How to place icons on the Xiaomi Redmi desktop: from sorting to hidden MIUI chips

Chaos of icons on the Xiaomi Redmi screen is a familiar problem? Even after reinstalling apps, icons fly off to who, and the ones you need go to the second or third screen. Unlike iOS or pure Android, the MIUI shell offers unique tools for ordering the desktop, from basic sorting to hidden features that will not be discussed in the standard manual.

Many users of the Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4 or Mi 11 Lite do not even realize that MIUI 12-14 allows you not only to group icons into folders, but also to adjust the automatic arrangement by alphabet, color or frequency of use. Some features (for example, Smart Desktop Mode) are hidden in the depths of settings. In this article, we will analyze all the available methods, from obvious to exclusive for Xiaomi.

If you’ve just upgraded to MIUI 14 or bought a new Redmi, the first thing you should do is get your desktop in order. This is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also increases productivity: according to a study by Xiaomi Labs, users spend 23% less time searching for apps if the icons are logically ordered. Let’s start with simple methods and gradually move on to advanced tricks.

1. Basic Sorting: How to Drag Icons Manually

The most obvious way is to drag and drop manually, and it works on all versions of MIUI, and it doesn't require any additional settings, so just hold the app icon for 1-2 seconds until it sticks off the screen and then move it to the right place, but even here, there are nuances:

On Redmi with MIUI 13+, if you drag and drop the icon to another, you'll see a prompt called "Create a folder." If you move the icon to the edge of the screen, the system will automatically scroll the desktop to the next screen, which is convenient when there are many applications, but can cause accidental movement.

• 📱 For a single screen: Drag the icon into an empty area to create a new screen on the right.
• 🗑️ Delete from the desktop: drag the icon to the top of the screen to the inscription "Delete" (the application will remain in the menu).
• 🔄 Quick Replacement: Drag One Icon to Another – They’ll swap places.

Important: On the POCO F3/F4 and some Redmi models with MIUI for POCO, the drag and drop gesture may be different – longer retention (up to 3 seconds) is required to avoid activating the Edit Mode.

2. Automatic sorting by alphabet, color or frequency of use

MIUI hides a powerful tool, the automatic icon placement, which is available in Settings → Desktop → Application Sort. Here you can choose from four modes:

• 🔤 Alphabetically: icons line up from A to Z (the name in Russian or English is taken into account).
• 🎨 By color: icons are grouped by dominant color (for example, all blue icons together).
• ⏱️ By installation date: new apps appear on the right, old ones on the left.
• 📊 Frequency of Use: Most Used Apps Move to First Screen.

When you select a color sort, the system analyzes the icon palette rather than the background, for example, a YouTube icon (red logo on a white background) will be in the red group rather than white, which works best on MIUI 14, which has improved color recognition algorithms.

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Warning: Once automatic sorting is enabled, manual drag and drop icons will be blocked until the function is disabled. To regain control, go to Settings → Desktop → Application Sort → Manual.

3. Create and Configure Folders: How to Group Applications

Xiaomi desktop folders are not just a grouping, but an intelligent tool. Unlike standard Android, folders can not only be renamed, but also customized to look like them, and include Smart Sort inside them.

To create a folder:

1. Press the app icon and drag it to another icon.
2. Release your finger and a new folder with an automatic name (e.g., Apps or Games) will appear.
3. Tap the folder name to rename it (maximum 12 characters).

In MIUI 13+, folders support gestures:

Double tap on the folder, opens it in full size.

Swipe up the folder shows all the apps inside without opening.

- Clip and pull down - deletes the folder (the applications remain on the desktop).

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Note: If there are more than 12 apps in a folder, MIUI automatically breaks it up into several pages. To see all the icons, swipe left/right inside the open folder. Redmi Note 10 Pro and older supports the "Pigs" gesture to fold the folder.

4. Desktop grid setting: how many icons fit on the screen

The number of icons on the screen depends on the size of the grid. In MIUI, you can choose from 4×5 to 5×6 cells, which affects the density of the icons.

1. Click the empty space on the desktop → select “Desktop Settings”.
2. Go to the Desktop Grid.
3. Choose the right option (e.g. 5×6 for maximum number of icons).

On Redmi with display FHD+ (Like Redmi. K50) netting 5×6 — It allows you to place up to 30 Icons on one screen without losing readability. HD+-displays (e.g., Redmi) 9A) better limit yourself 4×5, Otherwise, the badges will become too small.

MIUI 14 has introduced the Adaptive Grid feature, which automatically adjusts the size of the icons to the screen resolution, to enable it:

Settings → Desktop → Additional → Adaptive grid

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If after changing the grid icons look blurry, reboot the smartphone – it will reset the cache of rendering icons.

5. Hidden MIUI features: smart desktop and gestures

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden Smart Desktop mode that analyzes your habits and automatically adjusts the location of the icons to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Desktop → Smart Desktop.
2. Turn on the switch and select one of the profiles: 🏠 Home: entertainment apps (YouTube, games) are taken to the first screen). 💼 Worker: priority is given to messengers, mail and calendar. 🚀 Gaming: hides all the extra icons, leaving only games and performance settings.

Another hidden feature is desktop gestures, like Redmi with MIUI 13+, which supports:

Swipe down with two fingers – opens the notification panel (works even on a locked screen).

Double-touching on the empty space, folds all the folders.

- Clip and pull up - opens the application menu.

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Note: Smart Desktop uses additional resources as it analyzes your activity. On weak smartphones (e.g. Redmi 8A or POCO M2), this can lead to a 5-7% increase in battery consumption.

6. Advanced Tricks: Widgets, Hidden Apps and Themes

If standard methods are not satisfied, MIUI has several other ways of customization:

1. Widgets instead of icons

Widgets take up space, but they allow you to quickly access features, for example, instead of a weather icon, you can put a prediction widget, and instead of a calendar, you can put a monthly review.

1. Click the empty space on the desktop → “Widgets”.
2. Select the desired widget and drag it to the screen.
3. Set the size by clicking on the widget and selecting "Change size".

2. Hiding unnecessary icons

Some system applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Music) cannot be removed, but can be hidden.

1. Open the app menu (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
2. Press the icon of the unnecessary application → select “Hide”.
3. Confirm action. The app will disappear from the desktop and menu, but will remain in the system.

3.Use of themes from Mi Theme Store

Some themes (such as "Minimalist" or "Dark Mode Pro") automatically organize icons according to predefined rules.

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Hidden applications can be returned back through Settings → Applications → Application Management → Hidden applications. They are not removed from the system, but only hidden from view.

7. Resetting the desktop to factory settings

If the experiments go wrong and the desktop turns into chaos, you can bring it back to normal.

1. Go to Settings → Desktop → Additional → Reset settings.
2. All icons will return to their standard location (like after you buy a smartphone).

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Warning: Reset does not delete applications or data — it only returns desktop icons to factory appearance. However, all folders created will be deleted and widgets reset.

On a Redmi with MIUI for POCO (e.g., POCO X3 Pro), the path to reset is different:

Settings → Personalization → Desktop → Reset the layout

FAQ: Frequent questions about ordering icons on Xiaomi