Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which run MIUI and HyperOS shells, are famous for their functionality but often have an overloaded interface. Immediately after unpacking a new device, the user finds that the main screen is literally littered with system application shortcuts, advertising widgets and duplicate folders. This not only visually clutters the space, but can also reduce the speed of finding really important programs in everyday use.
Many gadget owners mistakenly believe that getting rid of pre-installed software is impossible without obtaining superuser rights or complex firmware reflashing. In fact, developers have left enough tools to customize the interface, allowing you to clean the desktop of visual noise. In this article, we will discuss proven methods for removing shortcuts, hiding system components and adjusting the screen mesh for maximum convenience.
Before you start taking action, it's important to understand the difference between removing the app itself and removing its shortcut from the screen. In the first case, the program disappears completely from the device's memory, freeing up space, in the second case, it just hides from view, remaining available through the All Apps menu or search. The choice of method depends on your goals: whether you need a complete system cleanup or just a neat desktop appearance.
Basic removal of user applications
The easiest way to clean up your mess is to remove programs you installed yourself but stopped using them. On Xiaomi shells, this process is intuitive and does not require deep immersion in settings. Just find an unnecessary icon on your desktop and pinch your finger on it for a few seconds until the context menu appears or edit mode begins.
In the menu that opens, select the “Delete” option, which is usually indicated by the cart or the corresponding text. The system will request confirmation of the action, warning that all application data will be erased. Once confirmed, the shortcut will disappear from the screen, and the program itself will be completely uninstalled from the device’s memory, freeing valuable gigabytes.
However, be careful: some system utilities, such as Security, Explorer or Themes, cannot be removed in the standard way, as they are critical components of the Android operating system.
- 🗑️ Press the app icon on your desktop before the menu appears.
- 📱 Select “Delete” or drag the shortcut to the basket that appears at the top of the screen.
- ✅ Confirm the action in the pop-up window to complete the process.
⚠️ Note: Do not remove system components such as Google Play Services or System UI», Even if they take up space, removing them can lead to unstable smartphone operation or the emergence of a cyclical reboot.
If standard removal is not available for a specific application, it means that it has system status. For such cases, there are other cleaning methods, which we will discuss below. In the meantime, focus on removing custom software, games and duplicate browsers, which often come with Chinese versions of firmware.
Hiding system applications through settings
Xiaomi smartphone owners have the unique ability to hide apps directly from the system settings, a feature that is especially useful for those who want to remove icons from the desktop, but do not want to delete the programs themselves, as they may be needed in the future. Hidden applications cease to appear in the menu and on the desktop, remaining available only through a special login in the gallery or settings.
To activate this feature, you need to go to the settings menu and find the section responsible for applications. The path may differ slightly from firmware to firmware, but the logic remains the same. In the Hidden Apps menu, you will see a list of all installed programs. By switching sliders against the names, you can instantly hide or show their shortcuts on the desktop.
This is ideal for rarely used but essential system utilities like Calculator, Dictophone or Scanner, where you remove the visual clutter from the screen, but you can quickly return it to the screen if you need it.
- 🔍 Go to Settings and select the "Applications" section».
- 👁️ Find Hidden Apps (may be in the submenu or through settings search).
- 🚫 Activate the switches next to the apps that need to be removed from the screen.
💡
To find hidden apps faster, use a search by settings by entering the word “hidden” to save time wandering through the menu.
It is worth noting that some global firmware versions may replace the app hide feature with the “Second Space” or not as standard, and users often resort to third-party launchers that provide more flexible icon visibility management tools, but the standard MIUI method remains the most stable and does not require additional software installation.
Cleaning the desktop from widgets and folders
Often, screen clutter is not just due to app icons, but also because of the large weather widgets, news or ad units that Xiaomi adds by default.These elements occupy a significant portion of the usable screen area and can distract from the main task. Deleting widgets is done in a similar way to removing apps, but has its own nuances depending on the type of widget.
To remove the widget, you need to go to desktop editing mode by clamping an empty space or icon. A cross appears in the corner of the widget allows you to instantly remove it. If the widget is part of the system unit (for example, the Google search bar or the news feed on the left), its removal may require disabling the corresponding services in the settings.
Folders deserve special attention. The system often automatically groups applications into categories (Games, Tools, Social Networks), creating bulky folders. If you don't need such grouping, you can simply open the folder, pinch the application icon inside and drag it outside the folder to the free space of the screen. Once you extract all the elements, the folder will disappear automatically.
☑️ Desktop cleaning plan
Freeing up space from widgets not only improves aesthetics, but can also have a positive impact on the autonomy of the device. Dynamic widgets, constantly updating data over the Internet, consume battery power and traffic. Their removal is a simple step to optimize the smartphone without losing the functionality of the main applications.
Using the “No Signatures” mode for minimalism
For those who like clean and minimalist design, MIUI and HyperOS have a feature to disable icon signatures, which allows you to visually dissolve labels against the wallpaper, leaving only graphical images of applications, making the desktop less loaded with text and more modern in appearance.
To activate this mode, you need to go to the theme settings. Usually the path looks like Settings → Desktop → Mode. Here you can choose the option “Classic” or “Unsigned”. In the second option, the app names will disappear, and only the icons will remain on the screen, which creates a clean and order effect.
But this method has its drawback: with a large number of applications, it becomes more difficult to navigate if the icons are similar, so it is better to use this mode in conjunction with careful sorting of applications by folder or using a minimalist set of programs on the home screen.
- 🎨 Open the Themes app or go to desktop settings.
- ⚙️ Find the "Mode" or "Desktop Settings" section».
- 📵 Select the “No signatures” option to hide text names under icons.
⚠️ Warning: When you turn on the no-signature mode, make sure your wallpaper is sufficiently contrasting.In a motley background, the textless icons can merge and become indistinguishable, making navigation difficult.
This method doesn't remove apps physically, it just changes the way they're displayed, and it's a great trade-off for those who want to keep features fast but want visual minimalism, and by combining it with dark themes, you can create a stylish and unique interface.
Advanced Cleaning through ADB (for Power Users)
If standard methods don't allow you to remove a particular system application that you absolutely don't need, the ADB tool comes to the rescue, which allows you to remove programs for the current user, effectively hiding them from the system, but leaving the possibility of recovery, this is the most powerful way to combat undeletable software.
To use this method, you need to turn on Developer Mode in your phone settings, activate USB Debugging, and connect the smartphone to your computer. Then, through the command line, you enter special commands to deactivate packets on your PC. For example, a command to remove a particular application looks like pm uninstall-k --user 0 name.packet.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.videoplayerIt is important to understand that using ADB requires caution: Removing critical system components can lead to a device building or unstable operation. Before starting the procedure, it is strongly recommended to make a full backup of the data and know exactly the name of the package you are going to delete.