How to restore a remote icon on your Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

Losing an important shortcut on Xiaomi’s desktop is a common problem that users face after accidentally uninstalling, resetting or updating MIUI. Unlike completely removing an application, the disappearance of an icon is often due to launcher features or hiding system elements. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to return shortcuts, from basic actions in the menu to advanced methods using ADB.

It's important to understand that if you delete the app, not the icon, you need to reinstall it from Google Play or Mi App Store, but if the app is still on the system and only the desktop icon is missing, our instructions will help you get it back for the first time. 2-3 The methods are suitable for all modern models Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO base MIUI 12–15, including Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5.

1. Checking the "All Apps" folder

The first thing to do is make sure that the icon has not been accidentally moved to another folder or to a second desktop.In MIUI, all installed programs are displayed in a special menu, even if their shortcuts are hidden from the home screen.

How to open a full list of applications:

• 📱 Swipe your finger up from the bottom edge of the screen (guest of opening the app menu).
• 🔍 At the top of the screen will appear search bar – enter the name of the missing application.
• 📌 If the application is found, press its icon and drag it to the desktop.

If the application is not on this list, it has been removed completely (see the FAQ section on Remote Program Recovery). If it is available but not displayed on the desktop, move on to the next method.

2.Resetting launcher settings

The launcher (desktop shell) in Xiaomi sometimes resets the location of icons after updates or cache errors. You can return the standard display by resetting its settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. At the top of the search, type Launcher (or Launcher for global firmware).
3. Select the MIUI Launcher app (house icon).
4. Click Warehouse → Clear the data and confirm the action.

Once reset, all icons will return to factory location, and importantly, this method removes all user folders and widgets from the desktop, you have to reconfigure them, and if the problem is not solved, move on to the next step.

Take screenshots of the current location of the icons

Remember the names of important folders

Make sure that the password from the Mi Account is saved (required for synchronization)

Check that “All Apps” have the right program-->

3. Recovery through screen settings

MIUI has a hidden feature to restore standard icons of system applications (e.g., Phone, Messages, Camera) and this method works even if you don’t remember the name of the missing shortcut:

1. Click the empty space on your desktop and select Screen Settings.
2. Go to the Desktop Style → Application icons section.
3. Activate the option to Show all app icons (if disabled).
4. Return to your desktop and check for previously hidden icons.

If this method does not work, try an alternative way:

• 🔄 Open the Settings. → Desktop.
• 📱 Choose Add App Icons to the Desktop.
• 🔍 Manually tick the necessary applications from the list.

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If the system app icon (such as Camera or Contacts) is missing, try updating it through the Mi App Store. Sometimes, the default software malfunctions are corrected by reinstalling updates.

4.Use of an alternative launcher

If the standard launcher Xiaomi stubbornly does not display the icon, a temporary solution will be the installation of a third-party shell.

• 🌐 Nova Launcher – Supports backup of icon location.
• 🎨 Microsoft Launcher – Windows integration and cloud saving.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – Optimized for Performance.

How to install and configure:

1. Download the launcher from Google Play.
2. When you first start, select it as the default launcher.
3. In the application menu, find the missing icon and press it to add to the desktop.

After returning the icon, you can return the standard MIUI launcher through Settings → Applications → By default → Launcher.

5. Advanced method: ADB-team

If none of the previous methods worked, and the application is installed on the system, you can try to return the icon via Android Debug Bridge (ADB).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone. 7 times click on the MIUI Version until the notification “You’ve become a developer” appears. Return to Settings → Additional → For Developers. Activate Debugging on USB.

Connect your phone to your PC through USB-Cable (use the original cable for stability).

ADB Tools

cmd

adb.exe

adb devices


adb shell cmd appops set com.miui.home android:query_all_packages allow




adb shell pm enable com.miui.home/.launcher.Launcher




adb shell am force-stop com.miui.home

After you've completed the commands, restart your phone. The icons should return to your desktop. If that hasn't happened, check the correct commands or try an alternative.

adb shell settings put secure default_launcher com.miui.home

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can cause system failures if the commands are entered incorrectly. ADB without understanding their purpose.

Comparison of recovery methods

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Start with the simplest methods (checking the application menu and resetting the launcher). ADB only use if other methods have not worked and you are confident in your actions.

FAQ: Frequent questions about missing icons