How to move icons on the screen of the smartphone Xiaomi: 5 ways to MIUI 14/15

The desktop of a Xiaomi smartphone is your digital space, which should be convenient and functional. But what if the icons of the application are randomly located and the desired icons are constantly lost among dozens of others? Moving icons on the screen is one of the basic functions of the MIUI shell, but not all users are aware of the hidden possibilities of customization. In this article, we will discuss not only the standard method of drag and drop, but also alternative methods: from sorting by alphabet to creating folders and using gestures.

The feature of MIUI is that the interface may differ depending on the firmware version and smartphone model (for example, Redmi Note 12 vs POCO F5). We took these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that work on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 12-15. If you just purchased a new gadget or want to optimize the old one – this article will help make the desktop perfect.

1. Standard method: dragging icons with your finger

The most obvious method is to move the icons manually, and it works on all versions of MIUI and doesn't require any additional settings, so you can move the icon to a new location.

1. Tap the app icon and hold it for 1-2 seconds until it sticks away from the screen.
2. Without letting go of your finger, drag the icon to the desired area of the desktop.
3. Raise your finger to fix the position.

If you want to move the icon to another screen, drag it to the edge of the display (left or right) and wait for automatic scrolling. Xiaomi with MIUI 14+ supports a swipe-up gesture for a quick jump to the app menu – this is convenient if you accidentally dropped the icon in the wrong place.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) if the icon is held long, you can open a context menu with the options "Delete" or "Application Information". To avoid this, drag the icon immediately after the vibration without holding your finger.

Make sure the screen is unlocked.

Check if the "Children's Mode" is on (limits changes)

Turn off the "Double Touch for Sleep" gestures (may interfere)

Close all background applications for smooth operation-->

Automatic sorting: alphabetical order and categories

Manual drag and drop is tedious when there are dozens of apps on the screen. MIUI has an automatic sorting feature built in that organizes icons by:

• 🔤 Alphabet (by the name of the appendix)
• 📊 Categories (social networks, games, tools, etc.)
• 📅 Installation date (new first)
• ⭐ Frequency of use (frequently opened priority)

To include sorting:

1. Touch the empty space on your desktop and hold until the menu appears.
2. Select Screen Settings (or Desktop Settings on older versions).
3. Go to the Application Sorting section.
4. Select the right criteria and confirm the changes.

💡 Tip: If you have multiple screens after sorting, use the Connect Screens function in the same menu, and it will automatically distribute the icons so that they occupy the minimum number of pages.

3. Creating folders for grouping icons

Folders help you structure your desktop by merging similar applications, like creating folders like Social Network, Games, or Work.

1. Drag one icon to another (as when moving, but "throw" it over another).
2. A folder with the name of the category will be automatically created (it can be renamed).
3. To add new icons, just drag them into the folder.

🔹 Nuances of folder work in MIUI:

• 📁 The folder can contain up to 16 applications (on newer versions) or 9 (on older versions).
• 🎨 The color of the folder changes automatically depending on the wallpaper.
• 🔒 To delete the folder, drag all the icons out of it – it will disappear by itself.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 10C) folders do not support nesting - you can not create a folder inside the folder. Also avoid placing system applications (for example, Settings and Phone) in the same folder, as this can cause crashes when updating. MIUI.

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To quickly open the application from the folder, tap the folder icon and, without letting go, pull to the side - a reduced preview with content will open.

4.Use of gestures for rapid movement

MIUI 14/15 supports desktop gestures that speed up icon movement.

🔹 Secret Trick: If you need to move multiple icons at the same time, use Select Mode:

1. Touch and hold the blank space on the screen.
2. Select Select Items (or Edit Mode).
3. Tick the icons and drag them in a group.

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Gestures only work on the home screen. In the app menu (All apps), you can't move icons, because there are different sorting rules.

5. Screen grid setting: changing the size of icons

If the icons on the screen seem too large or small, you can change the size of the desktop grid, which indirectly affects the location of the icons, because it changes the number of cells on the screen.

1. Touch and hold an empty space on the desktop.
2. Select Screen Settings → Grid size.
3. Choose the right option: from 3×3 (large icons) to 5×6 (small ones).

📏 Recommendations for selection of a grid:

• 📱 For small screens (Redmi) A2, POCO M5) netting 4×5.
• 🖥️ On large displays (Xiaomi) 13 Ultra) convenient grid 5×6.
• 👓 If you have vision problems, choose 3×3 or 4×4.

⚠️ Attention: Changing the size of the grid will reset the current location of the icons - they automatically align on the new grid. If you had custom placement, it is better to take a screenshot of the screen first (Power button) + Reduce volume, so that order can be restored.

6. Resetting the location of the icons to factory settings

If the displacement experiments have led to chaos, you can re-establish the original location of the icons.

1. Touch and hold an empty space on the desktop.
2. Select Screen Settings → Reset the location.
3. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

🔄 What happens after the discharge:

• ✅ The icons will return to standard order (usually alphabetically).
• ❌ All created folders and groups will be deleted.
• ⚠️ Widgets will remain in their places (they must be manually removed).

7. Additional tips for organizing the desktop

To keep your desktop comfortable, follow these recommendations:

• 📌 Secure frequently used applications in the dock panel (bottom of the screen). To do this, drag the icon down to the panel.
• 🎨 Use widgets to quickly access features (weather, calendar, notes) added via Widgets → Add it to the screen.
• 🔍 Hide rarely used apps from the menu: pinch the icon → They'll be found through a search.
• 🔄 Clean your desktop regularly of unnecessary icons, remove apps you haven’t used in more than a month.

💡 Advanced Life Hack: If you don’t have enough screen space, install a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher) that offers advanced grid settings, gestures, and even the ability to hide icons without removing apps.

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System applications (such as Settings or Messages) cannot be removed or hidden by standard means. MIUI. This will require root rights or ADB-team.

FAQ: Frequent questions about moving icons to Xiaomi