Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the nuances of the MIUI proprietary shell or its new version HyperOS. One of the basic, but not always obvious for beginners, features is the creation of shortcuts. These can be app icons, weather widgets or links to specific web pages that you visit daily.
Desktop management is the first step to personalizing your Android device. A properly configured interface greatly speeds up access to the right features and improves overall productivity. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can place items on your home screen.
There are several ways to add elements, each with its own features depending on the firmware version, and we'll look at both standard procedures and hidden features available through system settings, and understanding these mechanisms will allow you to have full control over your navigation on your smartphone.
Adding labels for installed applications
The most common scenario is to take the program icon from the menu of all applications to the home screen. In standard Xiaomi launchers, this is done by simply drag and drop, but there are alternative methods through settings.
If you have just installed a new game or utility, it can only appear in the general application list by default.To create a shortcut on the Xiaomi desktop, find the desired app in the menu, press your finger on its icon and drag it to the free area of the screen. If the icon is gone, the automatic delete option may be enabled.
In some cases, especially after a system update, shortcuts may disappear or not be created automatically.This is due to the MIUI optimizer, which monitors the cleanness of the workspace. Check the launcher settings to make sure that automatic addition is allowed.
- 📱 Press the application icon in the menu and drag it to the free desktop space.
- ⚙️ Use the Edit menu (two finger pinch) to add a widget with a quick app launch.
- 🔍 Through the Explorer search, find an apk file or an app link and select “Create a shortcut».
It is important to understand the difference between removing an application and removing its shortcut. When you remove an icon from your desktop, the program remains installed on the system. However, if you decide to create a shortcut for the system process, be careful, as this may affect the work of the device tab.
⚠️ Note: Do not create multiple shortcuts for system applications such as Phone or Messages unless you use specific themes.
Creating shortcuts for websites and web pages
Often users need instant access to a particular section of an online store, news portal or personal account.Google Chrome browsers and built-in MI Browser allows you to create individual icons for any URL-Addresses that will look like native apps.
To implement this feature, open the desired site in the browser. In the browser settings menu (usually three dots in the corner), find the item "Add to the main screen" or "Create a shortcut." The system will prompt you to confirm the name, after which a new icon will appear on the desktop.
This method is especially useful for web versions of services that do not have official apps in the Play Market, or to bypass the restrictions of regions.
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Use short names for website shortcuts (1-2 words), as long names can be cropped on the lock screen or in folders.
Technically, this is a link that runs a specific Intent in the browser. If you delete the browser, the shortcuts will stop working. Also, you should consider that such icons take up space in the browser cache, so periodically clean the web storage data.
- 🌐 Open the site in Chrome, click the menu and select “Add to the home screen».
- 🔖 V MI Browser use the button "Menu» → «Tools» → «Add to the desktop».
- 📑 For Opera Mini, go to the menu and select “Add page».
Working with widgets and folders
Widgets are a more complex type of shortcut, displaying dynamic information directly on the desktop. In the shell of HyperOS and MIUI 14, the functionality of widgets has been significantly expanded, allowing them to change their size and style.
To add a widget, pinch your two fingers on your desktop or keep your finger empty for a long time. In the bottom menu, select "Widgets." Here you will see a list of all available items, from simple watches and calendars to complex battery and pedometer graphs.
Folders allow you to group shortcuts by topic, freeing up space. Just drag and drop one shortcut to another to create a folder. In Xiaomi, folders can have different sizes and even display content without opening if you use special themes.
| Type of element | Function | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Static label | Launch of the application | Absent. |
| Watch widget | Time and date display | Low. |
| Weather widget | Update of climate data | Average (data request) |
| Application folder | Icon grouping | Absent. |
Don't overuse the number of active widgets. Every widget that updates real-time data consumes battery power and RAM. If you notice that the phone is starting to run slower, try removing heavy widgets from the home screen.
⚠️ Attention: Newsfeed and weather widgets require a constant connection to the Internet, and in areas of poor reception, they can cause increased battery discharge due to constant connection attempts.
Launcher settings and display of icons
The Louncher system component is responsible for the appearance and behavior of shortcuts. In Poco and Redmi smartphones, the settings may differ depending on the regional firmware (Global, China, EEA).
To change the grid size or style of icons, go to Settings → Desktop, where you can turn on or off the display of captions, rescale the font, and choose whether new apps will appear on the desktop automatically.
If shortcuts are too small or take up a lot of space, check screen resolution and zoom settings. The “Advanced” section often hides options to hide unnecessary system shortcuts that cannot be removed in the standard way.
☑️ Checking the launcher settings
Sometimes users want to change the shortcut icon to a custom one, and for this purpose MIUI needs to download the theme with modified icons or use third-party apps to change icons that run on top of the system launcher.
- 🎨 Download a theme from the Themes store that changes the style of all shortcuts at once.
- 🔧 Use the Shortcut Maker app to create shortcuts with any pictures.
- 📐 Change the desktop grid in the settings for a tighter placement of elements.
Solving the Problems of Losing Labels
One of the frequent complaints of users is the spontaneous disappearance of shortcuts after a restart or system update, which is often due to aggressive energy saving or launcher cache errors.
The first thing to do is clear the launcher cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, search the Desktop (or Launcher) list, and select Clear Cache. No data need to be deleted so as not to reset the icons.
If the problem persists, check if the app that is missing the label is blocked, and the system can kill background processes as unnecessary, and remove associated widgets from the desktop along with them.
Hidden settings for protecting labels
It’s also worth checking for updates to the shell itself. Xiaomi engineers regularly release patches that fix GUI-displayed bugs. If the shortcut is gone after installing a particular app, try removing it.
Additional opportunities and advice
For advanced users, shortcuts can be created through ADB or special design applications, allowing you to create shortcuts for specific functions within applications, such as opening the camera immediately in video mode or turning on a flashlight.
Use a voice assistant to quickly find and add items. Say "Xiao Wai" or "OK, Google," then "Create a shortcut for WhatsApp." The system will do the necessary actions if the access permissions allow it.
Remember that a crowded desktop not only looks unaesthetic, but it can also reduce the response speed of the interface. Try to keep only the most important applications on the first screen, and remove the rest in folders or second menus.
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The optimal number of widgets on the home screen is no more than 3-4 active type pieces to keep the system performance and battery power.
Using shortcuts wisely turns your smartphone into a powerful digital task management tool: Experiment with location, use folders and widgets wisely, and your Poco or Redmi will be even more convenient.