How to create a folder on the desktop Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro 128GB: 3 working methods + life hacks

Why Redmi Note 8 Pro Cannot Create a Folder and How to Fix It

Are you trying to organize the chaos of icons on the home screen of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro, but folders refuse to be created? The problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones with a shell MIUI — especially after the system updates. In this article, we will analyze three proven ways to create folders (including hidden MIUI chips), explain why sometimes the function does not work, and share life hacks on the organization of the desktop.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro (128GB) with MIUI 12-14 has its own nuances: for example, some firmware has disabled the option of "free mode" of the screen, which blocks the creation of folders. The problem may lie in the launcher settings or conflict with the theme of the design, but do not rush to reset the settings — in 90% of cases, the solution takes less than a minute.

Important: If you use a third-party launcher (Nova, Apex, Microsoft Launcher), the instruction will be different — we will talk about this in a separate section.

Method 1: Classic folder creation (for MIUI 12–14)

This is the basic method that works on most firmware versions, and if it doesn't work, move on to the following.

1. Unlock the screen and go to the main desktop (not in the app menu!).
2. Find two app icons you want to combine, like WhatsApp and Telegram.
3. Hold one icon with your finger, and drag it to the other one without letting go, and hold your finger on the screen until you see a black circle that says Create a folder.
4. Release your finger, the folder will be automatically created, name it (like Messengers) and press Ready.

⚠️ Warning: If you drag and drop icons just swap places and the folder isn't created, you have Free Placement Mode on. To turn it off, press the empty space on the screen. → Screen settings → Turn off the free-settlement option.

Press the icon 1-2 seconds before vibration |

Drag to another icon, not to an empty place.|

Make sure that "Free Location Mode" is not turned on"|

Check if a third-party launcher is used-->

Method 2: Create a folder through the application menu

If the first method didn’t work, try creating a folder through a full list of applications, which is suitable for MIUI 13-14.

1. Scroll through the main screen to the left to open the menu of all applications (the list of "A-Z").
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner → select Edit.
3. Press the app icon and drag it to another one, and a black circle should appear suggesting you create a folder.
4. Name the folder and press Ready. Now you can drag it to the home screen.

💡 Useful tip: If the folder is not created in the app menu, try restarting your smartphone. MIUI This is solved by a banal reboot, and check if the child lock is installed (Settings). → Special facilities → Child Mode that can block screen changes.

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If the folder is created, but immediately disappears, try to disable animation in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times) → Developer settings → Windows animation = Off).

Method 3: Manually create a folder through launcher settings (hidden function)

This method works even if the standard methods don't work, and it uses hidden MIUI launcher options.

1. Click the empty space on the home screen → select Screen Settings.
2. Scroll down and find the Additional → Launcher Settings section.
3. Activate the option to Allow folder creation (if any). In some versions of MIUI, this option is called Application Grouping.
4. Return to the home screen and try to recreate the folder the first way.

⚠️ Note: If the launcher settings do not have a folder item, then your version MIUI In this case, only resetting the launcher settings will help (see the section "What to do if nothing works").

Table: Comparison of folder creation methods on Redmi Note 8 Pro

What if the folders are not created anyway?

If none of these methods worked, the problem could be deeper. Here are 4 steps to diagnose:

• 🔄 Update. MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update the system and install the latest firmware. in old builds (for example, MIUI 11) there were folder-creating bugs.
• 🧹 Clear the launcher cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 📱 Check the theme: Some custom themes from the theme break folder functionality. Return the standard theme (Settings) → Topics → Standard).
• 🔧 Reset the launcher settings: How to do it, read the spoiler above.

Critical information: On the Redmi Note 8 Pro with Android 9 firmware (MIUI 11 and below), folders may not be created due to system limitations, in which case only manually upgrading to MIUI 12+ via Fastboot or Recovery will help.

MIUI 12|

MIUI 13|

MIUI 14|

I don't know how to check.|-->

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If folders are not created even after the launcher is reset, the problem is the firmware. Update MIUI to the latest version or install a third-party launcher.

How to organize folders on Redmi Note 8 Pro: 5 life hacks

Now that the folders are finally created, let’s talk about how to make them really convenient:

• 📁 Group by task: For example, "Social networks" (VK, Instagram, TikTok), "Work" (Mail, Calendar, Zoom), "Games" (PUBG, Genshin Impact).
• 🎨 Change folder icons: Click folder → Change the icon → Choose from the gallery or download to the themes.
• 🔒 Hide confidential folders: Use the Second Space feature (Settings) → Special facilities → Second space) or applications like Nova Launcher with support for hidden folders.
• 📌 Secure important folders: Hold the folder → Fix it on the screen so it doesn’t disappear during cleaning.
• 🔄 Sort Automatically: In the folder settings, enable AutoSort (by alphabetical or installation date).

💡 Gamers’ Tip: On Redmi Note 8 Pro, you can create a folder with games and add it to Game Turbo (Settings) → Special facilities → This will speed up the launch of games and turn off notifications while playing.

Third-party launchers: an alternative to standard MIUI

If Xiaomi’s native launcher stubbornly refuses to create folders, install a third-party.The best options for the Redmi Note 8 Pro:

• 🌟 Nova Launcher: Supports gestures, hidden folders and icon customization. Download to Play Market.
• ⚡ Microsoft Launcher: Windows integration, cloud backup desktop. Download.
• 🎨 Action Launcher: Unique widgets and adaptive icons. Download.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers, turn off battery optimization for them (Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Autostart and optimize the battery, otherwise they may brake or reset.

After the launcher is installed:

1. Press the Home button and select the new launcher as the main one.
2. Press the icon → drag and drop to another to create a folder (the logic is the same as in MIUI, but without bugs).
3. Customize gestures and appearance in the launcher menu (usually opened with a long tap on the screen).

FAQ: Frequent questions about folders on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro