How to hide the app icon on Xiaomi: full methods

Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones have a powerful MIUI shell or its new HyperOS counterpart, which offers users a huge number of features to customize the interface. However, one of the most popular options that users often seek is the ability to hide the icon of a particular application from the desktop, which can be necessary to protect confidential information from prying eyes or simply to restore order in the visual space of the screen.

Many device owners mistakenly believe that the standard removal of the shortcut from the home screen is enough, but this only removes the icon from the first page, leaving it available in the menu of all applications. Real privacy requires a deeper approach, which can vary depending on the version of the Android operating system and the specific modification of the shell installed on your gadget.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways icons are hidden, from built-in security features to third-party launchers, how to activate a special mode that makes applications invisible without entering special code, and what nuances exist in new firmware versions.

Built-in Hidden Mode functionality in MIUI

The most reliable and secure way is to use the standard Hidden Mode feature, which is built into the system application "Security", which does not require the installation of additional software and works at the system level, providing a high level of data protection.

To activate, you need to open the Security application, which has a green shield icon and is usually located in the Tools folder. In the application menu, you should find the Hide Applications or Hidden Mode section. Once you turn on the function, the system will prompt you to create a password or use biometrics to access hidden space.

It's important to understand the difference between simply removing a shortcut and completely hiding it, because when you hide an application through system settings, it disappears from the general list of programs, the search bar, and recent tasks, and it can only be accessed through a special gesture or code input in the Phone or Security app.

• 🔒 Complete isolation: the application does not appear anywhere in the interface without authorization.
• ⚙️ System layer: does not require superuser rights or complex settings ADB.
• 📱 Version Dependence: The interface may differ MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS.

⚠️ Warning: If you forget your password or Hidden Mode unlock pattern, restoring access to hidden apps without resetting data will be extremely difficult or impossible.

Users often wonder what happens to notifications from hidden apps. By default, the content of notifications is also hidden on a locked screen and in the notification curtain until the device is unlocked and entered into hidden mode.This provides an additional layer of privacy in public places.

Activation through the Security Application

The process of configuring hidden applications on Xiaomi devices is standardized, but requires careful choice of access parameters. After logging into the Security application and selecting Hide the application, you will be prompted to turn on the function with a switch. The system will immediately ask you to set the protection method: pin code, pattern lock or fingerprint.

Special attention should be paid to the choice of applications for hiding. The list will display all installed programs, except system, critical to the operation of the OS. You can choose messengers, gallery, browser or financial applications. Once you confirm the selection of icons of selected programs will instantly disappear from the desktop and from the menu.

There are several scenarios to access hidden applications, depending on the settings of your version of MIUI. Most often, you use the method of entering special code in the Phone application (set number) or using a special gesture in the Security application, for example, moving two fingers to the sides on the launcher's home screen.

It is worth noting that once the mode is activated, the Security icon can change its behavior or appearance, signaling that the protection mode is active. Some users prefer to hide the Safeguard app icon itself to confuse a potential attacker, although this is not always possible without the use of third-party tools.

• 👆 Gestures: often used finger dilution on the desktop.
• 📞 Code combination: a set of numbers in a call (e.g. #1234#).
• 🔐 Biometrics: Quick access through fingerprint scanner.

If you plan to hide financial apps, make sure they don't have desktop widgets.Widgets associated with the hidden app should also be manually removed as they can remain visible even after the main app icon is hidden, creating a security breach.

Using launchers to hide icons

In cases where the built-in MIUI or HyperOS functionality does not meet the user’s requirements or is not available in a particular firmware version, third-party launchers come to the rescue. Replacing the standard shell with a custom shell allows you to get advanced desktop management capabilities, including flexible hiding of icons.

Popular launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher have built-in features to hide applications from the list of all programs. Once you install such a launcher and assign it to the default, you get access to its settings, where you can select the Hide Apps option.

The main advantage of using third-party launchers is that the hidden is at the interface level, but the application itself continues to work in the background. This means that notifications may come, but the icons will not be visible. However, this method is less secure than the system Hidden Mode, since an experienced user can simply go to the launcher settings and see the hidden list.

When installing a third-party launcher, it is important to allow all necessary permissions, especially access to the application list and overlay on top of other windows. Without these permissions, the hide function may not work properly or the icons will periodically reappear after the device is restarted.

⚠️ Attention: The use of third-party launchers can lead to increased battery consumption and unstable animations on devices with low RAM.

Also, some launchers allow you to create separate profiles or folders with passwords, which is an alternative to complete hiding. You can put sensitive applications in such a folder, and they will only be visible after you enter the code, which visually looks more neat than the complete disappearance of icons.

The Second Space Function for Total Insulation

If your goal is not just to hide an icon, but to create a completely separate environment with its own apps, passwords and accounts, then Second Space is the perfect solution. It's a unique MIUI feature that creates a virtual copy of a smartphone inside the main device.

In Second Space, you can install the same apps as in the main profile, but they will be completely independent. App icons from Second Space are not visible in the main profile and vice versa. Switching between spaces occurs instantly through a special shortcut in the notification curtain or through a fingerprint.

This method is often used to separate work and personal life, or to create a guest mode when you give a phone to a child or colleague, and the guest profile will simply not have the apps you want to hide installed, or they will be hidden by the settings of the Second Space itself.

• 🔄 Independence: Two different datasets and settings.
• 👤 Different accounts: the ability to log in to different Google accounts at the same time.
• 🚀 Fast Switch: Changing Profile in a Split of a Second.

Activation of Second Space is done via the Settings menu → Additional Features → Second Space. The initial setup process takes a few minutes as the system creates a new user profile. Once complete, you can configure it as a separate phone.

Hiding System Applications Through ADB

For advanced users who want to hide Xiaomi system applications that are not subject to normal removal or hiding, there is a method of using USB debugging and the ADB command line, which requires connecting a smartphone to a computer and having basic knowledge of working with the terminal.

Before you start, activate the developer mode. To do this, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). Then, in the Additional Features menu → For developers, turn on Debugging over USB.

Once you connect your phone to your PC, open the command line and type a command to hide a specific package, for example, to hide a system application, you can use the command:

adb shell pm hide --user 0 com.example.package

This method is a powerful tool, but requires caution: Hiding critical system components can lead to unstable device operation or even a cyclic reboot. Always check the name of the package before executing a command.

• 💻 PC required: computer and cable required USB.
• ⚠️ Error Risk: An incorrect command can disrupt the system.
• 🔧 Flexibility: Hiding what is not available on the regular menu.

To return an application hidden through ADB, the reverse command adb shell pm unhide --user 0 com.example.package is used, a technique that is especially relevant for those who want to clear the interface of pre-installed "bloatware" that cannot be removed by standard means.

Problem Solving and Frequent Errors

When you configure your app hiding, you may encounter a number of common problems, such as when you update your MIUI firmware, the hidden mode settings may get lost or the apps may stop hiding, often due to a change in security policy by Google or Xiaomi itself.

One common mistake is to try to hide an application that is actively used as a widget or has device administrator rights, in which case the system can block the concealment or require a prior revocation of rights, and there may be conflicts between the third-party launcher and the system settings of the concealment.

If you notice hidden apps appearing spontaneously on your desktop, check your sync settings. In some cases, cloud-based desktop sync (Mi Cloud) can restore deleted or hidden shortcuts when you change your account or reset your launcher settings.

⚠️ Note: When you reset your phone to factory settings, all hidden apps and passwords will be irretrievably lost if you do not back up through Mi Account.

To diagnose problems, try restarting your device in safe mode, and if the hidden mode is correct, a third-party conflicting application is interfering with the system security function, and removing recently installed programs can solve the problem.

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Tip: Before you hide important apps, take a screenshot of their location and settings, which will help you quickly restore access if you forget the path to hidden content.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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Hiding an app icon on Xiaomi is an effective way to protect privacy, but it requires setting passwords correctly and understanding the difference between visual concealment and real data isolation.