The situation when after updating the system or accidentally touching an important icon from the desktop disappears, is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones. The user may be confused, believing that the application has been removed or damaged, but most often the problem lies in the settings of the display of the MIUI shell. You can restore access to the program in several ways without resorting to complex technical manipulations or resetting settings.
In this article, we will go into detail about how the launcher worked and explain why the system could hide the icon. You will learn how to check the list of hidden applications, add widgets back to the desktop and reset the display parameters if there was a software failure.
Search and Recovery through the Menu of All Apps
The first thing to do if the shortcut is missing is to make sure that the application is actually installed on the device. There are two display modes in the MIUI shell: with folders on the desktop and with a separate menu of all programs. Depending on the mode chosen, the search algorithm will differ, but the basic logic remains the same.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open a full list of all the utilities installed. If you use No Folders mode, all the apps are located here. Find the program you want in alphabetical order or use the search bar on top. If the icon is found but it's not on the home screen, just pinch it with your finger and drag it to the free area.
When you use the "With folders" mode, the icons removed from the desktop do not disappear without a trace, but hide in a special folder to see them:
- 📱 Make a pinch with two fingers on the desktop to go into editing mode.
- 🗂️ Find a folder called Hidden Items or Adds (usually at the end of the page list).
- 👆 Press the badge «+» or “Add” to return the app to the visible part of the screen.
⚠️ Note: If you can’t find an app even in the full list, it may have been removed earlier or hidden through the Hidden Apps feature in the security settings.
Setting up the display of icons in the application menu
Often users accidentally disable the display of icons for individual programs through system settings. Xiaomi has a separate section that controls the visibility of shortcuts. To check this setting, go to Settings and select the App. Next, look for the All Apps section.
In the list that opens, find the program that has lost its icon. Click on it to open the control page. Here you need to find the "Map on Desktop" (or "Show a shortcut") switch. If it is turned off, the system hides the icon, although the program itself continues to work in the background.
An alternative path to display settings can be found in the settings menu of the desktop itself:
- 🛠️ Hold an empty space on the desktop.
- ⚙️ Select the Settings (cogs) item).
- 👁️ Find the Additional or Screen Mode section.
This is where the new app shortcuts are decided to appear automatically. If the Add Shortcuts feature is disabled, the new apps won't create icons on the home screen after installing from Google Play or GetApps.
☑️ Verification of visibility settings
Working with widgets and folders
Sometimes users confuse the app shortcut with the widget. A widget is an extended version of a program that can display the weather, calendar or player directly on the screen. If the widget is missing, you need to add it through a separate menu. Click the empty area of the screen and select the widgets item in the bottom menu.
In the list, find the app you want, and if there are widgets that are available underneath, they'll show up on the right, select the right size and style, then click Add the widget, and then the item will appear on the desktop, and you can move it to a convenient location.
It's also worth checking the contents of folders. Often shortcuts are accidentally dragged into other folders with games or utilities. Carefully look at all the groups on the screen. If there are many folders, you can use a phone search to find exactly where the icon is hiding.
Why can widgets not work?
Resetting desktop and launcher settings
If standard methods don't work, there may have been a failure in the launcher itself, the system component that controls the interface, in which case a reset of desktop settings is effective, and this action will not delete your personal files, photos or contacts, but will return the location of the icons to the factory state.
To perform the reset, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps. In the list, find the Desktop (or System Launcher) app. Click on it, then select Clean → Reset (or Clean all).
After this operation, the desktop will be updated. All shortcuts should return to their standard places. If you used a third-party launcher (for example, Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher), the procedure should be performed for the corresponding application.
| Action. | Impact on data | When to apply |
|---|---|---|
| Reboot. | Safe. | With time glitches |
| Clearing the cache | Safe. | If the launcher slows down |
| Resetting settings | It knocks the icons away. | If the labels are gone |
| Removal of updates | Returns the old version | After a failed update |
⚠️ Attention: Before resetting the desktop settings, it is recommended to take a screenshot of the current location of the icons, if it is important to keep them in order, although after resetting you will have to arrange them again.
Checking for viruses and hidden applications
In rare cases, the disappearance of labels can be a sign of malware activity.Some viruses disguise themselves as system processes or hide their icons to remain undetected. MIUI There is a built-in antivirus Security.
Launch the Security app (green zipper icon). Click the Scan button. The system will check the installed programs for threats. If suspicious objects are found, follow the recommendations for their removal.
Also check the list of hidden apps, which is different from the folders on the desktop:
- 🔒 Open the Security app.
- 📉 Scroll down to the Hidden Apps section.
- 👀 Enter a password or fingerprint if you have security installed.
If the missing program is there, you can control its visibility, but remember that system applications cannot be hidden in this way, only third-party ones.
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Use Google Play Protect for additional check-up. Go to the Play Store, click on your profile avatar and select Play Protection → Check.
System update and application reinstallation
The problem may be a conflict of versions. If you recently upgraded MIUI or Android, some shortcuts may not be displayed correctly due to errors in the new build. Check for updates in the Settings menu → About your phone.
If the update doesn’t work or the system is already up to date, try reinstalling the problem app. Remove it completely, then download it again from the official store.
For system applications that cannot be removed, you can try to remove their updates:
Settings → Applications → All Apps → [Application needed] → Three dots in the corner → Remove UpdatesAfter that, the program will return to the factory version, and the label should appear again, and then you can update the application again through the store.
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Reinstalling an application is the most radical, but often the only way to restore the shortcut if the program files are corrupted.