How to remove the icon from the screen of the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to clean up the MIUI or HyperOS interface. The Chinese manufacturer's standard Android shell offers a variety of personalization tools, but sometimes basic features are hidden behind complex menus.

There are several ways to do this, and the way you choose depends on your end goal: you can simply move the item to a folder, hide it from prying eyes in a special section, or completely remove the system application if you don't need it. Understanding the differences between these options will allow you to effectively manage the desktop space.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the options available, from simple drag and drop to advanced methods of hiding through system settings. Regardless of whether you have a budget Redmi Note or flagship Xiaomi, the algorithms of actions will be similar, although the names of menu items may vary slightly in different versions of the firmware.

Removing the shortcut from the desktop

The most obvious and easiest way is to physically remove the shortcut from the screen surface, and it's important to understand that in most cases, you don't delete the app itself, but only the shortcut that serves as a link to start quickly. The main body of the program stays in the device's memory and continues to take up space unless you completely delete it.

To do this, you need to pinch your finger on the icon you want to remove, and in a second, the system will vibrate, and the interface will go into editing mode, and in the upper or lower part of the display, you will see a basket icon or the inscription "Delete." Drag the icon into this zone, you will remove it from the current screen.

If your goal is to get rid of the program completely, the algorithm of actions will be different. In editing mode, after the icon is clamped, often the "i" or "About the application" button appears directly below the icon, and clicking on it, you will be taken to the control menu, where the uninstall option for user software is available.

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If the delete button is missing, it is a system application that is necessary for MIUI to work, and cannot be removed by standard methods without root rights.

It is worth noting that on some versions of the shell, when you remove the label, the system may prompt you to immediately remove the application itself. Be careful when a confirmation pop-up appears, so as not to accidentally erase the desired program along with the icon.

Hiding applications through system settings

The app hide feature is a powerful tool in MIUI’s arsenal designed to increase privacy. When you hide an app, its icon disappears from the desktop and from the menu of all programs, becoming accessible only through a special command input or fingerprint.

To activate this feature, go to Settings and select the Apps section. In the list of options, look for Hidden Apps (the new versions may call Hide Apps). The system will prompt you to set a password or use biometrics to access this section, which is an important security step.

Once you activate the function, you'll see a list of all the programs you've installed, and you just need to switch the slider against the apps you want to hide, and once you confirm the action, the icons will disappear from the screen instantly.

There's a gesture to run a hidden app, usually swipe two fingers from the edges of the screen up into the menu of all apps (where all the icons are displayed), and then the system asks you to enter a password or fingerprint, and you'll see a list of hidden programs.

⚠️ Warning: If you forget your password or pattern of access to hidden apps, it will be almost impossible to restore access to them without resetting your phone settings.

Use of the Second Space

The unique feature of MIUI is the Second Space feature, which allows you to create virtually two independent smartphones on a single device with different sets of applications, accounts and files, which is ideal if you want to remove icons not just from your eyes, but to separate your work and personal life.

Activation occurs through the Settings menu → Additional → Second space. The system will create a clean profile where you can transfer or re-install the desired applications. In the main profile, program icons from the second space will not be displayed, which provides complete isolation.

Switching between spaces is done either through a special label in the notification curtain or with a given fingerprint, for example, unlocking the right thumb opens the main space, and the left little finger opens the hidden space.

This is preferable for those who want to hide the presence of certain applications completely, and for an outsider who picks up your phone, these programs will only exist in a second world, where the entrance is protected by a separate password.

Removal of System Applications (Bloatware)

Xiaomi smartphones often come with a pre-installed set of apps that can’t be removed in the usual way. Labels like Mi Video, Mi Music or various Google services take up space and interfere with minimalism.

One of the safest ways to use the tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge, via a computer. This method does not require a Root-right, but requires a connection to a PC and execution of commands. First, you need to activate the developer mode by quickly clicking on the build number in the About Phone section".

Then the developer menu includes USB debugging. Once the smartphone is connected to the computer and the drivers are installed, you can send commands to delete packets through the command line.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayer

This command, for example, will remove the video player for the current user. It's important to know the exact name of the application package you want to remove. A name error can result in the removal of the system component necessary for Android to run smoothly.

⚠️ Note: Removing system packages through ADB This can cause system instability, update failures, or loss of warranty, and only do so if you understand what a particular package is responsible for.

There are also helper apps like Universal Android Debloat that have a graphical interface and simplify the process. They automatically scan the device and flag system components that are safe to remove, reducing the risk of a critical error.

Folder setting and grouping

If you don't need to delete or hide completely, but you just need to make room on the screen, the effective solution is to group the icons into folders, which allows you to save access to the applications, but visually clear the workspace.

Creating a folder is simple: drag and drop one icon on top of another. The system automatically creates a container where you can add up to a dozen applications, and you can rename the folder by changing the color scheme or adding widgets inside it, which is supported in new versions of MIUI.

In addition to the standard folders, you can use the App Vault feature, which is to the left of the first screen, where you can take out rarely used programs, leaving only the essentials on the home screen, and access them with one swipe to the right.

Grouping is especially useful for users who often install new apps, and instead of spreading them all over the screen, create a folder called "New" or "Temporary" where you will put everything extra before the final sorting.

Third-party launchers for interface management

Xiaomi’s standard shell is functional, but sometimes its customization capabilities are not enough, and installing a third-party launcher, such as Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher, gives you complete control over the display of icons.

Third-party launchers allow you to hide applications from menus, resize the grid, make icons transparent or completely disappear. In the settings of such launchers, there is often a “Hidden Applications” option that works regardless of the system settings of MIUI.

However, there may be limitations when using third-party shells on Xiaomi, and the system can aggressively unload the launcher from memory, requiring constant manual permission adjustment and blocking in the background for stable operation.

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Third-party launcher is the best way to radically change the visual style and logic of working with a smartphone if the standard interface seems overloaded.

It’s also worth considering that some Xiaomi system features, such as control gestures or notifications, may not work properly or require additional customization when using a non-staff launcher.

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