Xiaomi’s modern smartphones are equipped with powerful hardware and roomy memory, allowing you to install tens or even hundreds of different applications. Over time, the desktop turns into a chaotic mosaic of icons, where finding the right program becomes a real torture. Navigating on cluttered screens slows down and annoys users accustomed to digital minimalism and speed.
The optimal solution to clutter is to group programs into thematic blocks. MIUI and the new HyperOS offer an intuitive, but not always obvious, widget and shortcut management interface for beginners. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to create a folder on the Xiaomi desktop to bring perfect order to the interface of your gadget.
The process of organizing the space does not require root rights or installing third-party launchers, all functions are built into the system by default. You just need to know the right sequence of actions and a few useful nuances that speed up the work with the interface.
Basic algorithm for folder creation on MIUI and HyperOS
Creating an application container is a fundamental function of any Android operating system. In Xiaomi shells, this process is as simple as possible and is done by drag-and-drop. You don't have to search for hidden menus or complex settings, just perform a few touches of the screen.
First, unlock your device and go to the home screen where all your shortcuts are located. Find two app icons that you want to group together, such as social media or banking apps that you use regularly.
Press one of the icons with your finger and hold it for a second until the screen goes into editing mode (usually the icons begin to vibrate slightly or zoom in). Without letting go, drag the selected icon directly over the second icon you want to add to the same group. Once the top icon touches the bottom one, the system automatically creates a new folder and places both apps there.
It is important to note that successful group building requires no special conditions other than the availability of free space on the desktop. If the screen is full of widgets and shortcuts, the system may suggest creating a new page or require removing unnecessary elements before starting grouping.
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If the icon “bounces” back when dragging, try changing the force of pressing or slightly speeding up the movement of your finger on the screen – the sensors of some models require a more confident swipe.
Customization of appearance and renaming of the folder
Once you have combined the applications, the system assigns the created block a standard name, which often looks like “Folder” or “Tools”. It is critical to give the group a clear name that will appear under the icon for comfortable use.
To rename the object you created, just tap it once to open the contents. At the top of the window that opens, you'll see the current name. Click on the name text, and the keyboard will automatically pop up. Type your desired name using Cyrillic or Latin, and confirm the action with the "Done" button or simply close the keyboard.
The MIUI shell allows you not only to change the text, but also to adjust the size of the folder itself. In some versions of the firmware, you can change the number of rows and columns inside the container, which is especially convenient for grouping a large number of programs.
Also worth mentioning are visual styles. Depending on the theme you're looking at, folders can look different, with rounded or square corners, transparent or solid backgrounds, and changing the global theme in the Themes app will instantly change the look of all the groups you've created.
- 📱 Click on the folder to open its contents and access the renaming.
- 📝 Use a short and capacious title to make it fully displayed on the screen without ellipsis.
- 🎨 The appearance of folders depends on the active theme of design in the system.
- 🗑️ To remove the name, you can use the cross button in the text input field, returning the standard name.
Content Management: Adding and Removing Applications
The folder you create is a dynamic object that you can change at any time, you can add new programs to it, or you can retrieve them if you don't need to group them, and the mechanics of this work are the same for all Xiaomi firmware versions.
To add a new application to an existing folder, you don't have to drag and drop one icon to another again. Open the folder itself, then fold it (click the Home button or swipe up, depending on the type of navigation), find the icon you want on your desktop and drag it right into the open folder window. If the folder is closed, just drag the shortcut to the folder icon.
Deleting an application from a group is even easier. Open a folder, find an unnecessary shortcut inside, click on it and hold it. You'll see an action menu or edit mode. Select the "Delete from the folder" option or just drag the icon outside the container to the free desktop space.
⚠️ Note: When dragging system applications (such as Phone or Messages) out of the folder, make sure they are not mission-critical widgets anchored in the system, although Xiaomi usually warns against such actions.
You can also delete the folder completely, and you have to remove all the applications from it, and once you have one icon left in the container, the folder will automatically disappear, and the application will take its place on the desktop.
☑️ Checking folder structure
Sorting and organizing labels inside the container
The order within the folder affects the speed of access to applications. By default, new programs are added to the end of the list, but you can manually change their location to optimize workflow, and this is especially true for folders like Social Network or Game, where the number of items can be large.
To change the order of the icons, open the folder. Press and hold your finger on the icon you want to move. When the interface goes into editing mode (the icons start to tremble), drag the label to the right place in the grid. You can swap them with other apps within the group.
Some versions of HyperOS offer automatic sorting, and the system can suggest sorting applications by alphabet or frequency of use, eliminating the manual tinkering with dozens of shortcuts.
The font size of the application name inside the folder is also governed by the system font settings. If the text inside the folder is too small or large, check the global display settings in the Settings → Screen → Text Size section.
| Action. | Method of implementation | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Rename | Tap by name inside the folder | Change of group title |
| Addendum | Drag the icon to the folder | New appendix in the group |
| Relocation | Drag-and-drop inside an open folder | Changing the order of icons |
| Removal | Extract all applications | Automatic Disappearance of a Folder |
Working with widgets and folders in editing mode
Xiaomi’s desktop is not just a collection of icons, but a complex system of widgets. App folders can coexist with weather, news, or calendar widgets. Understanding the logic behind how these elements interact will help avoid accidentally deleting important data.
To go into full desktop editing mode, you need to pinch two fingers (to put your fingers together) in the free space of the screen or hold your finger on an empty area for a long time. In this mode, you see thumbnails of all the pages of the desktop.
Not only can you create folders, but you can also move whole groups between pages. Just drag the thumbnail of the folder to another page in the preview. It's also convenient to delete entire folders in this mode: click on the cross or basket icon that will appear when you hover over an object (or in the top corner of the thumbnail).
An interesting feature is the ability to create folders inside folders (nesting), but the standard MIUI shell does not support this feature natively. Trying to drag one folder to another will most often lead to adding a shortcut to the first folder in the second, but will not create a full nested structure with double clicks.
Expanded Opportunities: Icon Styles and Themes
The visual component of Xiaomi’s interface allows you to customize not only the layout, but also the appearance of elements. If the standard round or square icons in folders do not suit you, the theme store offers thousands of options.
When you install a third-party theme, look for the icon style option, and some themes change the shape of the shortcuts inside the folders to make them more contrasting or minimalist, which helps visually separate the work and entertainment areas on the screen.
Also in the system settings (Settings → Desktop) you can turn on or off the animation of opening folders. Disabling animations may slightly, but speed up the response of the system on older models of smartphones, such as the Redmi Note of previous years of release.
For users who like to experiment, third-party launchers such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher are available, which allow you to create folders with advanced functionality, for example, with a variable background or transparency that is not available in standard firmware.
⚠️ Attention: Installing third-party launchers can change the behavior of control gestures and the function of the “Always on the screen.