Creating folders on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro desktop

Modern smartphones like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro have huge screens and powerful processors that allow you to install dozens or even hundreds of applications. However, without proper organization of space, the main screen turns into a chaotic mosaic, where finding the right label becomes a real problem. The MIUI operating system, based on Android, offers an intuitive, but not always obvious mechanism for grouping icons.

In this article, we will take a closer look at folder creation so you can structure your applications into categories, whether it's social media, banking, or gaming. Desktop not only improves visual experience, but also speeds up access to frequently used features, making interaction with your device more comfortable, and you'll learn not only to create containers, but also to manage their content.

It’s worth noting that the launcher algorithms may vary slightly depending on the firmware version installed on your Redmi Note 9 Pro. However, the basic principles remain unchanged over the years of shell development.

Basic method of grouping applications by drag and drop

The easiest and most common way to create a new folder on Xiaomi is to drag and drop, which is familiar to many smartphone users. You need to find two apps on your desktop that you want to group together, usually programs of the same subject, such as messengers or navigators.

Press the icon of the first application and hold your finger until the device goes into edit mode. At this point, the icons may slightly decrease or there is a vibration. Without letting go of your finger, drag the selected application directly over the icon of the second application, which should become part of the new folder.

Once you let go of your finger, the system automatically creates a new folder by placing both apps in it, and by default it will have a name that corresponds to the theme of the programs inside, but you can always change it later, and this action is fundamental to managing the space on the screen.

• 📱 Find two apps to combine on the home screen.
• ✋ Hold one icon and drag it over another.
• ✅ Release your finger so that the system automatically creates a container.

If the folder isn't created the first time, you may not have precisely aligned the icon centers. Try repeating the action by making sure the top app completely covers the bottom app at the time of release. Sometimes it takes a little delay at the contact point before releasing.

⚠️ Warning: Do not try to drag system widgets or reserved shortcuts (such as "Themes" or "Security") into folders you create if the system issues an error. MIUI Protected from movement for stable operation of the interface.

After you successfully create a group, you'll notice that the number of free cells on your desktop has increased, and this is especially true for Redmi Note 9 Pro owners who prefer minimalism and cleanliness, and you can now continue to fill that folder with other apps in a similar way.

Adding new applications to an existing folder

Once the primary structure is in place, you need to add new software to it. The process of adding Redmi Note 9 Pro to Xiaomi is as simple as possible and does not require complex configuration manipulations. You can expand the contents of the folder any time you install a new application from Google Play or GetApps.

To do this, find a shortcut on your desktop or in the menu of all applications that you need to move. Press it with your finger to activate the movement mode. Now just drag the icon to the area of an existing folder. The system will highlight the folder, showing that it is ready to accept the new item.

Inside the folder, applications are usually grided, and if you add too many programs, a second page will appear inside the folder itself, which is swiped left or right.

• 📂 Open the folder to see the current content.
• 📥 Drag the new icon directly into the open folder or on its shortcut.
• 🔄 If necessary, scroll through the pages within the group to find the right one.

There's also an alternative way to use the menu of all apps, so if you have Classic Menu mode, where all apps are on desktops, the process is identical. If you use App Menu mode (like on pure Android), you drag the shortcut from the shared list to the desktop right into the folder.

Removing an application from a folder is the reverse: you open the folder, you pinch the icon, and you drag it outside the container to the free desktop space, and this action instantly pulls the program from the group, making it a separate shortcut again.

Customization of appearance and renaming of folders

The standard folder name that MIUI assigns is often too generic or out of line with your preferences. Fortunately, it makes it easy to rename groups of applications, and it just takes a tap of the folder name that sits directly under or above the icons, depending on the theme of the design.

Once you touch the text box, the virtual keyboard opens, and you type in the desired name using Cyrillic or Latin, and you can use emoji in folder names, which helps you visually find the right category faster than you can find many others. For example, a folder with finances can be called «💰 Bank, and with games — «🎮 Games».

In addition to the name, you can also change the size of the folder on the desktop. In some versions of the MIUI shell, you can change the size of the folder widget. If the folder is empty or contains one application, it may look like a regular icon, but when filled, it automatically transforms into a container.

It's important to keep in mind that the length of the name is limited by the width of the screen and the font. If you type in a name that's too long, the system will cut it by adding an ellipsis. The optimal length is 10-12 characters so that the title can be read in its entirety without having to open the folder.

• ✏️ Tap the name of the folder for editing text.
• 🔤 Use emojis for quick visual identification.
• 📏 Watch the length of the name so that it does not cut with an ellipsis.

Some design themes may hide folder names completely, showing only the icons inside. If you don't see the title after renaming, check the current theme settings or try changing the desktop display style under Settings → Desktop.

Managing the size and grid of the desktop

The effectiveness of folder creation depends on the desktop settings on your Redmi Note 9 Pro. The more cells in the grid, the more applications you can host without using folders, but the smaller the icons themselves will be.

To change the grid settings, you need to go to the desktop editing mode. To do this, make a finger-mixing (pick) or hold your finger for a long time in empty space. In the lower corner of the screen, a setting button will appear, often indicated by a gear or the word “Settings”.

In the menu that opens, you'll find "More" or "Grid" right away, and you can choose a configuration like 4x6, 5x6 or 5x7, and changing that setting will instantly rearrange all the icons and folders you've created on the screen, which can cause some widgets to shift and have to be manually corrected.

When choosing a denser grid (e.g. 5x7), folder creation becomes almost a necessity, as small icons are difficult to distinguish if they are scattered throughout the screen, grouping in this case helps to maintain the logical structure, despite the reduced size of the interface elements.

⚠️ Note: After changing the desktop grid, the watch, weather, or calendar widgets may change size or shift to another part of the screen. Always check the location of important widgets after changing the grid settings.

Experiment with different configurations to see which one is best for your smartphone usage style. For the Redmi Note 9 Pro with its 6.67 inch diagonal, the 5x6 option is often optimal, which allows you to comfortably place your thumbs while controlling one hand.

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Use the bottom line of your desktop (dock bar) only for the most important applications you use every minute. Everything else is better removed in folders on the top lines of the screen, so as not to clutter the main workspace.

Working with widgets inside folders and on the desktop

Unlike standard Android, Xiaomi’s MIUI shell allows you to embed widgets directly inside app folders, a unique feature that turns a folder from a simple storage to an information center, such as adding a newswidth to the News folder, and a forecast widget to the Weather folder.

To add a widget to a folder, first create the folder itself and put at least one app in it. Then open this folder. At the top of the window that opens, next to the name, you'll see a "+" or "Add a widget" button, and clicking on it will open a list of available widgets that are compatible with that category or available on the system.

The widget you select will occupy the top of the folder window, and the app icons will move down, so you can see, without opening a particular app, a brief information like currency rates, weather, steps, or calendar reminders, which greatly enhances desktop functionality.

• 📦 Open the created folder with applications.
• ➕ Click on the add widget button in the folder header.
• 📊 Select the desired widget from the proposed list of the system.

It’s worth remembering that widgets consume more battery life than static icons, especially if they’re updated in real time. Placement of multiple active widgets in different folders can result in an accelerated discharge of the Redmi Note 9 Pro throughout the day.

Removing the widget from the folder is done by long-term pressing on the widget itself inside the open folder and dragging it into the basket or clicking on the cross that appears in the editing interface. After removing the widget, the application icons will again occupy the space.

Frequent problems and their solution when creating folders

Despite the simplicity of the process, users sometimes face difficulties when the folder is not created or behaves incorrectly, most often due to crowded launcher cache or temporary failures in the MIUI system. Understanding the causes helps to quickly troubleshoot problems.

If you drag and drop the icon back into place, you may not be in the area of another app. Make sure you hold your finger long enough to activate the editing mode. Also, the problem may be that you're trying to create a folder in a reserved area of the screen, such as the dock bar at the bottom, if the software version doesn't support it.

In rare cases, cleaning the launcher data helps. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → find Desktop or Launcher → Warehouse → Clean. This operation will reset all the icons to the factory, so use it only if other methods do not help.

Another common problem is that the folder name disappears, which often happens after you update the theme, if you have a third-party theme, it may have its own rules for displaying text, and go back to the standard MIUI theme to see if the problem persists.

If a folder is created but the icons are dancing inside it or becoming transparent, this may indicate damage to the GUI cache, in which case it is recommended to check for system updates in the Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to heat up or brake when you open this folder after you create a folder, delete it. One of the applications inside may be damaged or in conflict with the system, causing a cyclic rendering error.

Regularly reviewing folders that you create helps keep your device running fast, and remove empty folders and those that have one application left in them, which only take up space and create visual noise without carrying a functional load.

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Timely cleaning of unused folders and widgets is an easy way to speed up the launcher and save battery power on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro.

Additional Sorting Opportunities in MIUI

The MIUI shell offers not only manual folder creation, but also automatic sorting tools. In the menu of all applications (if the mode is enabled), the system can itself suggest creating a folder for new games or tools, a basic level of automation that is useful for beginners.

You can also sort applications inside the folder by installation time or alphabetically, and you can open the folder, click on the menu (three dots) and select the appropriate setting. 10-15 Applying and searching for the right things takes a long time.

For advanced users, there is a No Limits mode in the developer settings that allows you to place icons anywhere on the screen without ignoring the grid. However, in this mode, creating folders with standard drag and drop can work unstable, requiring greater accuracy.

• 📲 Use self-sorting to quickly restore order.
• 🔍 Sort the contents of folders alphabetically for a quick search.
• 🛠️ Developer mode gives freedom, but can break folder logic.

Using these tools in the complex allows you to turn the Redmi Note 9 Pro desktop into a personalized dashboard that fully meets your needs.

Remember that the interface is a tool, and it should be convenient for you. Xiaomi standard settings are just a starting point, which each user adapts to his rhythm of life and work with the gadget.