How to create a folder on Xiaomi Redmi 9: step-by-step instructions

Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face the need to clean up the interface immediately after buying a device. The desktop, full of icons, looks chaotic and makes it difficult to quickly find the right programs, which is why creating folders is the first step to personalize the gadget and improve usability.

The MIUI operating system on which your Redmi 9 software is based offers an intuitive mechanism for grouping applications: you don’t need to install third-party launchers or have programming skills. All the necessary tools are already built into the shell and are available by default.

In this article, we will take a closer look at how folders are created, renamed and deleted, and you will learn how to effectively manage screen space by hiding rarely used utilities in neat containers, allowing you to focus on the really important tasks and make interaction with your smartphone more enjoyable.

Why do I need to group applications on Redmi 9?

Modern smartphones are equipped with a huge amount of pre-installed software. Owners of Xiaomi devices know that the list of applications can be impressive. Without the right organization, finding the right label among the dozen others becomes a difficult task, especially if the screen has a standard resolution.

Foldering solves the problem of visual noise, and when icons are grouped together in logical groups like Social Media or Games, menu navigation is accelerated, especially for models like Redmi 9, where screen size requires a cost-effective use of usable space.

And then grouping allows you to make room for widgets, so you can just put the most important things on the home screen and put the rest into folders, and it's not only aesthetic, it's also functional, because it reduces the cognitive load of the gadget.

• 📱 Ordering shortcuts by category for quick access.
• 🎨 Ability to hide rarely used system applications.
• 🚀 Accelerate the launch of programs by reducing the number of pages.

⚠️ Note: Do not create folders inside other folders in the standard launcher MIUI, as this may lead to incorrect display of content or errors in the operation of the interface.

Standard method of creating a folder on the desktop

The easiest way to combine applications into a folder on Redmi 9 does not require calling additional menus. The algorithm of actions is simplified by developers for the convenience of users of any level of training.

To start, find two apps that you want to combine, which can be any kind of program: instant messengers, games, or system utilities, as long as they are on the same page or are available for drag and drop.

Hold your finger on the icon of the first app and drag it over the icon of the second, and as soon as the top icon zooms in or a translucent background appears, release your finger. The system automatically creates a new folder by placing both selected items in it.

After that, a new folder with an automatically selected name will appear on the screen, and usually the system will suggest a name based on the type of application, for example, "Tools" or "Social", and you can change that name to a more appropriate one at any time.

Alternative way through the editing menu

If you find drag and drop method uncomfortable, or if you want to create an empty folder in advance, you can use desktop editing mode, which gives you more control over the layout of items and their structure.

To go into this mode, you need to pinch two fingers on a free space on the screen or hold your finger on an empty area for a long time. You will open a review of all desktops. In some versions of MIUI, there may be a folder or create button at the bottom of the screen, but most empty folders are created by drag and drop.

But there's a nuance for those who are used to the classic Android menu: You can change the way the Xiaomi launcher looks. If you have the classic look on, all the apps are on desktops, and drag and drop is the main method. In Scrolling mode, the apps are hidden in a separate menu, and the desktops are for widgets and favorites only.

It's important to understand the difference between desktop folders and app menu folders. On Redmi 9, these structures can behave differently. The folders created on the desktop are shortcuts or containers that are visible immediately after unlocking.

• 🖐️ Use the "tick" gesture to go into editing mode.
• ⚙️ Check the launcher settings in the "More" section" → "Settings".
• 📂 Create folders by drag and drop for instant results.

How to rename and configure the contents of the folder

Once you create a folder on Redmi 9, users often want to give it their own name. Standard names like "Folder" or "Tools" don't always reflect the essence of the content. The renaming process is simple and takes a few seconds.

Tap the folder you created to open it. At the top of the window that opens, you'll see the current name. Click on the area with the name text, the keyboard will automatically pop up on the screen. Type your desired name using Latin or Cyrillic.

To add new applications to an existing folder, simply drag the icon from the desktop inside the open folder. If you want to remove the application, do the reverse: open the folder, press the icon and drag it outside the container to the free screen space.

Some versions of the MIUI shell allow you to change the color of the folder or its style, but on Redmi 9 this feature can be limited to standard themes. For deep customization, it is recommended to use the Themes app, where you can download skins with unique folder designs.

💡

Use short and clear folder names that are no longer than 10-12 characters long so that they are correctly displayed under the icon on the small screen.

Removing folders and returning applications

Sooner or later, you may need to remove the structure you created earlier, and deleting the folder on Xiaomi Redmi 9 won’t remove the apps themselves, which is an important point to remember so you don’t have to worry about data safety.

To delete the folder, open it and start dragging apps out. Once there are fewer than two items left in the folder (none in some versions of MIUI, one in others), the folder will disappear automatically, while the applications will remain on the desktop.

If you want to delete the folder itself along with the app shortcuts (without removing the programs themselves from your phone’s memory), just drag the folder to the top of the screen where the basket icon or “Delete” appears, in which case the folder shortcut will disappear, and the application icons that were inside can crumble across the desktop or remain on the menu.

Be careful when cleaning your desktop. Accidental removal of system shortcuts can make it difficult to access important features, even though the programs themselves will remain on the list of all applications. Always check what exactly you are dragging to the removal area.

Features of working with folders in different versions of MIUI

Xiaomi's interface is constantly updated. Redmi 9 can have different versions of the shell, from MIUI 11 to MIUI 14 and later. Depending on the version, the behavior of the folders may vary slightly.

In older versions, folders were fixed in size and didn't allow widgets to be placed inside. Newer versions of MIUI make folders more informative, like adding a weather widget right inside a utilities folder or a calendar widget to a folder with office applications.

Also worth noting is the Smart Folders feature, which in some regions and firmware, the system itself offers to combine similar applications, and if you see a proposal from the system, only agree if you are satisfied with the proposed structure, otherwise you would prefer to create a folder manually as you wish.

⚠️ Note: When updating the firmware, the settings for the location of the icons may get lost. It is recommended to take a screenshot of the desktop before installing major system updates to restore the folder structure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

💡

Creating folders on Redmi 9 is a basic skill that significantly improves the ergonomics of using a smartphone, allowing you to keep only the most important things at hand.