Owners of modern smartphones Xiaomi and Poco often face unusual organization of the workspace immediately after buying the device. By default, the shell MIUI or HyperOS offers a scheme where only widgets and favorite shortcuts are on the desktop, and the full list of programs is hidden in a separate menu "App Vault" or simply in a curtain swipe up. For many users who have switched from other brands or are accustomed to the classic logic of Android, this creates discomfort and slows access to frequently used functions.
Fortunately, the system allows you to flexibly adjust this setting, returning the classic interface. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to change the launcher settings so that all installed programs are displayed directly on desktops, without having to open additional menus. This solution does not require root rights or complex firmware, just change a few points in the system settings.
Not only can you display all the icons on the screen, but you can also optimize their location for maximum convenience. We will look at the standard features of the system, the features of different versions of the firmware and give recommendations for organizing space so that your Poco X3 becomes a really convenient tool in daily use.
Differences between MIUI and HyperOS
Before we make any changes, it's important to understand exactly how Xiaomi's shell navigation works. There are two main launcher modes: the app menu mode and the classic mode. In the first case, all new programs automatically enter a special list called by the swipe from the bottom up, leaving the desktop clean. In the second case, which we'll activate, each new program creates a shortcut on the desktop.
Mode choices affect overall interface speed and visual perception. The classic All-on-Screen mode often seems more responsive, because the system doesn't have to render a separate menu over the main layer. However, if you have more than a hundred applications installed, the desktop can turn into chaos, so it's worth thinking about structuring the space in parallel with changing the settings.
It is worth noting that on different versions of the firmware, the names of items may differ slightly, but the logic remains the same for the entire model range, including the Poco X3 NFC and Poco X3 Pro. The system offers a fairly flexible toolkit for customization, allowing each user to choose the best option for interacting with a smartphone.
π‘
Switching the application display mode is a software setup that does not affect the performance of the processor, but changes the logic of navigation.
Step-by-step instructions for changing the launcher settings
You have to go to the system settings menu first, and you can do this in two ways: through the gear icon on the menu, or through the control panel, and find a section called the desktop or the home screen, and that's where you have all the options for the interface, the icon grid, and the menu behavior.
Inside this section, look for "Desktop Format" or "Desktop Mode." The default option is "C from the App Menu." You need to change the box or select "Classic Mode" (sometimes called "No App Menu"), and after that, the system instantly rebuilds the grid, and all the previously hidden icons appear on the free pages.
If you can't find the right item right away, search by settings. Type the word "Worker" or "Desktop" into the search box and the system will suggest you to go to the desired menu, this is especially true for newer versions of HyperOS, where the menu structure has been partially changed compared to MIUI 12 or MIUI 13.
βοΈ Checking screen settings
Set up the grid and size of the icons
Once all the apps are on the screen, they may be too sparse or too space-consuming. The grid setting is available in the desktop settings. For the Poco X3 with its screen size, the optimal format is often 5x6 or even 6x6 if you have good vision, which allows you to fit more elements on one screen.
Also, look at the size of the icons. In the same settings menu, there's often a slider or a choice between "Big," "Standard" and "Small." Reducing the size of the icons visually frees up space and makes the interface more informative, but too small elements can be uncomfortable to click on, and it's important to find a balance between aesthetics and usability.
Remember that changing the size of the grid can cause some widgets you used to stop fitting in the designated cells, in which case they will have to be removed and added again, choosing a compatible size, and the system will warn you if the current widget configuration conflicts with the new grid.
π‘
Use large weather or calendar widgets at the top of the screen, and leave the area under your thumb for commonly used instant messenger apps.
Organization of space and folder
When dozens of icons appear on the screen, the question of organization becomes critical. Chaotic labeling reduces productivity and makes you waste time finding the right program. It is recommended that you create several thematic folders immediately after switching mode.
Create folders by function: "Social Networks," "Games," "Work," "Finance." Call them concisely and clearly. In the MIUI shell, folders can display content without fully opening, if you customize the appropriate style, which speeds access to nested applications, which is especially convenient for rarely used but necessary programs.
There's also a frequency strategy, which is to keep everything you need on the first screen every hour (phone, text, browser, camera) and put everything else on the second and third screens or folders, and sorting it helps you keep order and keep important labels in the dataset.
Comparison of interface modes
To help you decide which mode is right for you, weβve compiled a comparison table that will help you understand the pros and cons of each approach to organizing your workspace on your Poco X3.
| Parameter | Classic Mode (All on Screen) | Mode from the application menu |
|---|---|---|
| Access to programmes | Direct, one click. | You need to swipe or open the menu |
| Desktop cleanliness | Requires manual sorting and folders | Automatic, minimalistic |
| Installation of new applications | Automatically creates a shortcut on the table | It only appears on the menu (by default) |
| Search speed | High for the chosen, low for the rare | Stable, search or alphabet used |
As you can see from the table, the classic mode wins in terms of access speed to frequently used features, but loses in visual purity if you do not sort. App menu mode is ideal for minimalists who prefer to use title search or widgets to run programs.
Advanced settings and hidden functions
For users who want to go beyond standard settings, the Xiaomi shell offers additional features. For example, you can change the style of displaying folders by making them transparent or changing the background. Also available is the feature "Increased Mode", which changes fonts and icon sizes for people with visual impairment.
β οΈ Note: Using third-party launchers from Google Play (such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher) may give you more customization options, but often leads to increased battery consumption and unstable navigation gestures on Poco X3.
If you do decide to use a third-party solution, be sure to give it all the necessary permissions in the menu "Applications". β Settings β Special features. Without that, swipes, animations, or home screen returns may not work. MIUI/HyperOS fairly.
Also worth mentioning is the Pocket Mode feature in lock settings, which prevents accidental taps when the phone is in your pocket, which is especially true when the entire screen is filled with icons and the risk of accidentally launching the application is higher.
Secret cleaning function
Solution and resetting of settings
Sometimes, after a system update or failure, the launcher settings may go off and the icons may disappear or be placed incorrectly. If you see that the desktop is behaving strangely (shortcuts disappear, folders do not open), try to clear the launcher cache. To do this, go to Settings β Apps β All applications β System Launcher.
In the app menu, select "Clean" and then "Clean cache." Don't confuse it with "Clean all," because in the second case, you'll reset all the icons to factory status, and you'll have to reconfigure the screen, and the cache contains temporary files that may have been corrupted.
If the problem persists, check for system updates. Often Xiaomi releases patches that fix interface bugs. Go to Settings β About the phone and click on the system version to check for updates. The stable operation of the operating system is the key to comfortable use of all functions.
β οΈ Warning: Before clearing the launcher data ("Clean All"), make sure to remember the location of important widgets, as they will be removed from the desktop and will have to be added again manually.