Previous articleGone phone icon on Xiaomi: 7 ways to return the icon of calls on Android

Did you pick up your Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro to call, but suddenly you find that the phone icon has disappeared from the home screen?This problem occurs in 15% of Xiaomi smartphone users after a MIUI update or random changes in settings. Fortunately, 90% of the time the icon can be returned in 5-10 minutes without complex manipulation.

The reasons for the disappearance of the Android phone icon range from banal (accidental removal from the desktop) to system (launcher failures). MIUI Or disabling the Phone app. In this article, we'll look at all possible scenarios, from simply returning a shortcut to restoring the system application through a system application. ADB. We will pay special attention to Xiaomi models 13/13T, Redmi Note 11/12 and POCO F5, where the problem is most often encountered.

Before you go to radical measures, check the obvious: is the icon hidden in the Tools folder or on the second desktop. If the icon has really disappeared, follow our instructions in order, starting with the safest methods.

1. Check the Tools folder and additional desktops

In 40 percent of cases, users accidentally move the phone icon to a folder or to another screen, and on MIUI 14, the default folder is created, Tools (or Utilities), where the system can automatically fold rarely used icons.

• 🔍 Swipe left/right across the home screen – possibly the icon on the second or third desktop.
• 📁 Open the Tools folder (usually located at the bottom of the screen or in the dock panel).
• 🔎 Use device search: swipe down the main screen and type “Phone” in the search bar.
• 📱 On some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Lite) the icon can be hidden in Settings. → Annexes → Phone. → Open up.

If the icon is found in the folder, press it and drag it back to the home screen. If the Tools folder is not available, try creating it manually: click on the free screen space → Widgets → Folders → drag the phone icon there (if it is in the list of applications).

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 13/14 After the update, the system can automatically archive rarely used icons. To return the icon from the archive, close all applications and pull down from the top edge of the screen - search for "Application Archive".

2. return icon via MIUI launcher settings

If the icon isn't found on the screens, it may have been hidden in the launcher settings. MIUI has a feature to hide system applications, which users often activate randomly, to return the icon:

1. Hold your finger to the free space on the main screen.
2. Select Settings (cog in the upper right corner).
3. Go to Screen Settings → Hidden Apps.
4. Check if there is a phone (or call) app on the list.
5. Uncheck the box and press Ready.

After that, the icon should appear on the home screen. If it is not in the hidden list, try adding manually:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Find the phone in the list and click on it.
• 🖱️ Choose Display on the main screen.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI Global 14.0.5), this item may be called Create a Shortcut. If the option is inactive, then the application is disabled, move to the next section.

3. Enabling the system application "Phone"

If previous methods didn't work, it's possible that the Phone app was disabled through settings or by a third-party optimizer, a common problem after using programs like Clean Master or Security Master that aggressively clean up the system, to turn it back on:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps.
3. Find the listing for "Phone" (or "com.android.dialer").
4. If the Enable button is active, press it.
5. After turning on, return to the home screen and add the icon manually (click → Widgets → Apps → Phone).

If the application is enabled, but the icon is still not, try resetting its settings:

• 📱 In the same app management menu, click Storage.
• 🧹 Choose Clear Data and Clear Cache.
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Cleaning up the phone app will delete your call history! Pre-export it through Settings → Google → Backup → Call history (if the function is enabled).

The "Phone" app is included in the settings

Cash and app data cleared

Phone reboots after changes

Checked the application archive in MIUI-->

4.Resetting the MIUI launcher settings

If the phone icon is missing after updating MIUI or installing a new launcher (for example, Nova Launcher), the problem may be in the failure of the shell settings, in which case the launcher reset to factory settings will help:

1. Click the free space on the main screen and select Settings.
2. Scroll down and click Additional → Reset settings.
3. Confirm the action. The phone will reboot.

After the reboot, all the icons will return to their places, including the phone icon.

• 📱 Get back to the standard launcher MIUI: Settings → Annexes → By default. → Launcher.
• 🔄 Choose. MIUI Launcher and restart the device.
• 🔍 Check for a phone icon.

On POCO Launcher (set by default on POCO X3/X4), the path may be different: POCO Launcher Settings → Restore default settings. If the reset didn't help, move on to more radical methods.

5. Recovery through ADB (for power users)

If the standard methods didn’t work and the Phone app is disabled and won’t turn on through the settings, you’ll have to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is suitable for users who have previously worked with debugging over USB.

First, prepare the computer:

1. Download ADB Tools from Google’s official website.
2. Unpack the archive in the root of the C:\adb disk.
3. Turn on the phone Developer Mode (7 times click on the MIUI version in Settings → About phone).
4. Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.

Now connect your phone to your PC and execute the commands:

adb devices

(Your device should appear)

adb shell pm enable com.android.dialer

(includes the phone appendix)

adb shell cmd shortcut create-home -n "Phone" -a com.android.dialer -e action "dial"

(Creates a shortcut on the home screen)

If the icon does not appear after that, try reinstalling the application:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.dialer


adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.dialer

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB They can cause the system to malfunction if you're incorrectly entered. Don't use this method unless you're sure you're doing it. MIUI 14 after reinstalling the application, a network reset may be required (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings).

💡

Before working with ADB, back up your data via Settings → About Phone → Backup or Mi Cloud. This will help you recover contacts and call history when you crash.

6. Verify access rights and conflicts with other applications

Sometimes the phone icon disappears due to conflict with other apps, especially if you use:

• 📞 Alternative Calls (Truecaller, Drupe).
• 🔒 Call blocking applications (Call Blocker).
• 🛡️ Antiviruses with call protection function (Avast, Kaspersky).
• 🤖 Automators like MacroDroid or Tasker.

To check for conflicts:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Application permissions.
2. Find the Phone section and check which apps have access to calls.
3. Disable calling rights from suspicious apps (especially if they have been installed recently).
4. Reboot the phone.

If the conflict is caused by an alternative call (such as Truecaller), try:

• 📱 Open Truecaller settings and disable the option to Replace the standard call.
• 🔄 Reinstall the application.
• 🚫 Remove it completely if the problem persists.

7.Extreme measures: reset to factory settings

If none of these methods work, you'll have to reset your phone completely, and that will delete all the data, so first you have to:

• 📱 Make a backup copy through Settings → The phone. → Backup.
• 🔗 Synchronize your contacts with Google Account.
• 📁 Save photos on PC or cloud.

Resetting instructions:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select to erase all data (reset to factory).
3. Enter your password (if required) and confirm.
4. After restarting, perform the initial setup.

On MIUI 14, you have the option to Save Application Data, which you should turn off to avoid carrying errors, and once you reset, the phone icon is guaranteed to appear on the home screen.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Redmi K60 Pro after reset may require re-activation SIM-maps through settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Activation.

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Factory reset is the last option, and 95% of the time, you can fix the problem with the methods in the previous sections without losing data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about missing phone icon