Xiaomi’s current MIUI-enclosed smartphones or the new HyperOS offer users a huge personalization experience. Desktop is the space from which any interaction with a gadget begins, so its aesthetics and functionality play a key role in everyday comfort. Many owners of Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi devices are unaware of how many hidden features are available to them to create a unique interface without installing third-party launchers.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the process of turning a standard set of icons into a stylish, convenient and effective smartphone management tool. You will learn how to properly configure the application grid, add informative widgets and even hide the excess from prying eyes. Competent organization of space directly affects the speed of your work and visual pleasure from using Xiaomi.
Basic setting of the grid and the appearance of icons
The first thing to start with is to change the density of the elements. The standard grid is often too sparse, which makes you swipe too much. To change the number of icons in the row, you need to go to the settings and select Screen → Grid, and you can choose from 4x5 to denser options, such as 5x6 or even 6x7 on larger screen models.
In addition to the number, you should pay attention to the size and style of the application shortcuts themselves. In the Topics menu → Profile → Icons, you can replace standard graphic elements with more minimalistic or, conversely, bright and voluminous options. Customization of icons allows you to bring the heterogeneous design of applications to a single denominator, creating a sense of system integrity.
And remember, you can change the size of the font and the boldness, which also affects desktop perception. Large text can be convenient for people with low vision, but it takes up more useful space. The balance between readability and free space is a customization that every Redmi user needs to pick up for themselves.
⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party icon packs from unofficial sources, always check them for malicious code, as they may have extended system access rights.
Changing the grid settings instantly rearranges all the shortcuts, so before global changes, it is better to group applications into folders in advance, which will help to maintain order and not lose important programs in the chaos of movement.
Installation and configuration of widgets for productivity
Widgets are the heart of any functional desktop, turning it from a simple shortcut dump into an information bar. Xiaomi smartphones offer both standard weather, clock and calendar widgets, as well as advanced tools like a step counter or quick access to contacts. To add a new element, just make a long tap on the empty area of the screen and select the Widgets item in the bottom menu.
Special attention should be paid to interactive widgets that allow you to control music, voice recorder or smart home directly from the lock screen or desktop. In recent versions of MIUI, the ability to resize widgets, stretching them into one or two grid cells for better readability, this is especially true for news widgets or currency rates, where it is important to see as much information as possible at once.
For health watchers, an activity widget that shows progress toward daily goals will be indispensable, which motivates them to move more and keep abreast of their condition, and widgets can display the charging status of connected devices, which is extremely convenient for owners of the Mijia ecosystem.
- 📊 Weather widget with hourly forecast and air pollution level.
- 🗓️ Calendar with the nearest events and phases of the moon.
- 🎵 Music player with album cover and control buttons.
- 🔋 The battery indicator of the smartphone itself and connected gadgets.
Do not overload the screen with many heavy widgets, as this can lead to increased battery consumption and lower system performance. The optimal is the presence of 3-5 most commonly used information units.
Working with folders and grouping applications
When you have dozens of apps installed, folders come to the rescue. Unlike many other systems, Xiaomi's shell allows you not only to fold programs into containers, but also to change the appearance of the programs. Once you create a folder, you can click on its name and change the background color, font, or even make the background transparent so that it merges with the wallpaper.
There's an interesting feature called the folder widget that allows you to display the contents of a folder to your desktop as a horizontal tape or grid without having to open it, which saves space and speeds up access to commonly used programs in a single category, like social networks or banking applications.
To create a folder, you just drag and drop one app icon onto another, and then the system automatically suggests a category name that you can edit, and you can sort it by installation time, frequency of use, or manually drag and drop them in the right order.
The use of folders is especially important for devices with a small amount of RAM, as it reduces the load on rendering many individual graphic elements when scrolling the desktop.
Hiding applications and the second space mode
Sometimes you have to hide certain apps from prying eyes, whether it’s personal photos, bank clients or just games. Xiaomi has a built-in app hiding feature that doesn’t require you to install additional software. To activate it, you need to go to Settings → Apps → Hide apps.
Once activated, hidden apps disappear from the desktop and from the menu of all programs, accessed through a special gesture or code that the user sets, which creates an additional level of privacy, without the need to create separate profiles or use complex passwords for each application individually.
A more radical but effective method is to create a Second Space, which is actually a second virtual smartphone inside the same physical device, with its own wallpaper, accounts and apps, switching between spaces instantly by fingerprint or special code, and the second space mode is ideal for separating work and personal life, or for handing the phone to children without the risk of them seeing the extra.
| Function | Hiding applications | Second space | Guest mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level of protection | Medium (code/gesture required) | High (separate system) | Low (temporary access) |
| Individual accounts | No. | Yes. | No. |
| Memory expenditure | Minimum | High (copy of system) | Medium. |
| Switching speed | Instantly. | 1-2 seconds | 5-10 seconds |
When using the Second Space
Customization of gestures and navigation
The ease of use of the home screen depends on the way you navigate. Xiaomi offers a classic three-button scheme at the bottom of the screen or modern full-screen gestures. Gesture controls free up the bottom of the display, making the content more immersive and making it easier to reach the interface elements with one hand.
Navigation settings can also change the sensitivity of the edges of the screen to avoid accidental taps, and adjust the speed of transition animation. For users who are used to certain behavior patterns, adjust the direction of the swipe to return to the back. Navigation with gestures takes some time to get used to, but significantly speeds up work in the long run.
Special attention should be paid to the "Floating Window" or the sidebar called by a swipe from the edge of the screen, which can be added to the frequently used applications that will open over the current ones in a small window, which allows, for example, to chat in the messenger without interrupting the video or game.
💡
Increase the animation speed in the “Developers” menu (Scale of Windows Animation, Scale of Transition Animation) so that the Xiaomi interface feels more responsive and faster.
Do not ignore the possibility of setting the “Big Thumb” area, which limits the active area at the bottom of the screen, preventing accidental palm pressing when using the smartphone with one hand.
Advanced Customization Through Topics
MIUI theme store is a powerful tool that is often underrated, and you can find not just static pictures, but entire sets that change the design of system windows, notification curtains, settings menus and, of course, the home screen. Some topics include dynamic wallpaper that responds to touch or time of day.
When choosing a theme, pay attention to the rating and downloads, as well as compatibility with your version of Android and MIUI. Heavy themes with many live effects can significantly reduce the autonomy of the device.
The theme store also has a Fonts section where you can replace the system font with a more readable or stylized font. Changing the font is an easy way to refresh the interface without drastic changes. Font customization is especially useful for improving readability on high-resolution screens.
⚠️ Note: When installing themes from third-party sources (not through the official store), make sure that the file has the extension.mtz and is intended specifically for your version of the shell, otherwise there may be failures in the interface.
To return to the standard design at any time, just go to the theme profile and click the “Reset” button or apply the default theme “Classic”.
Desktop Cleaning and Optimization
Sooner or later, every desktop is filled with unnecessary garbage: remote game shortcuts, temporary files and widgets that you stopped using. Regular cleaning is necessary to maintain performance. Xiaomi has a built-in Cleanup tool that helps you find duplicate files and unused applications.
It's also worth checking the widget list for those that are constantly updating data in the background, but rarely used by you. Removing such items reduces the load on the processor and network. A clean desktop is not only beautiful, but also good for the battery.
Use the "Order" feature in the desktop editing menu to automatically align all icons and remove empty spaces. This takes a couple of seconds, but immediately gives the system a neat look. Optimizing space should become a regular user habit.
☑️ Monthly cleaning of the smartphone
Do not forget that a crowded launcher cache can cause twitching of the interface, so periodic cleaning of the cache in the application settings will also not be superfluous.