Xiaomi’s current smartphones, including the popular Redmi and POCO series, come with powerful hardware and roomy memory that allows users to install dozens or even hundreds of apps for work, communication and entertainment, but the chaotic layout of icons on the desktop makes finding the right program a tedious process that requires time and patience.
Organizing the digital space is not just a matter of aesthetics, it's also a way to increase productivity. When applications are sorted into thematic blocks, you instantly find a messenger, a bank client or a game. In the MIUI operating system and the new HyperOS, based on Android, this process is intuitively implemented, but has its own features that you need to know about.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the folder-creating algorithm, the nuances of renaming and deleting, and the hidden features of the interface, and you will learn to clean up your device’s menu in minutes using standard system tools without installing third-party software.
Basic principles of application grouping in MIUI and HyperOS
The foundation of the shell desktop from Xiaomi is the concept of drag and drop objects. The interface responds to long-term clicks and swipes, allowing the user to manipulate icons with high accuracy. To start creating a folder, you need to find two applications that you want to combine into one group.
The process is based on the physical interaction of the fingers with the screen, where you click on one icon, hold it until it vibrates or the visual effect of "vaporization," and then drag it right over the second icon, and the system automatically recognizes that action as a command to create a container.
It's important to note that you can create a folder not only on the home page, but also in the menu of all apps if you have the classic mode on, and the algorithm for both is identical, which makes navigation easier, and once you combine the icons, they are placed in a transparent or colored area that prompts you to enter the name immediately.
⚠️ Note: Do not try to create a folder by dragging a widget (weather, clock or calendar widget) onto an app icon. Widgets have a different priority and cannot be placed inside a standard program folder.
Step-by-step: creating a folder by drag and drop method
Consider a detailed action algorithm that is guaranteed to produce the desired result on any current Redmi or Note smartphone. Follow these steps consistently to avoid errors.
First, look for two programs that are logically related on the screen, like YouTube and Netflix, or Bank and Wallet, and tap the icon of the first app and don't let go for about a second until the icon zooms in or the edit menu appears.
Keep your finger on, move the icon of the first app exactly over the icon of the second, and when you touch it, you'll see the second icon slightly change the transparency, or a frame around it that signals you're ready to accept the neighbor.
The system will instantly create a container by combining two programs, and the default folder is usually the name of the category that the applications belong to, or the name of the first object moved, and you can now open the folder by clicking on it and add other applications to it in the same way.
☑️ Algorithm of folder creation
Content Management: Rename and Add Programs
Once you create a folder, the system often assigns it a standard name that may not match your grouping logic, such as a game folder that can be called Tools. To change that, click on the folder that you created to open it, and then tap the text box at the top of the window that opens.
A virtual keyboard allows you to type in any name up to a certain number of characters. You can use emojis, which make navigation even easier and faster. After you type in, press the "Done" button or just tap the blank area of the screen outside the keyboard.
To add new applications to an existing folder, you don't have to create a new group, but you just need to pinch the icon of the program you want and drag it to the open folder or directly to its icon in a closed state, and the system functionality allows you to put folders into each other on some versions of the firmware, creating complex structures.
| Action. | Method of implementation | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Creation | Drag the icon to the icon | Grouping |
| Rename | Tap by name inside the folder | Change of title |
| Delete from the folder | Dragging beyond | The program becomes separate |
| Deletion of the folder | Withdrawal of all annexes | The folder disappears automatically. |
The secret to quickly renaming
Delete folders and retrieve applications
Sometimes you have to disband a previously created group. Unlike deleting files in Explorer, there is no "Delete folder" button. Xiaomi's interface is designed so that the folder only exists as long as there is more than one element in it.
To eliminate the folder, open it and start dragging applications outside the container into the free desktop space. Once you remove the penultimate application and only one icon remains in the folder, the container will automatically disappear.
The remaining application will take its place on the desktop as a standalone entity, and this approach prevents the program shortcuts from being accidentally deleted along with the folder. If you want to just move the application to another folder, drag it directly to the target group.
⚠️ Warning: When dragging an application from a folder, be careful with the edges of the screen. If you pull your finger sharply, the application may fly to another desktop page or to the dock panel at the bottom.
Customization of appearance and sorting inside the container
Visual folder design in MIUI and HyperOS is also customizable, albeit within a limited scope, so you can change the ordering of the icons inside the open folder, and then press the icon inside the open folder window and move it to the desired location.
Sorting can be arbitrary or automatic. If you prefer apps to be sorted alphabetically or by installation time, check the launcher settings. Go to Settings → Desktop and find the sorting item.
Some of the themes downloaded through the Themes app can dramatically change the way folders look, making them transparent, round, or animated. Installing a third-party theme is a great way to personalize the interface without deep technical knowledge.
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Use emoji in folder names (for example,"💬 Communications” or"🎮 This helps you find the right group faster with your eyes, because the brain responds more quickly to graphic images than to text.
Frequent problems and their solution
Users sometimes face situations where the folder is not created or behaves unpredictably, often due to screen overcrowding or launcher bugs. If icons do not merge, try to make room on the desktop by removing unnecessary widgets.
In rare cases, a smartphone reboot helps, it updates the processes that render the interface, and also make sure you have the latest version of the system launcher installed through the GetApps app store or Google Play.
If the problem is systemic, you can try resetting the launcher settings. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Desktop (or System Launcher) and select Clear Data. This will return the icons to factory-like location, but resolve software conflicts.
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A folder on your desktop is a temporary container, and it disappears when you remove all but one of the applications from it, and there is no special menu to delete the folder.
In conclusion, using folders wisely greatly speeds up your experience with a Redmi smartphone. Experiment with the names, colors of the themes and group layouts to find the perfect balance between functionality and beauty.