How to add a desktop to Xiaomi Redmi

Xiaomi smartphone users often face the need to expand the space for organizing applications. The standard shell MIUI or the new HyperOS offers flexible tools for personalization, but not all features are obvious at first glance.

In this article, we’ll look at how to add a desktop to Xiaomi Redmi to make your navigation easier.We’ll look not only at standard drag and drop methods, but also at the hidden features of system settings.This will allow you to create a unique menu structure tailored to your personal habits.

The main goal is to optimize access to frequently used programs, and the right organization of screen space significantly affects the speed of your gadget, and you will learn to manage empty pages and widgets without third-party software.

The principles of the MIUI and HyperOS interface

Xiaomi’s shells are based on Android, but have their own visual style and logic, and the launcher is the main navigation element that controls all screens, and an understanding of its architecture is essential to effectively add new areas.

Unlike stock Android, lock and desktop screens are closely linked to Mi Account, which allows for synchronization of the theme and icon location when changing devices, but the basic principles of navigation remain intuitive.

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For maximum smoothness of animations when flipping tables, it is recommended to turn off energy saving for the system application "Themes" and "Luncher".

The system automatically scales the grid of icons based on the resolution and font you choose, and if you change the font size in the settings, the number of visible elements on a single page can decrease, which is important to consider when planning the structure.

Creating a new desktop page

Adding a blank page to Xiaomi Redmi is a simple drag and drop method: You need to pinch any app icon on the current screen before the vibration appears. Then move your finger to the very edge of the screen to the right or left.

When the cursor reaches the edge, the system automatically generates a new blank area, and you can immediately put a drag and drop application or widget in there, and this method works on all current versions of the firmware.

If drag and drop doesn't work, check the launcher settings. Sometimes the feature is blocked by third-party themes that don't support standard gestures, and then a return to classic style will help.

⚠️ Note: When using heavy themes from the GetThemes store, the function of creating new pages may not work correctly. If you encounter bugs, temporarily switch to the standard theme "Classic".

Configuring widgets and their placement

Widgets take up more space than normal icons and require free cells. To add a widget, swipe right to the "Widgets" section or pinch the empty space on the screen. In the menu that opens, select the item you want.

Modern widgets in HyperOS support resizing. Tap the widget and pull out of the frame to expand or narrow it. This allows you to flexibly combine calendars, weather and music players.

• 📅 Calendar and clocks - occupy 2x2 or 4x2 grid-cell.
• 🌤️ Weather – often has a transparent background and adapts to wallpaper.
• 🎵 Music – allows you to control playback without logging in to the application.
• 📊 Step counter – displays activity from a fitness tracker.

Some widgets require permission to access geolocation or contacts to function properly, and the system will request these rights when it first starts, and without the appropriate permissions, the widget may display an error or empty data.

Managing the grid of icons and font

Grid size directly affects the number of apps that fit on a single screen, and you can change configuration through system settings, especially for large-screen models where standard icons look too large.

Go to the settings menu and find Desktop. There's a grid size regulator available. You can choose from 4x5 to 6x9 items depending on the Redmi model.

As icons become more dense, the text underneath them may become unreadable, and it is recommended to reduce the font size in the Screen section, and balancing the number of elements with readability is key to convenience.

Hiding and removing unnecessary pages

On Xiaomi, you can't just delete the system page, but you can hide empty or unused areas, and you can pinch it with two fingers on your desktop to open the editing mode, and you'll see a Settings button or a gear icon at the bottom.

In the menu that opens, you'll see thumbnails of all your desks. Uncheck the page you want to hide. It'll disappear from navigation, but the apps won't be removed, they'll just move to a hidden buffer or they'll be unavailable before they turn on again.

Removing widgets is done by simply dragging and dropping them into a basket that appears at the top of the screen when the object is clamped, an action that is irreversible for a particular widget settings unless you saved them beforehand.

Problems with displaying icons and their solution

Sometimes, after a system update or theme is installed, icons may disappear or not display correctly. Often the problem lies in the launcher cache. Clearing the system application data solves most visual bugs.

To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find Desktop or Launcher. Click Clear and select Clear All Data. Don't worry, your apps won't be deleted, only the icons will reset.

• 🔄 Restart the device after cleaning the cache.
• 🎨 Check if the “Simple Mode” is on for the elderly.
• 📱 Make sure there is at least 1 GB of free space in the storage.

⚠️ Warning: Launcher data reset will return the icons to factory status. All folders and widgets you create will be deleted, so remember their configuration or take a screenshot beforehand.

Use of third-party launchers

If standard MIUI features don’t suit you, you can install an alternative launcher from Google Play, popular options like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher give you complete control over the grid, gestures and animations.

Once you install a third-party application, the system will ask you what to open the main screen, select Always and specify a new launcher, and you can now add desktops using the methods offered by the application.

However, it is worth remembering the resource consumption: Third-party shells may work less optimized than the native interface of Xiaomi, which can lead to increased battery consumption and rare slowdowns when swiping.

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Xiaomi’s native launcher is best optimized for system gestures and energy savings, so alternatives should only be resorted to when urgently needed.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions