How to quickly clean up the Xiaomi Redmi desktop: from sorting to hidden MIUI features

Introduction: Why Redmi Screen Disorder Is Irritating and How to Deal With It

A smartphone desktop is like an office desk: if it’s littered with randomly scattered papers, productivity drops dramatically. On Xiaomi Redmi (and other devices with a MIUI shell), the problem is complicated by the default system hosting new applications in random order, ignoring the alphabet, frequency of use or logical groups. As a result, a month after buying a phone, you get a screen where messengers coexist with games you’ve run a single time, and system utilities are lost among dozens of shortcuts.

Fortunately, MIUI offers more desktop tools than you might think, including automatic alphabetical sorting, manual grid-sticking, and even hidden gestures to quickly access frequently used applications. The key is to know where these features are hidden. In this article, we'll look at all the available methods, including those that aren't dokumented in Xiaomi's official guides.

Before you start putting things in order, consider that some methods (such as hiding icons or changing the grid size) can reset after the MIUI update.

Method 1: Automatic sorting by alphabet (the fastest method)

If you need to get dozens of apps in order in a few seconds, use the built-in alphabetical sorting function. It works on all Redmis with MIUI 12 and later, but is hidden in an unobvious place:

1. Touch and hold any free space on your desktop (not on the icon!).
2. There's a toolbar at the bottom of the screen. ⋮ (Three points) → Streamline the annexes.
3. Choose by alphabet (A-Y) or alphabet (Y-A).

The system will instantly move all the icons alphabetically, leaving empty cells at the end of the screen. Note: sorting only affects the current desktop. If you have multiple screens, you will have to repeat the procedure for each.

⚠️ Attention: After you automatically sort the folders of the applications will break, and their content will be distributed alphabetically, if you used folders for grouping (for example, "Social Network" or "Work"), they will have to be recreated.

This method is ideal for the initial layout, but has a disadvantage: new applications will still be added to the end of the list, disrupting the order. To avoid this, go to Method 3 (fixing the location of icons).

Method 2: Manual movement with "stick" to the grid

If you don't have the alphabetical order, you can manually arrange the icons as you like, and MIUI has a sticking feature to an invisible grid that helps you align the icons along lines. Here's how it works:

• 📍 Long tap on the icon → Drag it to a new place, and when the icon is next to another, a green line will appear, which is a signal that the icon is stuck to the grid.
• 🔄 To swap two icons, drag them to each other – they will automatically swap positions.
• 🗑️ To remove the icon from your desktop (without removing the app itself!), drag it to the top of the screen where the message “Delete” appears.

Secret trick: If you need to move the icon to another desktop, tap it with a long press, then keep your finger on, swipe left or right to the desired screen, this will work even if you have switched off the transition animation in the Redmi settings.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro with a MIUI 13) when manually moving icons, a bug may work that causes the icons to stick together. If this happens, reboot your phone or use Method 1 (autosort) to get the icons back in order.

Make sure there are free cells on the desktop

Turn off the "Light Mode" mode in the settings (it blocks the movement of icons)

Close all background apps (they may interfere with gestures)

Take a screenshot of the current location in case of an error-->

Method 3: Fixing the location of icons (so that new applications do not break the order)

One of the most annoying features MIUI — automatically adding new apps to your desktop, even if you carefully placed all the icons, after you installed the next one. APK-The file will be in order. To avoid this, you need to fix the location:

1. Long press on the vacant seat → ⋮ (Three points) → Desktop settings.
2. Activate the switch to fix the location of the icons.
3. Enable the option to Add new apps to the New folder (appears in MIUI 14).

Now all new programs will be placed in a special folder New, which can be placed in the corner of the screen, which will save you from having to drag and drop freshly installed applications every time.

An important caveat: Redmi with MIUI 12 may not have a fix option.

1. Install a launcher from a third-party developer (such as a Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher).
2. In the launcher settings, find the Home screen → Fix the layout.

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If after fixing the icons you accidentally moved the icon, just restart the phone - the location will recover from the last saved configuration.

Method 4: Grouping into folders (for those who like order)

Redmi desktop folders are like drawers in a drawer, they hide chaos and leave only the necessities in view. In MIUI, you can create folders in two ways:

• 📂 Classical method: Drag one icon to another → The system automatically creates a folder. To rename it, open the folder and tap the name at the top.
• 🤏 Gesture with two fingers: Clutch the free space on the screen with two fingers → Choose Create a folder. → Add the required applications.

Secret chips of working with folders:

• 🔍 To quickly find the application in the folder, open it and pull it down – the search bar will appear.
• 📊 You can sort folders alphabetically: open the folder → ⋮ → Order automatically.
• 🎨 The color of the folder changes depending on the wallpaper of the desktop. If you don't like the automatic hue, install static wallpaper.

MIUI Limitation: You can have a maximum of 16 apps in one folder, and if you need more, create a second folder with the same name (e.g., Game 1 and Game 2).

Method 5: Hiding Unnecessary Icons (for Minimalists)

Not all icons on Redmi desktop are required to be displayed. System applications (e.g. Camera, Phone, Messages) cannot be removed, but they can be hidden. This is useful if you use alternative programs (e.g. Google Camera instead of the standard one).

Instructions for concealment:

1. Long click on the icon → select Remove (this will not remove the app, but simply remove it from the screen).
2. To return a hidden icon: Settings → Applications → Application Management → [App Name] → Show on desktop.

Redmi with MIUI 14 has an option to completely hide system applications (they will disappear even from the menu of all applications).

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Tap on. ⋮ → Hide applications.
3. Select the programs you want to hide and confirm the action.

⚠️ Caution: Hiding system applications (e.g., Security or System Update) may cause malfunctions MIUI. Do not hide programs marked in the settings as "Important for the system".

Method 6: Use of alternative launchers (for advanced users)

If standard MIUI features don't suit you, install a third-party launcher, which completely replaces the desktop interface with new features.

• 🌌 Nova Launcher – flexible gesture setting, icon pack support, the ability to hide the search bar.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – Optimized for the MIUI, retains branded chips (e.g. global search).
• 📱 Lawnchair 2 – Minimalist design with support for dark theme and adaptive icons.

After the launcher is installed:

1. Click Home and select the new launcher as the main one.
2. In the launcher settings, activate options: Set the layout (so that the icons don’t get lost); Hide the app tags (for a minimalistic look); Gestures (for example, swipe up to open the app menu).

Warning: Some launchers (like Nova Launcher) may conflict with MIUI gestures (like swiping on the home screen to call Google Assistant).

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Third-party launchers allow you to adjust the size of the desktop grid (for example, 5×6 instead of the standard 4×5 in MIUI), which gives more room for icons.

Method 7: Reset the desktop to factory settings (if everything breaks)

If you've had some sorting experiments with your desktop and your icons refuse to stick to the grid, resetting your screen settings will help, and it will bring back the standard icon layout, but it won't delete the apps or the data.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings. → Desktop.
2. Select Reset Desktop Settings.
3. Confirm the action.

After discharge:

• All icons will return to standard positions.
• The folders will disappear (their content will remain on the screen).
• Wallpaper and widget settings will reset.

⚠️ Warning: On some Redmi firmware (especially custom ones), a desktop reset can cause weather and clock widgets to disappear.To get them back, restart your phone or update your widget manually with a long press.

FAQ: Frequent questions about streamlining the Redmi desktop