Many budget smartphone users face the need to clean up the interface immediately after buying the device. Xiaomi Redmi 9, running the shell MIUI, offers flexible options for customization, but the standard actions here may differ from the usual Android. If you just upgraded or switched from another brand, the process of grouping icons may seem unobvious.
Workspace management is not just aesthetics, it's also a way to improve system performance. With fewer scattered widgets and shortcuts on the screen, it's easier for the processor to render the interface and you to find the programs you want. In this article, we'll take a look at how to create a folder on Redmi 9 using both standard methods and hidden launcher capabilities.
It's worth noting that the MIUI shell has its own drag-and-drop behaviors. Sometimes the system can react with a delay or suggest alternative actions that confuse newcomers. We'll look at all the nuances so you can create the perfect menu structure without unnecessary movement and error.
Standard method of creating a folder on the desktop
The most common way to group apps is by default for every user. First, you need to unlock your Xiaomi Redmi 9 screen and go to the home screen. Find two app icons that you want to group together, which can be social media, games or system utilities.
Press the first icon with your finger and hold it for about a second until you feel a slight vibration or see an animation of the object being lifted. Without letting go, drag that icon right over the second icon you chose to combine. The system automatically prompts you to create a container.
Once the top icon touches the bottom, release your finger. A new folder with an automatically selected name, like Social or Tools, will appear on the screen. You can immediately rename it by clicking on the text box within the group you created, which is the basic algorithm that works 95% of the time on stable firmware versions.
It's important to understand that the launcher of a system can react differently to the speed of your actions. If you move the icon too quickly, the system may perceive this as a command to move to another screen, rather than creating a folder. The movements should be smooth and confident.
⚠️ Warning: If the icons disappear when you drag and drop, or the screen starts to randomly switch between pages, you're holding the object in the edge of the screen for too long.
Alternative ways of grouping through the application menu
Some versions of the MIUI software for Redmi 9 offer an alternative method that is particularly useful if you have Classic Menu mode on, in which case all the programs installed are directly on desktops, and the number can be in the tens.
You can use the mass highlight feature if it's supported by your launcher version, or you can use editing mode, pinch the screen with two fingers as if you want to zoom in, and you can open preview mode for all desktops.
In this mode, you can drag and drop whole blocks of applications, and although you can't create a new empty folder from here, you can quickly put the icons you want into one area of the screen, and then combine them in a standard way, which saves time when you have to structure a lot of new programs.
There is also the option of creating folders inside the All Apps menu (the program curtain) if you use the standard MIUI menu style. The principle here is identical to the desktop: drag and drop icons to another, the only difference is that these folders will not be visible on the home screen unless you take them out separately.
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Use the edit mode (screen pinch) to quickly find disparate icons of the same type and move them next to each other before combining into a folder.
Customization of appearance and renaming of folders
Once you've successfully created an app container, the system will prompt you to give it a name. Xiaomi's default algorithm is a smart algorithm that analyzes the category of apps inside, but you can always change that name to something that you can understand.
To rename, just click on the text box above the icons inside the open folder, the virtual keyboard will automatically appear, and you can use not only letters, but also emoji, which helps visually highlight important groups of programs. For example, a folder with banking applications can be called "💰 Bank".
The look of folders can also be customized through the theme, so if you don't like the standard style, you can go to the Themes app and download the new design. Many of the themes completely change the way folders look, making them transparent, round or voluminous.
Remember that you can add an unlimited number of applications to the folder, although the MIUI interface recommends not overloading one group. The optimal is the presence of 4 to 9 icons in one folder on the opening screen, the rest will be hidden inside when scrolling.
| Action. | The result | Feature of MIUI |
|---|---|---|
| Single tap | Launch of the application | Standard behavior |
| Long press. | Editing mode | Action menu appears |
| Drag on the icon | Foldering | Automatic name |
| Drag to the centre | Relocation | Shifting other icons |
Working with widgets and folders in MIUI
Redmi 9 users often confuse application folders with widgets because they interact in the same way in MIUI shells. Widgets are dynamic elements that display real-time information, such as weather or currency rates, while folders serve as a static store of shortcuts.
It's important to not confuse these concepts when you're putting things in order. If you try to drag the weather widget onto an app icon, the folder won't be created. The system will either fail or suggest placing the widget next to you. It's the application launch shortcuts that you need to create a folder.
However, there are smart folders that can pull widgets inward in some versions of the launcher, but this is rare for budget models. On Redmi 9, it is better to stick to the classic scheme: folders for programs, widgets - separately in the free screen space for quick access.
If you accidentally confuse modes and instead of a folder you get a grid of widgets, just click the back button or the area off the menu. All edit mode changes apply only after you confirm or are automatically saved when you exit if you move the object.
⚠️ Warning: Do not try to shove system widgets (Google search, newsfeed) inside custom folders.This can cause a launcher rendering error and cause it to reboot.
☑️ Checking readiness for sorting
Removal and unpacking of established groups
Sooner or later, the menu structure may require changes, and you may have decided that you don't need the folder anymore, or you want to return the apps to separate locations, and the process of deleting the folder on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is extremely simple and intuitive.
To delete the folder, open it. Inside you'll see all the icons that are nested, you'll take one of the icons and drag it outside the folder to the free desktop space, and repeat this procedure for all the apps that were in the group.
Once you have one or zero applications left in the folder, it disappears automatically. MIUI doesn't store empty containers. If you want to just rename or change the composition, you don't have to delete the folder completely, just edit the contents.
There is a caveat: if you delete the application that is inside the folder through the settings menu (Settings → Applications), then its shortcut from the folder will also disappear. The folder will automatically shrink in size, reflecting the current state of the installed programs.
What to do if the folder is not deleted?
Solving Common Problems When Creating Folders
Despite the ease of operation, Redmi 9 users may encounter a number of technical difficulties, often not in the action itself, but in system settings or third-party software that conflicts with the standard launcher.
One of the common problems is that you can't drag and drop an icon, and this can happen if you have a lock on the layout, check the settings on the screen, and you may not be able to change the structure of your desktop, and this also happens when your device is overflowing.
Another common situation is that the launcher crashes when you try to create a folder, which may indicate that the cache of the interface system is damaged, in which case you need to clean the launcher data, but this will reset the location of all your icons to standard.
If you have installed a third-party launcher (Nova, Apex, etc.), the folder-creation algorithm may be different, and in such cases you need to refer to the specific application's instructions, since MIUI does not control the desktop at this point.
⚠️ Before resetting the launcher settings, make sure that you remember the location of important widgets, since it will not be possible to restore them automatically after resetting - you will have to adjust the screen again.
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Most folder creation problems are solved by restarting the smartphone or disabling third-party launchers, returning standard MIUI management.
Optimizing the Redmi 9 Workspace
Creating folders is just the first step to order. The owner of Xiaomi Redmi 9 should remember that an overloaded desktop affects the response speed of the touch screen and visual perception. Try to keep only the most necessary widgets and 1-2 folders with frequently used applications on the first screen.
Use logical grouping. Don't create a folder called "Miscellaneous" where you dump everything you don't understand, but rather have folders called "Finance", "Travel", "Work", which speeds up the search for the right program and reduces the cognitive load when using a smartphone.
Regularly audit installed applications, if you haven't used the program for a month, you probably don't need it, and removing the excess software frees up space and keeps the folder structure up-to-date and easy to navigate.
Remember, the interface is a tool for you. Don't be afraid to experiment with folder sizes, names and screen layouts. MIUI allows you to change the screen grid (4x6, 5x7), which also affects the size of icons and folders.