Modern Xiaomi smartphones with a shell MIUI offer users a huge opportunity to personalize the interface, but often device owners face difficulties in organizing the workspace. The standard layout of icons offered by the manufacturer after the first inclusion is not always convenient for everyday use, which forces you to look for ways to optimize. Understanding how to properly manage shortcuts allows you to turn a chaotic set of applications into a thoughtful working tool, available in a single touch.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the existing ways of creating shortcuts, from basic methods of transferring applications to advanced techniques for working with widgets and web pages. You will learn not only to display the necessary programs on the home screen, but also to create functional folders, customize their appearance, and hide unnecessary elements from prying eyes. Competent navigation on the system is the first step to comfortable use of the gadget.
The MIUI shell on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices has unique features that distinguish it from pure Android. Some features can be hidden in the depths of the menu, while others are brought to the forefront for convenience. Regardless of whether you have a budget model or a flagship, the principles of working with shortcuts remain almost identical, although the visual design can vary slightly.
Basic methods for adding applications to the desktop
The most obvious and frequently used way to organize space is to move existing programs from the shared menu to the home screen, by opening the menu of all apps, which is usually called by swiping from the bottom up or clicking a special navigation button, and in the list that opens, find the program you want, hold your finger on the icon, and drag it to the desired area of the screen.
If you want to put a shortcut in an existing folder, just drag and drop the icon on top of another program. The system will automatically create grouping or add an item to an existing folder. This is a great way to structure content into categories: "Social networks", "Banks", "Games".
In some versions of the firmware, if you press the icon long enough, the context menu may appear in the application menu. Here you should be careful: if you choose the "Delete" option, the system may offer two options: remove only the shortcut or delete the application completely. Always read the text of the pop-up window carefully, so that you do not accidentally erase the important program along with its icon.
⚠️ Attention: Drag an icon to the top of the screen often shows a Remove zone or basket.Be careful not to accidentally drop the label there if your goal is to just move it.
For users who prefer minimalism, there is an option to hide rarely used apps, this is done through theme settings or special sections in the security menu. Hidden apps are not displayed in the general list, but they can be accessed through special gestures or search, which helps maintain order.
Creating shortcuts for websites and web pages
Often, you need to quickly access a particular site, but you don't want to install a separate application for this, or it simply doesn't exist. In such cases, the ideal solution is to create a shortcut to a web page right on your desktop, which allows you to open your favorite resources, blogs or news feeds in one click, as if they were regular applications.
To do this, you'll need a browser. In a standard Mi Browser or Google Chrome browser, the process looks similar. Open the page you want, click on the menu (usually three dots in the corner of the screen), and find "Add to the home screen." Once confirmed, the system will create a new icon that you can rename and move to a convenient location.
Site shortcuts are particularly useful for web versions of services that do not have native applications or work in them unstable. For example, many banking services or corporate portals are more convenient to use through a browser. The created shortcut will open the page in the mode closest to the full application, hiding the browser address bar.
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If the standard Xiaomi browser does not allow you to create a shortcut, install Google Chrome or Yandex.Browser - in them this function works more stable and allows you to choose arbitrary icons.
It's worth noting that when you create a site shortcut, you may be asked to create shortcuts. This is the standard Android security procedure to prevent desktop spam from advertising. Just allow the action, and a new icon will appear at the end of your app list or immediately on the free screen.
Work with widgets and their placement
Widgets are dynamic interface elements that display information in real time without having to open an app. On Xiaomi smartphones, they come in a huge variety, from simple watches and calendars to complex smart home control panels. To add a widget, you need to go to desktop editing mode.
Put two fingers on the screen, or hold your finger empty until the screen vibrates. From the bottom menu, select the "Vidgets" button. You'll see a library of all available components. You'll find the right one, like "Weather" or "Stepper," and drag it to the free area.
The size of the widgets can vary, some occupy a single cell, others occupy a whole line or even half a screen, and once you place the widget, you can often stretch or compress it by pulling special markers at the edges of the element, which allows you to tailor the interface to your visual preferences and the amount of free space.
| Type of widget | Functional | Recommended seat |
|---|---|---|
| Clock and Date | Time-show, alarm clocks. | Top of the screen |
| Weather. | Temperature, forecast, precipitation | Any free zone |
| Battery | Charging phone and devices | Lower third of the screen |
| Calendar | Events, tasks, dates | Central region |
The MIUI shell also offers "IOS-style widgets" that can be activated in the theme settings, which look more modern and animated, but can consume a little more battery life, switching between the classic and new widget styles is instant and does not require a device to restart.
☑️ Checking the widget settings
Folder settings and application grouping
When you have dozens of apps installed, folders are essential, and folders on Xiaomi are as simple as possible: you just drag and drop one app icon over another, and the system automatically creates a container that you can put programs on similar topics, which helps you to remove visual noise and find the right one in a second.
Once you create a folder, you can rename it. Click on the name that the system automatically assigned (usually from the app category) and type in your own. You can also change the background color of the folder or the style of the icons inside it if your theme supports it. Some themes offer animated backgrounds for folders.
Inside the application folder, you can sort it by hand or alphabetically. To do this, open the folder, click three dots in the corner (if available in your version of MIUI), and select sorting. There is also the option to create nested structures, although in practice this is rarely convenient due to the limited size of the smartphone screen.
⚠️ Note: When you delete a folder, all the applications inside the folder are not deleted, but simply returned to the shared menu or desktop.
For advanced users, third-party launchers can be installed that offer more flexible folder settings, including changing icon shapes, background transparency and opening animations. However, standard MIUI tools do quite well with the basic organization without requiring additional software installation.
Additional space and second
The unique feature of Xiaomi smartphones is the “Second Space” feature, which is a complete isolated environment inside the same phone, with its own desktop, applications, accounts and files. You can create app shortcuts in the second space, and they will not be visible in the first, which is ideal for separating work and personal life.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Additional Settings → Second Space. Once enabled, you will get two independent desktops that you can swipe between or use a special shortcut. In each space, shortcuts are set independently of each other.
Another useful feature is Turbo Mode or game profiles, which can also change the location of shortcuts. When you start a game, the phone may suggest you go to a mode where only game utilities and recording tools remain on the screen, hiding all unnecessary distracting shortcuts.
How quickly do you switch between spaces?
Using a second space also increases security, so if you give a phone to a child or colleague, you can put it in a second space with a limited set of apps, without fearing for your personal details on the main profile, and shortcuts in this mode are created in the same way as in the regular one.
Hiding labels and protecting privacy
Not all apps need to be visible to everyone who picks up your phone. MIUI provides a built-in mechanism for hiding apps. Hidden programs disappear from menus and desktops, but remain installed on the system. They are accessed through a special gesture in the Security app or through search.
To configure hidden applications, open the Security app, scroll down to Hide Apps (or Hide Apps), turn on the switch and select the programs you want to hide, then they disappear from public access, and to open the hidden application, you will need to enter a special code or use a fingerprint depending on your settings.
It's important to understand the difference between deleting a shortcut and hiding an application. Deleting a shortcut just clears the desktop, but the app is easy to find in the All Apps menu. Hiding makes the program invisible to standard browsing, which is an effective way to protect privacy without setting complex passwords to each individual shortcut.
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Hiding applications is not about removing them, it's about visual masking, and to completely remove them, you have to go to the settings and select "Delete the application."
Also worth mentioning is the app protection feature, which doesn't hide the shortcut, but when you click it requires you to enter a password, fingerprint or face scan, and the combination of hiding rarely used banking apps and setting a password on frequently used ones gives you the maximum level of security for your device.