How to restore icons on the desktop of the Xiaomi phone

The sudden disappearance of app shortcuts from the home screen of Xiaomi’s smartphone is a common problem that often causes panic among users.It seems that data is lost or the phone is broken, but in most cases it is only a failure in the system launcher or an accidental action of the owner himself. The MIUI shell has a complex menu structure, and it is easy for a beginner to get confused in the display settings.

There are several proven ways to get things back to their place without losing personal data, and we'll look at things from just looking for hidden apps to completely resetting the interface, and it's important to act consistently so that you don't make things worse with unnecessary actions.

Before you start taking drastic measures, it is worth checking the basic system settings. Often the reason lies in the activated pocket mode or a changed display style that the user may have turned on randomly, and in this guide we will detail each recovery step.

Checking the Hidden folder and application baskets

The first place to look when looking for missing icons is the hidden application system folder, and the MIUI shell features a feature that allows you to hide programs from prying eyes, and sometimes they disappear there because of an erroneous swipe.

To open this partition, you have to go to the main screen and do a specific finger movement, and you have to spread the two fingers on the screen in different directions, as if you want to zoom in on the image, and if the concealment function is activated, a special window will open with a list of programs.

• 📱 Make a swipe with two fingers to the sides on the desktop.
• 🔍 Find the missing app in the list that opened.
• 🔓 Click on the lock icon or switch to unlock the shortcut.

If an application is found in the hidden list, just turn off the protection. The shortcut will instantly return to its place. In some versions of the firmware, access to hidden applications can be protected by a password or a graphical key that is set in the security settings.

⚠️ Note: If you didn’t set a password for hidden apps and the system requires it, it may have been changed by another user or a software failure.

Also worth checking out the Recycle Bin in the theme. Some themes for Xiaomi have their own rules for removing or hiding interface elements. Go to the Themes app, go to profile and check the history of changes.

Configure the display through the Louncher menu

If hidden folders are empty, the problem may be the launcher settings, which allow you to choose which apps are displayed on the desktop and which are only left in the general menu, often after you update the system or change the theme.

You need to go to the display settings. To do this, press the empty area on the desktop or go to Settings → Desktop. Here you are interested in parameters related to the list of applications and their visibility.

Depending on the version of MIUI, the interface may be different. Find "Add apps to desktop" or similar. Make sure the switch is activated. If it's turned off, new programs won't automatically create shortcuts.

• 🛠 Go to the desktop settings after a long press.
• 📂 Select the option “Hide Apps” or “Add Apps».
• ✅ Make sure that the programs you need have a “Show” tick».

Switching display mode sometimes helps, and in the launcher settings, you can choose between Classic Menu (like Android) and No Menu (all desktop shortcuts), switching between these modes often reloads the icon list and returns missing items.

Note the widgets. Sometimes the user accidentally deletes the search widget or tool folder, thinking that they are missing applications, and you can restore standard widgets through the widget menu, available with a long press on the empty area of the screen.

Resetting the settings of the system application "Security"

One of the most common causes of icons disappearing is a conflict in the system application Security, which controls permissions, hidden applications, and memory optimization, and if its cache is overflowing or corrupted, the interface may not work properly.

To solve the problem, you don't have to delete the application, because it's a system component. Just clear the data. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the "Security" (green shield icon) list.

Path to Reset: Settings → Apps → All Apps → Security → Memory → Clean

Once the data is cleared, the phone can reboot or just blink the screen, which is a normal reaction of the system to reset the launcher configuration, and all your personal files, contacts and photos will remain intact.

• 🛡 Find the Security app in the list of all programs.
• 🗑 Click “Clean” in the application memory section.
• 🔄 Wait for the interface to restart or restart manually.

This method is effective in 80% of cases where the problem is caused by a software failure after the update.If the icons are not returned, it is possible that the launcher's cache itself, not just the security module, is damaged.

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Once the security application data is cleared, the energy saving settings for individual applications may reset, and check if the background activity restriction for important messengers is worth it.

Cleaning the data and cache of the System Launcher application

If the previous steps didn't work, you need to work directly on the component that builds the desktop, which is called System Launcher or System Launcher, and resetting it will return the icons to the factory state.

It's important to understand that resetting the launcher will remove all the folders, widgets and shortcuts you've created on desktops, but the apps themselves will remain installed. You'll have to re-distribute them across screens, but that's guaranteed to solve the problem of extinction.

Go to the application management menu. Find System Launcher. In some versions of MIUI, you need to search through three dots in the top right corner of the application list, selecting Show System Processes.

Select "Clean" and confirm "Clean All" action. The phone screen will go out for a few seconds, after which the system will restart the desktop, and you will see the standard location of the applications, as when you first turn on the phone.

⚠️ Before performing a full cleanup of the launcher data, make sure that important widgets (such as weather or notes) do not contain unique information that is out of sync with the cloud.

Using Safe Mode for Diagnostics

In a situation where standard methods do not work, third-party launcher applications or viruses may be the cause. If you installed Nova Launcher (Lawnchair), they may conflict with the system interface.

Launch your phone in Safe Mode. Only Xiaomi system apps are downloaded in this state, and if all icons are in Safe Mode, then third-party software is creating a problem.

To enter safe mode, it is usually enough to press the off button, and then press the "Stop" item on the screen for a long time until the prompt to go to safe mode appears. After diagnosis, the phone should simply be restarted in the usual way.

• 🛡 Enter Safe Mode via the Off Menu.
• 👀 Check for all the badges on the desktop.
• 🗑 Remove newly installed launchers or suspicious programs.

Even if there are no icons in Safe Mode, the problem is deep systemic, the user configuration file may have been damaged or the firmware update crashed, in which case a complete reset of the phone settings may be required.

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If the interface is working correctly in safe mode, the third-party app is the culprit. Remove them one by one, starting with the last ones installed.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions