Xiaomi smartphones are famous for their functionality, but the MIUI shell, and now HyperOS, has a specific logic that can confuse a beginner. Often users find that after installing a new program from Google Play or AppStore, its icon does not appear in the usual place, but hides in the menu of all applications. This is a standard behavior of the system aimed at maintaining the purity of the interface, but it is not always convenient.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to add app shortcuts to Xiaomi’s desktop in a variety of ways to make your favorite games and utilities as fast as possible. We’ll look at not only the standard methods, but also the intricacies of customizing widgets, creating folders, and changing display settings that even experienced smartphone owners often overlook.
The differences between the firmware versions can make their own adjustments, so the instruction will be relevant both for older models with MIUI 12-14, and for the latest devices based on HyperOS. Proper organization of the workspace is not just aesthetics, but also a way to increase your productivity, getting rid of unnecessary searches for the desired function.
Basic setting of displaying icons in system settings
Before you start dragging and drop items manually, you need to make sure that the system settings allow automatic shortcut creation. In some cases, this option may be disabled, and then each new application will have to be displayed manually. To check, go to Settings → Desktop.
You'll find a number of options that control the look of the interface here, and you'll find a item called "Add shortcuts to the desktop" or "Place new apps on the desktop," and activating this switch ensures that when you install any program from the store, its icon will immediately appear on the free screen.
If you prefer full control of every pixel of the screen, you can leave it off, so all new programs will only be on the general menu, which opens upwards, which helps to avoid chaos, but requires manual work on the output of the desired shortcuts.
⚠️ Note: After changing the display settings in some versions MIUI You may need to restart the launcher or the smartphone itself to make the changes take effect. If the slider doesn't switch, check if the "Simple Mode" mode for older people, which has its limitations, is on.
Also in this section, you can look at the size of the grid, and you can choose a 4x6 or 5x6 circuit, which allows you to put more elements on a single screen. The smaller the icon size, the more utilities you can fit on the display, which is especially true for models with a diagonal of less than 6 inches.
Drag and drop from the menu of all applications
The most common and intuitive way to add a missing item is to find it in the general list and move it to the home screen, swipe up the center of the screen to open the menu of all installed programs, and here they can be sorted alphabetically or by add-on time.
Find the icon you want in the list. Press it with your finger and hold it for one to two seconds. The screen blinks, and the interface switches to the desktop view. Without letting go, drag the object into the free area of the grid. If there is no space, the system will suggest creating a new page or moving existing elements.
☑️ Algorithm of adding a label
And it's important to note that if you drag and drop on a cell that's already occupied, you can create a folder, which is a convenient mechanism for grouping similar programs, like banking applications or social networks, and if the folder is created by accident, you can immediately unlock it by pulling the top right corner and selecting "Delete folder."
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where, with a long press, the context menu appears, rather than drag and drop. In this case, you need to choose the option "Change" or simply drag the item without holding your finger too long at one point. On the Redmi Note and Xiaomi Mi models, the sensitivity of the touchscreen may differ, requiring more confident movement.
Using widgets for quick access
The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer advanced widget capabilities that are often ignored. The widget is not just a picture, but an active interface element that can act as a shortcut to run specific actions within an application. To add them, go to desktop editing mode (two finger pinches) and select "Widgets".
In the list you open, find the app you want. Often, you can find not only the standard icon, but also specialized shortcuts: "Camera Quick Start", "Scan QR", "Pay" or "New Note." By placing such a widget on the screen, you get access to a specific feature in one click, without opening the application itself.
| Type of widget | Functional | Size on the grid | Interactivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic icon | Launch of the application | 1x1 | Low. |
| Action widget | Quick start of the function | 2x1 or 2x2 | Tall. |
| Information unit | Data display (weather, course) | 4x2 | Medium |
| folder | Preview group of applications | 2x2 or 4x2 | Medium |
When adding widgets, consider their impact on RAM consumption. Too many active elements on the desktop can lead to more frequent unloading of background processes, especially on models with 4 GB of RAM or less. Try not to overload the first screen with heavy animations.
How to remove standard Xiaomi widgets?
Creating and Configuring Folders for Organizing Space
When you have dozens of installed programs, the desktop becomes a chaotic pile of icons, and the solution is to use folders wisely. To create a folder, just drag and drop one icon over the other, and the system automatically creates a container where both items are placed.
Click on the folder you created to open it. At the top, you'll see a name that is the default content-based name (like Social Networks or Games), which you can change to any one you like by clicking on the text box, and you can place up to a few dozen shortcuts inside the folder, organizing them as you like.
The feature of Xiaomi's interface is that it can quickly access the contents of the folder without opening it, and if you pull the folder down, it will unfold into a full-screen menu, where the icons will become larger and easier to click, which is especially useful for people with large fingers or low vision.
⚠️ Note: When you delete a folder, all the shortcuts inside the folder don't disappear from your phone, but just go back to your desktop or app menu. However, if you delete the app itself, the shortcut will disappear from the folder forever, and you can only restore it by reinstalling it again.
For advanced users, it is possible to create nested folders, although regular MIUI means do this with limitations. Most often, the “folder in folder” method is used through drag and drop, but the stability of this design depends on the firmware version and can lead to visual bugs.
Working with Contact Labels and Websites
In addition to standard applications, you can also display shortcuts to your desktop to quickly call a specific person or navigate to a frequently visited site, saving time by eliminating the need to open a phone book or browser and enter queries manually.
To add a contact, open the standard Contacts or Phone app. Find the entry you want in the list, click on it to open your subscriber card. In the menu (usually three dots in the corner or the "More" button), select "Create a shortcut" or "Add to the desktop."
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Use the Favorites widget to display a list of the 4-8 most important contacts directly to your desktop, allowing you to call your loved ones in one click without even unlocking your phone completely (depending on your security settings).
For websites, the process is slightly different and depends on the browser you use. In Chrome or Mi Browser, open the desired page, click on the menu (three dots) and select "Add to the home screen." The system will create a shortcut that will lead directly to this page, working as a separate mini-app.
These shortcuts are especially useful for web versions of services that don’t have native apps on Google Play, or for accessing bank and government accounts, which take up minimal space but provide instant access to important information.
Solving the Problems of Label Disappearance
Sometimes users are faced with a nasty situation where shortcuts spontaneously disappear from the desktop or move to strange places, often due to the work of the built-in memory optimizer or a launcher error. If one shortcut is missing, try to find the application on the menu and create it again.
A more serious problem is when the entire desktop grid is reset, which can occur after a system update or a launcher cache is cleared. To minimize risks, you can use the settings backup function. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and create a backup system settings.
It's also worth checking if Desktop Layout Lock is activated. It's in the screen editing menu (two finger pinch) -> Settings. If lock is enabled, you can't add, delete or move any item, which is often perceived as a system error.
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Regular updates to the launcher through the Security app or Google Play help eliminate icon display bugs and improve the stability of the interface.
In rare cases, the cause is a third-party launcher installed by the user, the conflict between the system interface and the externally loaded shell can lead to incorrect display of shortcuts, in which case it is recommended to return to the standard launcher POCO Launcher or System Launcher.