How to Create an Icon on Xiaomi Desktop: 5 Ways to Create a MIUI 14/13/12

Have you just installed a new app on your Xiaomi, but its icon didn't appear on your desktop? Or want to put on the home screen a label of a frequently used website, PDF document, or even a hidden system feature? In MIUI — the branded shell of Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi smartphones — adding icons works differently than on "pure" Android. There is no usual menu "Add to the home screen", but there are 5 alternative ways that most users do not even know.

In this article you will find not only basic instructions for beginners, but also hidden chips. MIUI, which allow you to create shortcuts for system tools (for example, Developer Mode or Sensor Test), web pages, folders with files and even APK-We'll look at the features of the work on the files before they're installed. MIUI 14/13/12, And we'll also explain why icons sometimes disappear after you update the system and how to fix it. POCO F5, Redmi Note 12 Xiaomi 13T — This instruction is for you.

1. Standard method: Adding an app icon from the menu

The most obvious method is to shift the shortcut from the general list of applications, but even here MIUI behaves outside the box: unlike other Android smartphones, there is no hold-and-drop function.

1. Tap the app menu icon (usually a round button with a dot or square at the bottom of the screen).
2. Find the app you want in the list. If it's not available, check the All Apps tab (swipe left).
3. Hold your finger on the app icon for 1-2 seconds until the context menu appears.
4. Select Add to the main screen (on some versions of MIUI – Create a shortcut).

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 14 for POCO X5 Pro and later this item may not be available if the application is already installed on one of the desktops.In this case, use an alternative method through the launcher settings (see section 3).

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If the app doesn’t appear in the menu, check if it’s hidden in the MIUI settings: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Hidden Apps.

Once added, the icon can be moved around the screen, combined with others into folders or resized (if Free Scaling is enabled in the launcher settings). On MIUI 13 and older, dynamic icons are supported - they change color depending on the wallpaper.

2. Creating a Website Shortcut (PWA)

Do you want your favorite site (like YouTube or VK) to open as a standalone app? In MIUI, this is implemented through Progressive Web App (PWA) technology.

1. Open the Chrome browser or MIUI browser.
2. Go to the right site (e.g. vk.com).
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Add to the main screen.
4. Confirm the name of the label (by default the name of the site is taken).

Now, when you click on an icon, the site will open in an isolated window without an address bar, like a full-fledged app, which works even for services like Google Docs or Trello.

On MIUI 14, you can pin these shortcuts in the notification bar for quick access. To do this, hold the icon on your desktop → Application Information → Secure in the curtain.

3. Adding Hidden System Functions Icons

There are a lot of useful tools hidden in MIUI that don't show up in the app menu: Camera Test, Engineering Menu Mode, Developer Settings, and more, to create shortcuts for them:

1. Install Activity Launcher from Google Play (free).
2. Open it and give access to Special Opportunities (to display hidden activities).
3. In the list, find a system application (such as Settings or Phone).
4. Deploy it and select the desired activity (e.g.,.DevelopmentSettings for Developer Mode).
5. Click on it → Run → in the opened window hold the icon → Add to the main screen.

⚠️ Note: Not all system activities work consistently when run through a shortcut. For example, the sensor test on the Redmi Note 11 may give an error com.android.settings stopped).

Install Activity Launcher from Google Play

Enable debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 taps)

Provide the application with access to special features

Make a backup copy of the data (in case of failure)

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4. File, folder and APK shortcuts

In MIUI, you can bring not only applications to the desktop, but also:

• 📁 Folders (e.g., Downloads or DCIM)
• 📄 Separate files (PDF, DOCX, MP3)
• 📦 APK-files before installation)
• 🔗 Contact links (quick call)

For this:

1. Open Files (standard file manager MIUI).
2. Find the file or folder you want.
3. Hold your finger on it. → More. → Add to the main screen.

For APK-The file process is similar, but after adding the shortcut, the package installer will open the application instead of running the application directly. MIUI 14 such icons are marked with a special icon 📦 corner.

Annexes|Websites|Systemic functions|Files and folders|Other-->

⚠️ Note: File shortcuts created on MIUI 12, may disappear after updating to MIUI 14.This involves changing the structure of the file manager.To restore them, repeat the add-on procedure or use a third-party launcher (e.g., Nova Launcher).

5. Secret codes for quick access to functions

If Activity Launcher doesn’t help or you prefer to do without third-party apps, use the MIUI service codes. They work through the standard Phone app:

#4636## — Testing and debugging (battery information, networking, usage statistics)
##225## - Checking the GSM signal level (dBm)
#06### - IMEI devices (useful for checking before selling)
#6484## - Sensor test (not working on all models)
#64663## – NFC module test (for Xiaomi 13 Pro, etc.)

Once you enter the code, the desired function will open automatically, to create a shortcut for it:

1. Enter the code in the Phone app.
2. When the menu opens, click Recent (the box button at the bottom).
3. Hold the phone icon with active code → Add to the main screen.

⚠️ Attention: POCO F4 GT and other models with MIUI For the global market, some codes (e.g., the engineering menu) may be blocked. ADB-team:

adb shell am start -n com.android.settings/.TestingSettings

6.Recovery of disappeared icons after update

After updating MIUI (especially from 12 to 14), users often face a problem: shortcuts disappear, and duplicates appear in the application menu.

• 🔄 Resetting the launcher cache (system application com.miui.home)
• 📱 Change of permissions for file manager
• 🔧 Conflict of design topics (if custom icons were used)

To put it back in place:

1. Restart your phone (hold Power + Volume up for 10 seconds).
2. If it didn’t help, clear the launcher cache: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Clear the cache.
3. To restore file shortcuts, repeat creating them (see Section 4).

MIUI 14 has added a mockup auto-restore function to activate it.

1. Keep an empty space on your desktop → Settings.
2. Turn on the option to Restore the layout after failure.

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Before updating MIUI, always back up your desktop layout through Launcher Settings → Backup. This will keep the icons and folders located.

7.Alternative launchers for enhanced capabilities

If standard MIUI features don't suit you, install a third-party launcher.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – gesture support, custom icons, backup.
• 🎨 Microsoft Launcher – Integration with Windows, synchronization with PC.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – dynamic wallpaper, adaptive icons.
• 🔒 Total Launcher – maximum customization (even for system menus).

After installation:

1. Click Home → Choose a new launcher as the main one.
2. In the launcher settings, enable the option to Show all applications (including hidden system ones).
3. Use built-in tools to create shortcuts (e.g., Nova: Holding → Widgets → Action Shortcuts).

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 14 with HyperOS (new firmware for Xiaomi 14) some launchers may not work as stable due to changes in the API. Check compatibility on forums before installation 4PDA or XDA Developers.

FAQ: Frequent questions about shortcuts on Xiaomi