Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which are powered by the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, offer users far more personalization than standard Android. Many device owners face confusion about the terminology of calling “Main Menu” completely different interface elements, in fact, it often hides either a list of all applications, a drop-down control menu, or even hidden engineering settings.
Understanding the interface architecture is essential to unlocking the potential of your gadget. Competent settings of the start screen and system settings allow you to speed up the system, improve ergonomics and make smartphone use truly comfortable. In this article, we will explore all aspects of interaction with the main menu, from basic navigation to advanced icon hiding techniques.
It is worth noting that the location of elements may vary slightly depending on the firmware version (CN or Global) and the specific model, whether it is the flagship Xiaomi 14 or the budget Redmi Note.
Differences between Launcher and System Menu
The first thing a beginner needs to learn is the difference between a launcher and a system menu. Launcher is the visual shell that controls the appearance of the desktop, the location of widgets and application icons. This is what you see immediately after you unlock the screen. In MIUI, this component is called MIUI Launcher, and in new versions it evolved into HyperOS Launcher.
The system menu, often called a "curtain" or "control panel," is called by a top-down swipe, and there are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, flashlight and brightness sliders on the menu, and the confusion is that the classic Android app menu is called by a button, and Xiaomi defaults to a desktop schema where all the apps are scattered across screens, like iOS.
To get to the full list of all installed programs on most models, you need to swipe from the bottom up from the bottom of the screen, which opens up what's called the "Application Menu," where they're sorted alphabetically or by frequency of use.
- 📱 Desktop – a place for widgets and frequently used shortcuts.
- 🗂 Application menu – a complete list of all installed software.
- ⚙️ Control panel - quick system settings and brightness.
- 🔍 Search – Global search by files, contacts and the Internet (in the line at the top).
⚠️ Note: Some global versions of the firmware (EU or Global Stable) can be activated by default, the classic Android view, where the app menu is called by a separate button. Check the launcher settings if you are used to a different scheme.
Separating these concepts is critical when looking for instructions on the network, so if you're looking for ways to change icons, you need a launcher partition, and if you want to configure the network, it's a control panel.
Customization of the appearance and grid of the desktop
Personalization starts with changing the desktop grid. The standard configuration may not be suitable for those who like minimalism or, conversely, want to put as much information as possible on one screen. To change the settings, go to Settings → Desktop or pinch an empty space on the screen and select the appropriate item.
Here you can change the number of rows and columns. For example, switching from a 5x6 configuration to a 6x7 configuration will allow you to place 7 more icons on one screen, this is especially true for devices with a diagonal of more than 6.5 inches, such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 13 Pro+.
Also available in this section is the font size adjustment of app signatures, which allows visually freeing up space by making the interface airier, but too small text can make reading worse for people with visual impairments.
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Use a large sized Weather or Stepmer widget to fill the empty space on your desktop if you have reduced the number of icons.
An important feature is the ability to hide applications. The desktop settings menu often contains the item "Hidden applications", the programs added there disappear from the desktop and from the general menu, you can access them only through a special code or folder.
| Setup parameter | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Screen grid | Default or 5x7. | Balance between capacity and readability |
| Increased icons | Off. | When you turn on the icons become larger, but they fit less |
| Show all applications | Included. | Adding all new applications to the desktop automatically |
| Wallpaper carousel | If you wish, | Changes the wallpaper on the lock screen, can consume traffic |
Changes take effect instantly, and if you don't like the result, you can always return the default settings by selecting the appropriate item in the same menu.
Creating folders and grouping applications
The random placement of icons on the screen reduces productivity. To clean up, use folders. The creation process is intuitive: touch and hold your finger on one icon, then drag it on top of another. The system automatically creates a folder.
Grouping allows you to assemble applications by functionalities: social networks, games, work, finances. This not only organizes the space, but also speeds up the search for the desired program. You can add up to several dozen applications to the folder, they will be placed in a grid inside the container.
The MIUI shell is a feature that allows you to rename folders and change their color scheme depending on the content, so if you delete all applications from the folder except one, the folder will automatically disappear, leaving only a shortcut.
- 📁 Press and hold the icon to start dragging.
- 📁 Put one icon on another to create a group.
- 📁 Click on the folder name to rename it.
- 📁 Out of the folder is done by swipe down or tap outside its area.
There's also a feature called "Game Acceleration," which automatically brings all gaming apps into a separate space, and it's not just a folder, it's an isolated environment with optimized CPU resources.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t create too deep nesting levels or folders with hundreds of apps.This can cause micro-lags when opening menus on devices with little RAM.
Management of widgets and panels
Widgets are dynamic elements that display information to the desktop without having to run an application. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, they are central. To add a widget, pinch your two fingers on your desktop or keep your finger empty for a long time, then select "Widgets."
The widget library in HyperOS has been significantly redesigned, with large interactive elements that allow you to, for example, flip through a news feed or control music directly from the screen, and available widgets for weather, calendar, notes, batteries and third-party applications.
The widget size can be changed by pulling a corner after adding to the screen. Some widgets support multiple styles, for example, the watch can be displayed in digital, analog format or as a minimalist string.
The Secret of Big Widgets
It’s important to remember the impact of widgets on autonomy: Widgets that constantly update data over the Internet (news, weather, currency rates) consume battery power and traffic. If your smartphone battery runs out too quickly, try removing the heaviest widgets from your desktop.
Control Center is also subject to customization, and in newer versions, it's separated from the notification curtain, and the swipe on the top right opens control, on the left opens notifications, and you can change that behavior in the settings to bring back the classic Android look.
Hidden functions and engineering menu
For advanced users, there is access to hidden parts of the system, and one of the most useful is hardware testing. To get there, open the Phone app and type in the code ##6484##. The CIT (Customer Integration Test) will open the CIT (Customer Integration Test) menu.
You can check every component of your smartphone, sensor, microphone, vibrator, GPS and cameras, and it's useful for diagnosing malfunctions or after you buy a used device, and be careful that changing some of the parameters in the engineering menu can lead to unstable system operation.
Another hidden feature is the Developer Mode, which you can activate by clicking 7 times quickly on either MIUI Version or OS Version in the About Phone section, and then you'll see a new Developer Section in the advanced settings.
The path to developer mode:
Settings → About phone → Tapay 7 times by "Version MIUI" →
Passwords and security → Access to application data (for some versions)In developer mode, features like animation acceleration, USB debugging, and limiting background processes are available. Accelerating animation to 0.5x visually makes Xiaomi’s interface much faster and more responsive.
- 🔧 CIT Menu – complete diagnosis of iron.
- 🚀 Animation – setting the speed of rendering the interface.
- 📡 Debugging by USB — for advanced PC management.
- 👁 One-hand mode – reducing the screen for easy control.
⚠️ Warning: Never change the settings in the Display or Network section of the engineering menu unless you know exactly what a particular parameter is responsible for, which can cause signal loss or color distortion.
☑️ Check after setting up the menu
Frequent problems and their solution
Users often experience a situation where the app icon is missing or the desktop stops working. If the shortcut disappears, check if the app is in the Tools or Google folder, where the system often sorts programs automatically when it updates.
If the interface freezes, when the touchscreen in the menu area does not respond, rebooting the launcher will help. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, search the Desktop (or MIUI Launcher) list and click Clear Cache. This will not delete your data, but reset the display settings.
If the problem is systemic, a third-party topic may be in conflict; topics downloaded from unofficial sources may contain errors in the markup code; return the standard theme to "Classic" through the "Themes" app to rule this out.
Critical: If the menu doesn't start even after you've cached, try booting into Safe Mode. To do this, press the volume button when you turn on your phone. If the menu is running in Safe Mode, it means that the problem is in one of the apps you've installed.
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Most of the problems with displaying menus on Xiaomi are solved by cleaning the cache of the Desktop application or returning to the standard theme of design.
Regular system updates through Settings → The phone is also addressed by a host of interface bugs. Xiaomi engineers are constantly improving the stability of the shell, so ignore the updates is not worth it.