Managing application shortcuts on Xiaomi Redmi 9: deletion and configuration

Xiaomi smartphone owners, especially the Redmi 9, often face the need to optimize their workspace. MIUI shell offers many personalization features, but standard system behavior may not be obvious to beginners. Removing unnecessary icons is the first step to creating a convenient and clean navigation environment that increases the productivity of the gadget.

The process of cleaning the screen of garbage or unnecessary system applications requires understanding the difference between removing a shortcut and completely uninstalling the program. Depending on your goals, the algorithm of actions will differ significantly. Properly configuring the interface allows you not only to visually organize the menu, but also to speed up access to frequently used functions, eliminating visual noise.

Differences between shortcut removal and uninstallation

Before you start taking action, you need to clearly understand what exactly you are going to do with the icon on the screen. Deleting the shortcut means only the disappearance of the graphic icon from the desktop, while the application itself remains in the device’s memory and continues to occupy space. This is true for system services that cannot be removed by standard methods, but whose presence on the home screen annoys you.

In the case of custom programs downloaded from the Google Play store, the most common is a complete uninstallation, a process in which an application is completely erased from internal memory, freeing up gigabytes of space and stopping consuming CPU resources in the background, and the system itself prompts the available actions when you press the icon for a long time.

Importantly, some Android system components may be hidden from the user’s eyes but are active.Trying to remove their shortcut sometimes leads to a temporary disappearance, after which the system automatically returns the icon to its place the next update or reboot.Understanding this logic helps to avoid wasting time fighting undeletable interface elements.

⚠️ Warning: Removing shortcuts to system services such as Security, Themes, or Mi Video does not free up your phone’s memory, but only hides them from your desktop. Be careful when removing system components so that the interface doesn’t break down.

To effectively manage the space, it is recommended to periodically audit installed programs, which allows you to keep the system clean and avoid the accumulation of digital debris. In the future, we will discuss specific methods of working with icons for different use cases of your Redmi 9.

💡

The main difference is that the shortcut is simply a link to the program, and deleting the application erases its files from the phone’s memory forever.

Standard removal of user applications

The most common scenario is to get rid of a game or program that you no longer use. With an Android operating system with a MIUI shell, this process is as simple and intuitive as possible. You don't have to look for complex settings in the depths of the menu, all the actions are performed directly on the desktop.

To start, find the icon of the app you're planning to remove, click on it with your finger and hold it for one to two seconds, and the screen will change, the icons may shrink, and there will be additional control zones at the top or bottom of the display, and that's when the system is waiting for your choice of action.

• 🗑️ Drag the icon to an area that says “Delete” or “Uninstall” that usually appears at the top of the screen.
• ❌ Click on the cross if it appears directly on the icon corner in editing mode.
• ⚙️ Select “About the App” in the pop-up menu, and then click the “Delete” button in the settings window that opens.
• 📱 Use Moving Mode to group the removed applications into one folder for mass cleaning.

Once confirmed, the system will request final consent, warning that all application data will be lost, which is an important point, since game progress or saved passwords can disappear without recovery if no backup was made. Always check if the application contains important information for you before the final tap.

If you remove the app and leave it with an empty square or an exclamation mark icon, it means that the label is orphaned, which is often the case when the launcher fails. Just drag this residual item into the basket or use the Remove function to finally clear the desktop of the artifacts.

How to hide system shortcuts on Redmi 9

Xiaomi smartphone owners often wonder how to remove the standard shortcuts that the manufacturer preinstalled. Unlike custom apps, they can't just be removed as they're part of the operating system. However, MIUI provides tools to hide them, allowing you to visually clean your desktop without risking disrupting your smartphone.

One of the most effective ways is to use the Hidden Apps feature, which allows you to move any icons to a special secure partition that is accessed through a special gesture or password, so that the desktop remains clean and applications are available at any time.

To activate this feature, go to the theme or security settings. Find the section responsible for hiding applications, and select the desired shortcuts from the list. Once activated, they will disappear from the home screen and from the menu of all applications, appearing only when you perform a certain action, such as turning your fingers on the desktop.

Another option is to create a separate page or folder called System or Tools, where you can remove all the unnecessary shortcuts, which, while it doesn't hide them completely, allows you to structure space, which for many users is more rational than using complex concealment features.

Using third-party launchers to manage the interface

If standard MIUI shell capabilities seem limited, an alternative launcher is a great solution, and these are special applications that completely replace the standard desktop, offering advanced customization and shortcut management capabilities. Popular options like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher give you full control of every pixel of the screen.

By installing a third-party launcher, you can not just remove shortcuts, but completely change the logic of their display, you can configure the concealment of notification icons, resize the grid, transparency and even animation of the appearance, which makes Redmi 9 a unique tool that fully matches your aesthetic preferences.

The installation process is simple: download the app from the Google Play store, launch it and agree to change the default home screen. Android will ask for confirmation, after which the new interface will take effect. Old shortcuts can automatically move or disappear, depending on the import settings.

• 🎨 Flexible setting of the desktop grid allows you to place more or fewer icons than in the standard.
• 🚀 Accelerated application launches thanks to optimized third-party launcher algorithms.
• 🔒 Ability to hide applications through a password or biometrics directly in the launcher settings.
• 🔄 Easy switching between different design profiles for work and rest.

It’s worth considering that using heavy launchers on budget devices like the Redmi 9 may require additional RAM resources.If you notice a slowdown in the interface, try the lighter versions of launchers or go back to the standard shell after clearing the cache.

⚠️ Note: When installing a third-party launcher, some functions MIUI, Gestures, like Gestures or Second Space, may not work properly or become inaccessible. Always check compatibility before completely replacing the interface.

Removal of undeletable labels and widgets

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the shortcut is not removed by standard methods or is a widget that can not simply drag to the cart, these can be the remnants of remote applications, advertising widgets from GetApps services or system widgets weather and news, to eliminate them require specific actions.

In the case of widgets, the algorithm is different from working with application icons: you have to click on the widget and hold it until the control menu appears. Often there is a button "Delete" or cross. If the widget is part of the system tape "Google" or "Mi Pay", it can only be folded or disabled in the desktop settings, but not deleted completely.

To combat the ad shortcuts that sometimes appear on your desktop after installing free apps, you need to find the source: Go to the application settings, sort them by installation date, and find suspicious programs without a name or with a transparent icon. Deleting them will save you from pop-up ads forever.

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

For advanced users, there is a method of removing system shortcuts through USB debugging and a computer. Using the adb command, you can force any system component, including its shortcut. However, this requires a PC connection and driver installation, so it is recommended only for advanced users who understand the risks.

Cleaning the desktop from advertising garbage

One of the common reasons for wanting to remove labels is the appearance of intrusive icon ads, which are not viruses in the classical sense, but rather aggressive marketing of installed free applications or services of MIUI itself.

To get rid of them, first check the personalization settings in the Security section. Disabling recommendations in folders and on the desktop often solves the problem, and it is also worth carefully reviewing the list of installed applications and removing those that you do not use, especially "memory cleaners" and "battery accelerators" from unknown developers.

If a shortcut appears spontaneously and disappears, it is likely generated by a background process: turn on the display of running processes in the developer settings or use the task manager to identify the culprit. Often, it is enough to revoke permissions from a suspicious application to “mask over other windows” to make the ad disappear.

Regularly checking app permissions helps prevent new debris from appearing. Don't give programs the right to create shortcuts or display notifications unless their primary function requires it. This digital hygiene rule is valid for any Android smartphone.

💡

Use the “Ad Blocker” feature in Xiaomi’s built-in “Security” app – this will help cut off some of the advertising queries that create unnecessary shortcuts.

Grid setting and space organization

Once the extra shortcuts are removed, it is important to organize the remaining space correctly. The standard grid on Redmi 9 can be changed in the screen settings. Increasing the number of cells allows you to place more icons without creating unnecessary pages, which makes navigation more comfortable.

Grouping apps into thematic folders is the best way to keep order, so you can create social networks, work, games, and hide tags that are rarely used, and not only does it visually clean the screen, it also speeds up the search for the right program, because your brain reads logical groups faster than a chaotic set of icons.

Don't forget widgets. They can be useful if used rationally. Place a weather or calendar widget in a vacant space, but make sure it doesn't overlap important controls. Balance between functionality and minimalism is key to making your smartphone work.

Periodically, once a month, do a digital cleaning, remove the shortcuts to apps you haven't used in the last 30 days, and chances are you won't even notice them missing, and your phone will be faster thanks to freeing up RAM from background processes.