – all the necessary tools are already built into the system.

Make a confident swipe from right to left, as if you want to open the next page. If you already have multiple screens filled, the system will automatically create a new blank area when you reach the end of the list. This is the basic MIUI mechanism that allows you to dynamically increase the space as needed. However, if you are on an empty screen and the swipe is not working, try dragging any app icon to the right edge of the screen.

When you drag and drop a shortcut to the edge of the display, the system will sense your intention and automatically move the current page to open a new one. This is especially convenient when you want to put the app on a freshly created sheet right away. Once the new area appears, you can let go of your finger, and the shortcut will stay where you left it.

⚠️ Note: When dragging icons to the edge of the screen, don’t make sudden movements, otherwise you may accidentally activate the sidebar or go to the widget menu instead of creating a new page.

Using the editing mode to manage pages

More advanced users who want to gain full control of the interface structure are encouraged to use editing mode, which allows not only adding a desktop to Xiaomi, but also immediately remove unnecessary ones, changing the order of pages or installing new wallpapers for each screen separately.

If you're on any of the main screens, you can pinch your two fingers as if you want to zoom in (put your fingers together). The screen will instantly shrink and you'll see all your desktops as thumbnails arranged in a row, and in this mode, navigation is much more convenient, as you see the overall picture of memory being filled with shortcuts.

To add a new page in this mode, just scroll through a series of thumbnails all the way to the end. On the right side, you'll see a button with a plus sign or an empty area with the words "Add." By clicking on it, you'll create a blank sheet ready to fill. Here you can (long-click) any thumbnail to call a context menu to delete or install wallpaper.

Empty pages can be automatically deleted by the system for optimization if nothing is installed on them for a long time, so if you have created a place for the future, it is better to put at least one widget or folder there right away.

Configuring widgets and their placement

One of the main reasons users are eager to add a desktop to the Redmi Note 10 Pro is to place more widgets — whether it’s a watch, weather, currency rate, step counter, or third-party app widgets — and the MIUI shell offers a rich selection of built-in tools, but requires certain grid rules to be followed.

To add a widget, go to edit mode (two finger pinch) and select "Widgets" in the bottom menu. You will see a library of available items. Select the desired one, such as "Music" or "Notes", and drag it to the free area of the screen. If there is not enough space, the system will suggest moving existing icons or creating a new page.

Widgets range in size from 1x1 to 4x2 or more. Large widgets occupy a significant part of the space, which often makes it impossible to place them on already filled screens. In such cases, creating a new desktop page is the only logical solution for preserving the aesthetics and functionality of the interface.

• 📱 Weather widgets often require vertical space. 2x4, It takes up half of the standard screen.
• 📅 Calendars and schedulers look best on individual pages where nothing distracts them.
• 🎵 Music players and widgets for managing media files are convenient on the lock screen or the first page of the main menu.
• 📊 Financial widgets with graphs require horizontal space for data readability.

⚠️ Note: Some third-party app widgets may not display correctly or “fly out” if too much heavy graphics or live wallpaper is installed on the desktop.

Working with folders and grouping applications

Effective desktop use is impossible without a competent grouping of applications into folders, which not only makes room for new pages, but also makes navigation on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro more logical. When you create a new page, it often turns out that it is necessary to host large folders with games or social networks.

To create a folder, just drag and drop one app icon on top of another. The system automatically creates a container where you can fold programs of one topic, you can rename the folder by clicking on it, and select the background color to visually highlight the category, which is especially true for large collections of applications.

Using folders allows you to keep the number of desktops within a reasonable range. Instead of adding a desktop to Xiaomi for each new game, you better create a folder for Games and put all the entertainment applications in there. However, if the folders become too many, expanding the screen space still becomes necessary.

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Use Hide Apps in your settings to remove rarely used programs from your desktop without removing them, making room without creating extra pages.

Removing Excess Pages and Optimizing

Sooner or later, the user faces the opposite challenge: how to remove unnecessary desktops that were created in a rush of enthusiasm, but were never filled. On the Redmi Note 10 Pro, this is as easy as creating new areas. Optimizing the interface is important for the speed of the launcher.

Return to edit mode with a pinch of two fingers, find the thumbnail of the page you want to delete, and in the upper right corner of the thumbnail (or if you press it long enough) you will see the basket icon or the cross icon, click on it, and the system will confirm the deletion, and then the page will disappear, and the remaining screens will move, closing the resulting void.

It's worth noting that you can't delete the only remaining desktop page -- the system always requires at least one active screen. If you try to delete the last page, the delete button will be inactive. This is Android's security mechanism to prevent the interface from crashing completely.

Regularly cleaning unused pages helps the launcher work faster, since the system does not need to waste resources on rendering empty space and animation transitions. It also makes it easier to find the right widgets and shortcuts, making using the smartphone more comfortable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Desktop management on Xiaomi is a balance between visual beauty and functional accessibility: Don’t create pages for the sake of pages, use them to logically separate tasks.