How to remove the icon from the screen Xiaomi: hide applications and system icons

Your Xiaomi screen has accumulated unnecessary app icons or system icons that interfere with user-friendly use? Perhaps these are remnants of deleted programs, duplicates from MIUI updates, or just apps that you do not use but do not want to remove. Unlike iOS, where hiding icons requires workarounds, Android on Xiaomi devices offers several built-in and hidden mechanisms to solve this problem.

In this article, we will look at 5 proven ways, from simple (hiding through the launcher) to advanced (ADB commands and editing system files), and pay special attention to the nuances of different versions of MIUI 14/15, as well as the risks that can arise from using informal methods. If you want to not just hide the icon, but completely disable the application, at the end of this article there is a bonus section with instructions for deactivating system services without losing functionality.

1. Hiding icons through the standard MIUI launcher

The safest and most reversible way is to use the built-in MIUI launcher features, which are suitable for most models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13, etc.) and does not require superuser rights. Importantly, this method hides the icon only from the home screen, but the application will remain in the All apps menu.

Instructions:

• 📱 Long click on the app icon → Choose to Remove (Do Not Delete!).
• 🔍 If there is no Remove option, drag the icon to the top of the screen (the inscription “Delete” or “Hide” will appear).
• 🔄 To return the icon, open the App Menu. → Find a hidden app → push-on → Add to the main screen.

Method limitation: System applications (e.g. Security, Topics) are often blocked from being hidden.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI Global for European Region) Hiding option may not be available due to Xiaomi policy. → The phone. → Update MIUI.

2.Use of the Hidden Applications folder (MIUI 14+)

Since MIUI 14, Xiaomi has officially hidden apps through a secure folder, a method that not only removes icons from the screen, but also blocks access to apps without a password/fingerprint, suitable for sensitive applications (bank applications, instant messengers).

How to set up:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Hidden Applications.
2. Enter a password or use biometrics to confirm.
3. Select apps from the list and click Hide.
4. Icons will disappear from the home screen and app menu, and will only be accessed through Settings → Hidden Apps.

Important: When you reset your phone to factory settings, the hidden apps will become visible again. To avoid this, link your Mi Account before using the feature.

3. disable icons of system applications through ADB

If standard methods do not work (for example, for Google Play Services or Mi Video applications), you can use the app. ADB-This is a way of connecting to a computer, but it doesn't need root rights.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) → Return to Additional Settings → For Developers.
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) and type:

adb shell pm hide com.miui.video # example for Mi Video


adb shell pm hide com.google.android.gms # for Google Play Services

To return the icon, replace hide with unhide.

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Before using ADB, check the full name of the application packet with the command adb shell pm list packages | grep "name." For example, for Facebook it is com.facebook.katana.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling system applications (e.g. com.miui.securitycenter) can cause your phone to run in an unstable way.

4. Hiding icons through third-party launchers

If the built-in MIUI features don’t suit you, you can install an alternative launcher (such as Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or Hyperion) that offers advanced icon hiding settings, including:

• 📦 Hiding individual apps from the menu.
• 🔒 Blocking access to applications by password.
• 🎨 Grouping icons into invisible folders.
• 🔄 The ability to return hidden icons in one click.

Example of settings in Nova Launcher:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Long tap on the home screen → Settings Nova → Hiding apps.
3. Choose the apps you want to hide.
4. Apply the changes and restart the launcher.

Advantage: does not require any intervention in the system and works on any version of Android. MIUI.

5. editing system files (root only)

For root users, the most flexible method is direct editing of system files, which allows you to hide even those icons that do not lend themselves to other methods (for example, Google Discover icons or Mi Share icons), the risk is high: improper actions can lead to a “bootloop”.

Instructions (requires Root Explorer or Mixplorer):

1. Open the file /system/usr/share/miui/overlays/com.android.systemui.overlay.list.
2. Find a line with the name of the hidden package (e.g. com.miui.mishare).
3. Add the # (comment) symbol before the line.
4. Save the file and restart the phone.

An alternative way for root users to use a Magisk module called Hide My Applist, which allows you to hide icons without directly editing system files, which reduces the risk.

Bonus: How to completely disable system applications

If your goal is not just to hide the icon, but to completely deactivate an unnecessary application (such as Mi Browser or Mi Music), use the built-in MIUI feature:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an unnecessary application (such as Records or Scanner).
3. Click Disconnect → Confirm the action.

Application disabled:

• ✅ It will disappear from the menu and the main screen.
• ✅ Stop using resources (CPU, battery).
• ❌ No updates will be received through the Play Market.
• ⚠️ May disrupt the operation of related services (for example, disabling Google Play Services will cause errors in other applications).

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Disabling system applications does not delete them completely - files remain in the phone's memory. Root rights or patches through Magisk are required to be completely deleted.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding icons on Xiaomi