How to make a folder on the desktop of the Xiaomi phone: all the ways

Xiaomi’s desktop quickly fills with app icons, especially if you’re actively installing new programs. Creating folders helps structure space, speed up access to the right services, and even save battery power — the system spends less resources on displaying an ordered screen. However, in the MIUI shell (even in the latest versions of MIUI 14/15), this process is not always intuitive: menus are hidden, gestures differ from other Android devices, and some functions depend on the phone model.

In this article, you will find three working ways to create folders on the Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO home screen, including hidden chips for advanced users. We will also discuss why sometimes folders are not created (and how to fix this), how to rename them without bugs, and what unique limitations MIUI imposes on the number of nested folders — this information is not in the official documentation. If you use POCO Launcher or third-party launchers, at the end of the article there is a separate section with nuances for them.

Method 1: Standard drag and drop folder creation (for MIUI 12-15)

This is the basic method that works on most Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 and later.It requires no additional settings and takes less than 10 seconds.

Algorithm of action:

• 📱 Unlock your phone and go to the main screen (not in the app menu!).
• 👆 Click on any app icon and hold it for 2-3 seconds until it “rises” above the screen.
• 📂 Drag the icon to another icon (not to empty space!) with the right action, a semi-transparent circle will appear.
• 📝 Release your finger – the system will automatically create a folder with the default name (for example, “Apps").

If the folder is not created, check:

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO X5 Pro) Drag and drop only works in screen editing mode. To turn it on, make a long press on the empty desktop space. → select "Widgets and wallpaper" → Then you go back and then you drag it again.

Hold the icon for a long time (3+ seconds) |

Drag to another icon, not to an empty place|

Stay on the home screen, not the app menu |

Disable the "Light Mode" mode in the settings-->

Method 2: Create a folder through the Edit menu

This method is suitable for devices where drag and drop doesn’t work (for example, on Xiaomi Pad tablets or in MIUI for Android Go) and allows you to create folders without first placing icons on the desktop.

Step-by-step:

1. Click and hold the empty space on your desktop (not the icon!).
2. In the menu that appears, select Widgets and Wallpaper (or Screen Settings on older versions).
3. Slip the Folder icon (usually it is in the "Widgets" section).
4. Drag the empty folder to the desktop and let go.
5. Now you can add apps to it by dragging.

The advantage of this is that you can plan the structure of folders in advance without filling them up right away, for example, you can create folders like Social Network, Work, Games, and then fill them with apps.

💡

If the Widgets menu does not have a folder option, upgrade to the latest version of MIUI or install the Nova Launcher launcher (the free version supports folders).

Method 3: Use the Double Press Mode (hidden MIUI function)

Little-known life hack for Xiaomi owners with MIUI 13+: folders can be created by double-clicking on the app icon. This feature is disabled by default, but it is easy to activate.

How to turn on:

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Special features → Double-touch gestures.
2. Activate the Folder Creation Switch (or Icon Action on some models).
3. Return to your desktop and tap on any icon twice.
4. The system will prompt you to create a folder or open an action menu (depending on the model).

This method is convenient for fast folder creation with one hand, but has a limitation: it works only for applications installed in the main memory of the phone (not on the phone). SD-map).

Dragging icons |

Through the Edit menu |

Double press |

Using a third-party launcher-->

How to rename a folder and change its icon

By default, MIUI names folders like "Folder 1," "Apps," or "New Folder." To change the name:

• 📝 Open the folder (slip it on it).
• 🖊️ Slip by the current name at the top of the screen.
• ✏️ Enter a new name (up to 20 characters) and click Ready.

To change the folder icon:

1. Open the folder and click on the trench (⋮) top-right.
2. Choose Change the icon.
3. Choose one of the options offered or upload your image (PNG or JPG format, up to 512×512 pixels).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and below custom folder icons are reset after the system update. To avoid this, use the Icon Pack Studio app to create backups.

Why you can’t create a folder: 5 common reasons and solutions

If folders are not created in either way, the problem may lie in system settings or hardware constraints, and here are the most common causes and solutions:

The unique limitation of MIUI is that you can't create more than 16 folders on your desktop at a time (including nested ones). When you try to add a 17th folder, the system will give you an error called "Over the limit of objects." This is a hardware limitation that you can't get around without root rights.

Foldering: Tips for Maximum Efficiency

It's not enough to just create folders -- you have to structure them properly to save time and reduce the workload on the processor.

• 📱 By frequency of use: 🔝 "Often" (messaging, calls, camera) 📅 "Sometimes" (banks, mail, notes) 🎮 "Nearby” (games, entertainment)
• 🎨 By icon colors: Group apps with similar colors (e.g., all green icons in one folder) to speed up visual search.
• 🔄 Dynamic folders: Use the recent folder where you can add apps you’ve used in the past 24 hours (manually or via Tasker).

To automate sorting, use the FolderSync app (free on Google Play).

• Create folders by application categories (social networks, games, tools).
• Configure automatic addition of new applications to the corresponding folders.
• Synchronize folder structure between multiple Xiaomi devices.

💡

Use no more than 3 folder nesting levels. Deep structures slow down the MIUI launcher and increase battery consumption by 5-7% (according to XDA Developers tests).

Features for POCO Launcher and Third-Party Launchers

If you’re using POCO Launcher (set by default on POCO phones) or third-party launchers like Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, the folder-creating algorithm is different.

For POCO Launcher:

• 📱 Drag and drop icons only works in editing mode (long tap on empty space). → "Edit").
• 🔄 Folders can be sorted by alphabet or color (click on the folder). → "Sorting").
• 📂 Enclosed folders are supported, but their depth is limited to 2 levels (unlike the standard folder). MIUI, 3-level).

For Nova Launcher:

1. Hold the icon and drag it to another one (like in standard Android).
2. To create an empty folder, hold your finger on your desktop. → "folder".
3. Set up gestures for folders (such as swipe up to open): Long click on the folder → Settings → Gestures.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers, turn off optimization MIUI For them, otherwise folders may disappear after rebooting. → Annexes → Application management → Three (⋮) → Special access → Optimize the battery and select "No Limits" for your launcher.

FAQ: Frequent questions about folders on Xiaomi