Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where the standard interface is no longer suitable due to its congestion or unusual arrangement of elements. The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer many features, but sometimes basic features such as the app menu become redundant. Users want to see all the icons at once on the desktop, as it was in the earlier versions of Android, or they want to completely replace the launcher to improve performance.
The problem of how to remove the application menu on Xiaomi is solved in several ways depending on the desired result: you can simply turn off the display of all programs by moving them to desktops, or completely remove the system component responsible for this function. It is important to understand that deleting system files requires caution, since incorrect actions can lead to unstable device operation. In this article, we will discuss secure methods of setting up and more advanced ways of interfering with the system.
Before you start taking any drastic measures, it's worth considering whether you really need to remove the menu, or if it's enough to set it up properly. Modern shells allow you to flexibly manage screen space, hide rarely used utilities and group shortcuts. We'll look at the regular MIUI tools, third-party launchers and methods for disabling system processes through ADB. This will help you make the interface as convenient as possible for you.
Disable display of all applications in settings
The easiest and safest way to change the structure of the desktop is to use the built-in settings. In the shells of Xiaomi, there is a mode that forcibly displays all installed programs on the screens, bypassing a separate menu. This returns the classic look of Android, which is familiar to many users.
You have to go to the settings section, where you control the appearance of the system, and you have to find the desktop mode item, which is often hidden in additional settings or located at the top of the theme settings list, and changing this setting instantly redistributes the icons to the free pages, and if there are too many icons, the system will automatically create new pages.
⚠️ Warning: After switching mode, old widgets may shift or lose their settings. It is recommended to take a screenshot of the location of the elements in advance, so that you can quickly restore the usual picture.
In some versions of the firmware, the path to this setting may be slightly different, usually it looks like: Settings → Desktop → Desktop Mode. If you don't see such a item, your version of HyperOS or MIUI may have limitations for your region, in which case it is worth checking for system updates or changing the region in the phone settings.
Using third-party launchers to replace the interface
If the regular funds do not allow you to achieve the desired result, third-party launchers come to the rescue. These are special applications that completely replace the standard Xiaomi interface. They allow you not just to remove the menu, but to change the appearance of the smartphone beyond recognition. Popular options are Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher and Niagara Launcher.
Installing a third-party launcher gives you complete control over the desktop grid, animations and folder behavior. You can configure swipes, gestures, and even hide the search bar. The key advantage of such solutions is the absence of intrusive advertising and unnecessary services that are often built into the standard shell, and this can also positively affect the autonomy of the device.
- 🚀 Nova Launcher – a standard customization, allowing you to customize literally every pixel of the screen.
- 📱 Microsoft Launcher is a great solution for integration with the Windows ecosystem and office services.
- 🎨 Niagara Launcher is a minimalist interface that completely abandons the traditional menu in favor of listing.
Once you have installed the new launcher, the system will suggest you select the primary one. If that doesn't happen automatically, you go to the settings and find the "Default Apps" section. There, in "Desktop" or "Luncher" you should select the installed application. Android can warn you several times about changing the standard behavior, confirm the action.
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Before installing a new launcher, back up the icon location in Xiaomi’s standard launcher if such a feature is available in your version of MIUI to easily go back.
Hiding applications through the “Second Space” mode
Sometimes, when you say "remove the menu," you mean you have to hide certain apps from the public eye, so you don't have to delete them or change the launcher, and the second space feature in MIUI creates a completely isolated environment inside your smartphone, and it's like having two different phones in the same case.
This function is activated through system settings, and you'll be asked to create a separate password or fingerprint to log into the second space, and all the apps installed there won't be displayed in the main menu, or visible in the list of running core profile processes, and it's the perfect way to hide personal data or games you don't want to show.
Moving apps between spaces is possible, but it takes a lot of action: You can clone messengers to have two accounts, or you can just migrate rarely used utilities, while keeping the main menu clean and uncluttered, switching between spaces takes seconds and is done through a special shortcut or a quick password.
Disabling the system component through ADB
For advanced users who want to get rid of the system menu of applications completely without installing third-party launchers, there is a method of disconnecting through the ADB debugging bridge. This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer. It allows you to delete or freeze system packages that are usually hidden from the user.
Before starting the procedure, you need to turn on the developer mode. To do this, seven times click on the build number in the About Phone section. Then, in the Developer menu that appears, activate the USB debugging option. Connect the phone to your PC and make sure that your computer is authorized to the trusted device list.
☑️ Preparation for work with ADB
The command to disable the menu component is as follows: Be careful, enter the commands precisely so as not to affect other system processes.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.launcherHowever, in modern versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14, the package may be called differently, for example, com.miui.home. Disabling this package can cause the desktop to stop responding to touch, in which case you will need to reset or reconnect through ADB to enable the package back with the command.
⚠️ Note: Disconnect system components through ADB This can lead to a “boot loop” or an interface failure, and only do this if you are confident and know how to restore access to the file system.
Cleaning and Optimizing the Desktop
Often, the desire to remove menus is not driven by technical necessity, but by a banal mess on the screen. If you have hundreds of apps installed, no launcher will save you from chaos without the right organization. Optimizing your workspace is the first step to convenience. Start by removing really unnecessary programs.
Use folders to group apps into categories like social media, work, games, finance, which allows you to visually unload the screen, leaving only the most important shortcuts available. Xiaomi folders can be made transparent or color, which also affects the perception of the interface.
Don't forget widgets. They take up space, but they give you quick access to information. If there are too many widgets, the app menu (if it's too much)