How to return the search bar to the screen of the Xiaomi smartphone

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often face a situation where, after updating the operating system or accidentally touching the desktop, a familiar interface element disappears. The search line is one of the most popular tools that allows you to instantly find applications, contacts and information on the Internet. The absence of this widget can be disorienting to a user who is accustomed to a certain algorithm of interaction with a gadget.

In this tutorial, we will go into detail all the possible causes of the disappearance of the search bar and provide step-by-step algorithms to restore it. Whether you are using the MIUI 14 shell or the latest HyperOS, the methods of solving the problem remain similar, although the paths to settings may differ slightly. It is important to understand that in most cases this is not a system failure, but only a change in the display settings.

We're going to look at both the standard methods through the settings menu and the alternative ways to install widgets from different search engines. Sometimes the problem is third-party launchers or activated one-hand mode. Prepare for the fact that you have to dig a little bit into the interface, but the result is worth it.

Checking the settings of the display of the desktop

The first and most obvious step is to check the basic settings of the MIUI shell interface. Often the search bar is not deleted completely, but simply hidden due to activation of a certain mode or change of the theme of the design. The system allows you to flexibly adjust the appearance, but these settings can get lost.

You have to go to the settings menu and find the desktop section, and depending on the firmware version, it can be called differently, but the logic is the same. If you've changed the theme recently, the new theme might not have meant that you had a standard search bar.

To access the necessary parameters, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Open the Settings app on your smartphone.
• 🔍 In the settings search box, enter the word "Worker" or "Screen".
• ⚙️ Go to the Desktop section (or Home).
• 👁️ Find the switch that displays the search bar and activate it.

Note that some versions of the firmware have widget management in a separate long-press menu on the blank space of the screen. The launcher interface is the software shell that is responsible for visual display of icons and widgets. If the settings are fine, but the line is not, it may have been removed as a regular widget.

⚠️ Note: If the switch is active in the settings but the line does not appear, try changing the theme to a standard one ("Classic" or "No Theme"), as third-party themes can block system widgets.

Restore the widget through the widget menu

If the global settings are all-inclusive, but the search bar is still missing, it was most likely accidentally removed from the screen. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, widgets are managed through a special menu that is called by swipe or long press. This is a standard procedure that does not require root rights.

The process of adding a widget is intuitive, but it has its own characteristics on different versions of Android. You will need to find in the list of available widgets exactly the one responsible for the search engine. There can be several of them if you install third-party software.

Follow the instructions to return the item to the screen:

• 🖐️ Make a long press of the finger on the free section of the desktop.
• 🧩 In the lower menu, select Widgets (or Add Widgets).
• 🔎 In the list, find the Google, Yandex or Search section.
• 📥 Press the desired search bar widget and drag it to the desired screen location.

It is important to distinguish between widgets from different search engines. Google's standard bar is often integrated into the system launcher, whereas Yandex or Baidu widgets are separate applications. If you don't find the right widget in the list, it's possible that the corresponding application is removed or disabled.

Setting up a search engine by default

Often users want to change the search engine that they use, not just return a line, but instead Google, Bing, or regional partners like Yandex can be installed by default on Xiaomi smartphones. Changing the default settings affects which line the system will offer when you reset your launcher settings.

To change preferences, you need to refer to browser settings or application system settings, which allows you to customize the experience of using, making it more convenient for a particular user, for example, switching to Yandex is relevant for users from the CIS.

Algorithm for changing the search engine:

1. Open the smartphone settings and go to the Application section.
2. Find All Apps or Application Management.
3. In the list, find your primary browser (such as Chrome or Mi Browser).
4. Inside the browser settings, find the Search Engine section and select your preferred option.

After changing the settings, it is recommended to restart the device so that the changes take effect in all system components.Reboot clears the launcher cache and force updates the widgets on the desktop.

Using third-party launchers to search

If standard MIUI or HyperOS shell tools don’t suit you, or if the search bar is missing due to a critical system failure, installing a third-party launcher is a great solution, a complete replacement for the standard desktop that provides enhanced personalization capabilities.

Popular launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher allow you to place a search bar anywhere on the screen, change its transparency, animation and behavior, and often ignore the system constraints imposed by the manufacturer.

The process of installing an alternative solution:

• 📲 Download your favorite launcher from the Google Play store.
• 🚀 Launch the application and follow the initial setup instructions.
• ✅ When requesting, select the "Use as Main" option for the new launcher.
• ➕ Add the search widget through the new launcher widget menu.

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Using a third-party launcher can increase battery consumption by 5-10% due to additional animations and background processes, but gives maximum flexibility in the configuration of the interface.

It is worth noting that when installing a third-party launcher, standard Xiaomi widgets (such as a weather widget or pedometer) may stop working or display incorrectly.

Resetting launcher settings and cleaning the cache

In situations where the search bar is lost due to a software failure, resetting the system component responsible for the desktop helps, which will return the desktop view to the factory state without affecting your personal files, photos or contacts.

This procedure is effective if the interface is unstable, icons are floating, and widgets are not added, and the launcher cache may overflow or become corrupted, which caused the interface elements to disappear.

Instructions for resetting launcher settings:

1. Go to Settings -> Applications -> All Apps.
2. Find the System Launcher (or System Launcher) application in the list.
3. Click on the Clean button (the broom or basket icon) at the bottom of the screen.
4. Choose Clear Everything or Reset Settings.

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

The command above is designed for advanced users using USB debugging (ADB), and performs the same reset function, but through the computer. After performing these actions, the phone can “blink” for a second, and the desktop will reboot with factory settings.

⚠️ Warning: After resetting the launcher settings, the location of all icons and folders on the desktop will return to its original state.

Solving problems with the global and Chinese version of firmware

Owners of smartphones bought on marketplaces or brought from abroad often face differences between Global ROM and China ROM. In the Chinese versions of firmware, Google is not available by default, which means that the standard Google search bar there is not originally provided.

If you reflashed your device from the Chinese version to the global (or vice versa), you might have left tails in the form of system files that block the appearance of the string, in which case you need to completely clean the data or flash it.

The main differences in search behavior:

• 🇨🇳 Chinese firmware dominated by Baidu search and Xiaomi widgets.
• 🌍 Global firmware gives priority to Google Assistant and Google Search.
• 🔄 When changing the region in settings (Settings -> Additionally -> Region) set of recommended widgets may change.

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Changing the region in the smartphone settings to India or the USA often force the appearance of the Google search string if it disappeared after the update.

It’s also worth checking if the “Simple Mode” or “older” mode is activated, where the interface is greatly simplified and the search bar can be hidden or replaced with large contact buttons, usually exiting this mode through screen settings or a long press of the power button.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)