How to create a shortcut for Android Xiaomi

Modern Xiaomi smartphones, which are based on the shells MIUI or the new HyperOS, provide users with a huge opportunity to customize the interface. However, the standard logic of working with application icons here may differ from the usual “pure” Android, which often raises questions for beginners. Users are looking for ways to quickly bring the desired functions to the home screen, so as not to dig into the depth of the menu every time.

Creating a shortcut is not just copying an icon, but creating a convenient shortcut for quick access to specific functions, sites or contacts. In this article, we will detail all the methods available, from standard to advanced, that will help you organize your workspace as efficiently as possible, you will learn how to manage widgets, create folders and even put on the screen individual system settings.

Basic methods for adding applications to the desktop

The easiest way that many, but not all, know is to drag and drop from the shared menu. Xiaomi shells often activate the default mode when all the installed programs are already on desktops. If you have Classic Mode enabled, all the apps are hidden in the menu called by the swipe up. To create a shortcut in this case, find the desired program in the menu, press your finger on the icon and drag it to the free area of the screen.

If you want to create an additional copy of an existing shortcut, you can't do it with standard system tools without using third-party launchers. However, you can move existing icons between pages. Hold your finger on the icon until it jumps and drag it to the right place. Xiaomi will automatically create a new page if the current one is out.

It's important to understand the difference between deleting an application and deleting a shortcut. When you drag and drop an icon into a cart or cross, the system can offer two options: "Delete" (complete uninstallation) or "Remove from the desktop" (the shortcut will disappear, but the program will remain on the menu).

Using widgets for quick access

Widgets in MIUI and HyperOS are a powerful tool that is often underestimated. They allow you to display not just a static picture, but an interactive control. To add a widget, you need to make a long tap (press your finger) on an empty desktop space or pinch the screen with two fingers. In the bottom menu, select Widgets.

This opens a library of available items. You can find weather widgets, clocks, calendars, or system switches. For example, the Quick Settings widget allows you to put toggles on the screen to turn on a flashlight, Bluetooth or Do Not Disturb mode. This creates the effect of creating a shortcut for a system function that is not in the regular application menu.

• 📱 Application widgets: Many programs (calendar, mail, notes) have their own widgets that show previews of content directly on the lock screen or desktop.
• ⚙️ System widgets: allow you to manage memory, battery and network without logging into settings.
• 🎨 Design widgets: decorative elements, watches of different styles and photo frames for personalization.

It's worth noting that in the new versions of HyperOS, the widget library has been significantly redesigned and now resembles the Apple iOS approach, you can resize widgets by clicking on them and choosing the desired format from the proposed options, which makes creating a unique interface easy and exciting.

Creating shortcuts for websites through the browser

Often, you need to have access to a particular site as a separate application. Xiaomi allows you to create a shortcut to a web page that will look and behave like a native program.

The process of creating a simple one: open the desired site, click on the browser menu (usually three dots or bars), and select Add to the home screen (or "Create a shortcut"). The system will ask for confirmation and possibly prompt to change the shortcut name. After confirmation, an icon with the site logo will appear on the desktop.

This is especially useful for web versions of social networks, news portals or online banking that do not have convenient mobile applications. Such a shortcut can be placed in any folder or widget folder for grouping. that when you remove the browser, the shortcuts created through it will cease to work, as they are links that depend on the main application.

⚠️ Note: If you use Full-screen Apps mode in settings, the site shortcut may open in a floating browser window, rather than the entire screen.

Foldering and grouping of elements

As shortcuts grow, the desktop becomes a mess. Xiaomi offers a convenient solution, folders. To create a folder, just drag and drop one shortcut on top of the other. The system automatically creates a container where both icons will fit, and you can rename the folder by clicking on the title and change its display style.

The latest versions of MIUI have Widget Folder, a folder-widget hybrid that allows you to put not only icons but also widgets of different sizes inside the folder, a unique feature that saves space, and you can put, for example, a calculator shortcut and a currency widget inside the folder.

To rename a folder, tap it to open, then click on the name at the top, and you can also change the background color of the folder in some design themes, which helps visually separate work and entertainment applications.

Shortcuts for specific functions and settings

Few people know, but in Android (and Xiaomi in particular) you can create shortcuts not only for applications, but also for specific actions inside them or system settings. This is a hidden feature that is implemented through the widget menu or special shortcut applications.

Go to the widget menu (long tap on the screen -> Widgets) and scroll to the bottom. There's often a Settings or Shortcuts section. Inside you'll find a list of dozens of items: Call shortcut, Contact shortcut, Flight mode, Flashlight. Drag them to the table, you create a direct link to the action.

For example, you can create a contact shortcut, you can select the person from the phone book, and you can have an icon on your desktop that, when you click on it, will immediately call that person, much faster than opening contacts, searching for a name, and pressing the call button.

• 📞 Direct Call: Creating an icon for a quick call to a contact.
• 🔦 Flashlight: Instant flash activation without opening the notification curtain.
• 🌐 Access Point: Quickly turn on Wi-Fi distribution.

There are also apps from the GetApps store or Google Play, such as “Shortcut Maker”, which let you create shortcuts for any hidden Android activity, down to the specific settings in the developer menu.

⚠️ Note: When creating system settings shortcuts, make sure you don’t remove the original system applications, otherwise shortcuts may stop functioning after resetting the settings.

Advanced setup through launchers

If standard MIUI capabilities aren’t enough, you can install a third-party launcher like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher, which lets you create shortcuts with incredible detail: change icons to any images from the gallery, customize swipe gestures on the icon and create nested folders.

In third-party launchers, the shortcut creation process often looks like this: long tap across the screen -> Widgets/Tags -> Select an app -> Select a specific action (Activity). This gives access to hidden Android menus that are not visible in the standard interface, for example, you can create a shortcut "Reboot" or "Safe Mode".

However, using third-party launchers on Xiaomi has its nuances: animations can work less smoothly, and some system functions (such as swiping down to search) can conflict with shell gestures.

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Expert advice: Before installing a third-party launcher, disable the option “Extended menu” in the MIUI settings to avoid conflicts of displaying application lists.

Solving and eliminating errors

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the shortcut is not created or disappears after a reboot, most often due to a lack of space in the desktop grid. If the grid is full, the system will not allow the addition of a new element. Remove extra widgets or increase the grid size in the settings (Settings -> Desktop -> Grid).

Another problem is broken shortcuts that lead nowhere, which happens if the application has been removed but the shortcut remains, or when you update the system, the package structure changes, in which case cleaning the launcher cache helps: Settings -> Applications -> All applications -> Desktop (or System Launcher) -> Clear the data. Attention: this will reset all your icons to factory status!

Also, shortcuts may disappear if the Traffic Savings mode is enabled in some registration themes or if the system has forced the launcher process to unload from memory. Make sure that the system launcher battery settings have AutoStart permission and no background activity restrictions.

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Main conclusion: Standard MIUI tools cover 95% of needs, but for deep customization and creation of action shortcuts, it is better to use widgets or third-party launchers.