Organizing your workspace on a smartphone is not just a matter of aesthetics, it's a way to dramatically improve your device's efficiency. When you have a lot of apps on your Xiaomi screen, finding the right program takes precious seconds, which is especially annoying in a hurry. Properly structuring icons allows you to turn a chaotic set of shortcuts into a convenient navigation system that is accessible with a single touch.
MIUI and the new HyperOS on Xiaomi’s smartphones offer flexible desktop management tools that can not only group applications, but also change their appearance, size and even animation opening. Understanding the basic principles of working with folders will be the first step to personalizing your gadget for your own needs.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the nuances of creating and configuring folders on your phone screen, and learn how to combine programs, rename groups, and use advanced shell features to make the interface as user-friendly as possible.
Basic method of creating a folder by drag and drop
The easiest and most intuitive way to group apps on Xiaomi is the drag and drop method. It works equally well on older models with MIUI 12 and on the latest flagships with HyperOS. First, you need to unlock your smartphone and go to the main screen where the icons are located.
Find two programs that you want to group together, which can be a commonly used instant messenger, social networking, or banking app, and then you can tap one of the icons and hold it until it jumps up and gets bigger, signaling that it's going into editing mode.
Without letting go of your finger, drag and drop the icon you selected right on top of the second program you selected for grouping. Once the top icon is above the bottom, the system automatically creates a container and places both applications there. The folder will be formed instantly, and you only have to let go of the screen.
☑️ Checking folder creation
Once you create a group, the system often suggests you choose a category or rename an object, which is a standard launcher function that tries to guess the destination of a folder based on the applications that it contains, but you can always ignore the auto name and ask your own, more understandable, name.
Alternative ways of grouping icons
While drag and drop is the main method, there are other options for organizing space that can be useful in situations where some users prefer to use the desktop editing menu to more accurately control the layout of items.
To do this, tap on the blank area of the screen and hold your finger until the design settings appear. The bottom menu often provides widgets or additional tools to allow you to create empty containers, although in the standard build. MIUI/HyperOS This function is implemented through drag and drop.
Secret launcher menu
It’s also worth noting that on Xiaomi smartphones with split-screen or tablet modes, folder creation can happen automatically when you try to put too many widgets in one area, and the system itself will suggest packing the extra in a group to preserve order.
Configuring and designing created folders
Once you have created a folder, it can and should be configured for maximum convenience. The standard name that the system assigns (for example, "Social" or "Tools") does not always accurately reflect the content or simply does not like the user for stylistic reasons.
To change the name, just click on the folder you created to open it, then tap the text box at the top. Enter a new name using Cyrillic or Latin, and confirm the action. The title length is limited by the number of characters that fit into a single line under the icon on the home screen.
The visual design of folders is also amenable to change, although it depends on the firmware version. The new HyperOS updates have the ability to change the transparency of the background of the folder or the style of displaying icons inside it, which makes the desktop more minimalistic or, conversely, bright.
To change the look, go to the theme settings or desktop settings, and you can find options that make the background of folders transparent, and the transparency slider will make the background completely invisible, so that the icons inside the group look like they're floating in the air.
Content Management: Adding and Deleting
Folders don't end with folders, but when you use a smartphone, the set of applications you need changes, some programs are removed, others are installed, and the ability to quickly modify the contents of a folder is an important skill.
To add a new app to an existing folder, simply drag and drop its icon to an open folder or its shortcut on the desktop. If you want to remove the app from the group, open the folder, pinch the desired icon and drag it outside the container to the free screen space.
Deleting the folder itself automatically happens when there's only one application left in it. You don't have to look for the "delete folder" button. Just pull out all the applications except one, and the system will cancel the container itself, leaving a single icon on the desktop.
⚠️ Note: When you remove an application from the folder, it is not removed from the phone, but simply moved to the desktop. To completely remove the program, you need to drag it to the basket or select the option "Delete" in the long-press menu.
Also worth remembering about limits. While modern Xiaomi smartphones have powerful hardware, overflowing folders with dozens of icons can have a slight impact on the speed of opening a group, especially on low-end models with entry-level processors.
Comparison of folder functions in MIUI and HyperOS
With the transition of many Xiaomi devices to the new HyperOS operating system, users have noticed a number of changes in the logic of the interface, desktop folders were no exception and underwent visual and functional metamorphosis.
In the classic MIUI, folders had more pronounced boundaries and a standard grid. The new shell offers a more airy design, rounded corners and improved opening animations. In addition, the algorithm for auto-sorting icons within the group changed.
| Function | MIUI (Old version) | HyperOS (New Version) |
|---|---|---|
| Background design | Semi-transparent gray | Blurring (Blur) or Transparency |
| Animation. | Standard disclosure | Smooth scaling |
| Sorting | Time of installation | By frequency of use |
| Type size | Fixed | Adaptive |
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Switching to HyperOS makes the interface smoother, but requires getting used to new folder management gestures.
Despite the differences, the basic principle remains the same: creating a folder on the screen of a Xiaomi phone is done by dragging and dropping one icon to another. This provides a continuity of experience for users updating their devices.
Solving folder problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the folder is not created or behaves incorrectly, for example, the icon “bounces” back to its place when trying to drag and drop, this can be due to overflow of the desktop or a failure in the launcher.
If standard methods don't work, try restarting your smartphone. Often this clears the temporary cache of the system and restores the interface to normal operation. Also check if Simple Mode is on, which limits the ability to edit your desktop.
⚠️ Warning: If the folder spontaneously disappears or the icons inside it move, check the screen rotation settings. In some themes, turning on auto-rotation can knock down the desktop grid.
In rare cases, the problem lies in a third-party design theme that is not fully compatible with your firmware version. Returning to a standard theme of Classic or Infinity usually solves the problem of displaying and creating groups of applications.