How to return a deleted shortcut on a Xiaomi smartphone: all working ways

Did you accidentally remove the app shortcut from Xiaomi's home screen and not know how to get it back? Or did you lose all the icons after the MIUI update? This problem is familiar to many users of Redmi, POCO or Xiaomi smartphones - especially after resetting or changing the launcher. Unlike the iPhone, where shortcuts are restored through the App Library, on Android with the MIUI shell, the process has its own nuances.

In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven ways to return the shortcut to the Xiaomi screen – from basic (via the app menu) to advanced (restore from a backup or reset the launcher). MIUI 14/15 model 2020–2026 years (Redmi Note) 12, Xiaomi 13T, POCO X5 etc.).

1.The easiest way: Adding a shortcut from the app menu

If you manually removed the shortcut (for example, dragging it into the cart on the home screen), you can restore it in 10 seconds through the standard MIUI menu:

1. Touch the empty space on the home screen and hold your finger until the menu appears.
2. Select the Widgets (or Apps, depending on the shell version).
3. Scroll down the list or use the search (magnifying glass icon) to find the right app.
4. Press the app icon and drag it to the home screen or folder.

⚠️ Note: If the app is not listed, it was remote, not just hidden.

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On some models (POCO F5, Redmi K60), the application menu is swiped upwards from the bottom of the screen. If this gesture does not work, check the launcher settings in Settings → Main screen

This method works for 90% of cases, but if the shortcut is lost after a system update or a topic change, read on.

2.Recovery through the settings of the MIUI launcher

The MIUI shell uses its own launcher (a program to display the main screen), which sometimes resets shortcuts, to return the original state:

1. Open the Settings. → Main screen screen.
2. Select Reset Screen Settings (or Restore by Default).
3. Once you reboot, all the standard shortcuts (Phone, Messages, Camera) will return to their place.

⚠️ Note: This method removes all user folders and widgets. If you had a unique screen organization, pre-take screenshots or record the location of the icons.

If the reset didn't work, maybe the problem lies in the launcher's cache.

Settings → Applications → Application Management → MIUI Launcher → Storage → Clear the cache

3. Search for hidden or disabled applications

Sometimes the shortcuts are not lost because of deletion, but because the application has been disabled or hidden by the system.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps.
3. In the list, find the app you want. If it has the message "Disabled," tap it and select "Enable."

For hidden system applications (for example, FM-radio):

Settings → Special features → Show hidden applications

After turning on, the application will appear again in the menu and it can be added to the main screen.

4. Reinstall the application (if the shortcut disappeared after the update)

If the shortcut disappeared after updating MIUI or the application itself, there may have been a failure in the program data, in which case reinstallation will help:

• 📱 For standard applications (Camera, Gallery): go to Settings → Apps, find the program and click Remove Updates. After rebooting, the shortcut should return.
• 🌐 For third-party applications (such as WhatsApp or VK): Remove the program through Settings → Apps, then install it again from Google Play.
• 🔄 For system applications that cannot be removed: clear their data in Settings → Annexes → Warehouse → Clear the data.

⚠️ Warning: Reinstall deletes all app data (e.g., chats in Telegram or saved games).Before the procedure, back up via Settings → Memory. → Backup.

Once a week |Only when a notification appears |Never update |Only system applications-->

5. Restore from MIUI backup

If you have previously backed up through Settings → Memory → Backup, you can return shortcuts from it.

1. Open Settings → Memory → Backup.
2. Select the latest backup (preferably created before the shortcuts disappear).
3. Click Restore and tick the Home Screen Settings (or Launcher Data).
4. Confirm the recovery and wait until the process is complete (may take up to 5 minutes).

Important: MIUI backups only store the shortcuts, not the applications themselves, and if the program was removed after the backup was created, it will have to be reinstalled.

Take a screenshot of the current screen|Check the vacant space (needs to be checked) ≥500MB)|Connect the charger|Shut down. VPN (It can block access to the cloud)-->

6. Resetting phone settings (extreme case)

If neither method worked, the problem may be deep system settings, which can help factory resets, but only if:

• 🔄 Labels disappear regularly after reboot.
• 📱 Phone slows down or gives errors when opening applications.
• 🔧 Other recovery methods failed to produce results.

Resetting instructions:

Settings → About the phone → Reset settings → Erase all data


(or via Recovery: turn off your phone, press the power button + volume up, select Wipe Data)

⚠️ Warning: Reset removes all data from the phone, including photos, contacts and messages:

1. Save important files to Google Drive or computer.
2. Export your contacts to your Google Account.
3. Write down the usernames/passwords from the applications (they will not be saved).

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Resetting is a last resort, and in 95% of cases, shortcuts can be returned without completely cleaning the phone using the methods in the previous sections.

Frequent questions about missing shortcuts on Xiaomi